by Gerry Connors, the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission
Harrisburg, PA — Shu Hanover, the speed star of the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Fair Circuit in 2004, etched his name in history Thursday as the first winner of the Little Brown Pint at the Gratz (PA) Fair.
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Gerry Connors Photo
Millard Beatty presenting Todd Schadel and Shu Hanover with the “Pint.”
The “Pint,” held on the same day and fashioned after a race in Ohio you may have heard of, was conceptualized and executed by Millard “Stat Man” Beatty of the Harness Writers Association, and he joined Shu and driver Todd Schadel in the winner’s circle for the presentation of the Pint (actually a disguised bottle of Grolsch beer).
Shu Hanover, who now has six of the ten 2:00 miles generated at the PA Fairs this year, rallied from well back to defeat his stablemate in the Schadel barn, Western Monsoon, and take this decision in 1:581, second-fastest mile at the fairs this year behind only Shu’s own 1:562 track record at Gratz earlier. The busy Schadel also co-owns the Arturo colt with Arnold “The Maine Attraction” Shaw.
A PA Fair circuit season’s mark was set by the sophomore trotting filly Somerset County, home first easily in 2:023 for driver Bryce Truitt. John McMullen, president of the state fair horsemen’s association, trains the daughter of Party Party and shares in her ownership with daughter-in-law Michelle McMullen.
The victory was the 14th of the year for Somerset County (after 11 last year), making her the winningest three-year-old trotter in North America.
In the race right after Somerset County’s, Au Courant Hanover posted her 15th visit to victory lane this season (after 18 in 2003), making her the co-winningest three-year-old pacer in North America. You may have heard of the other one -– Rainbow Blue.
FINISHING LINES: With the flood waters all but totally receded, the Bloomsburg Fair is ready to host the final week of the PA Fair Circuit this coming Monday through Wednesday. This will be the last chance for Sires Stakes horses to earn enough points to qualify them for the $80,000 Fair Championship Week at The Meadows on October 5-9.