Fair stars continue to shine at Indiana (Pa.)
August 28, 2018,from the Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association
Indiana, PA — This has been the Year of the Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly on the Pennsylvania fair circuit, and that trend continued at the two-day meet in Indiana, Pa. on Monday (Aug. 27) and Tuesday (Aug. 28).
Monday was devoted to freshmen, and Ridinonarainbow trotted a mile in 2:05.4 to equal the standing mark first set by Lady Broadway in 2012. This was the second entry into the record books for the daughter of Muscle Massive and Cantab Cabela; at Hughesville, she lowered that track’s standard to 2:02.4.
It has also been the Year of Todd Schadel at the Keystone fair twice-arounds, and the aforementioned race reflects that fact as well as any. Todd trains and drives Ridinonarainbow, and he also trains second-place finisher Bumper Hanover, who also has accounted for a pair of track records. Todd and his wife Christine own both fast misses. Schadel was again the leading driver at the meet, with a 5-4 advantage on his brother Tony; he harnessed six visitors to Victory Lane at Indiana while no other horsemen had more than two.
Team McMullen, which guided the fortunes of Lady Broadway and which has campaigned sparingly at the fairs this year, made its first 2018 visit to the circuit’s winner circle, as Tony Schadel guided Giant Possession to victory in the “B” event for this division.
Tony Schadel and his wife Linda are also the co-owners of another very nice baby, the Russell Hanover-Applique Hanover gelding Aflame Hanover, who overcame the second tier to win in 2:00.2. Already the fastest freshman of the fair circuit by virtue of a 1:58.3 mile at York, Aflame Hanover has bankrolled in excess of $37,000, with a 4-3-1-0 record at the fairs and a nose defeat in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, as well as a third in an Arden Downs event.
Tuesday’s three-year-old action started out with a bang, as the first race was the “A” division of the Fair Sire Stakes colt pace, featuring Venier Hanover. After a 13-1-3-0 start to the season between overnights and the early fairs, the Well Said gelding roared to his fifth straight score in 2:00.1. The consistent Cirrus De Vie (Roger Hammer), who has a 10-7-3-0 record at the fairs, finished second.
One of the best rivalries of the fair season has been between sophomore filly trotters Blow Back and Critical Hanover. Blow Back won the Indiana matchup in 2:06.4 in a two-horse contest with her arch rival. Critical Hanover is now 9-5-4-0 at the fairs, and the Explosive Matter distaff Blow Back is 10-6-4-0. After this win for trainer-driver Roger Hammer, who co-owns with Vicki Fair, Blow Back now has a 4-3 head-to-head advantage.