from the PA Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association

Dayton, PA — Venier Hanover, last year’s 2-year-old terror of the Pennsylvania Fair Circuit but not really finding his form in 2018 until a couple of starts ago, picked a great time to run his current winning streak to three as he paced the fastest mile of the two-day stand at the Dayton (PA) Fairgrounds, 2:01.2, in winning Wednesday’s (Aug. 15) Sue Brickell Memorial.

Seth Dowling photo

Trainer/driver Dave Brickell and winner Venier Hanover are joined in the winner’s circle by Dave’s brother Dean after winning the Sue Brickell Memorial Pace.

The winner was guided by Sue’s brother-in-law Dave Brickell, whose brother Dean, Sue’s husband, joined him for a satisfying winner’s circle scene.

The gelded son of Well Said, also trained by Dave Brickell and co-owned by him with Mitchell York, had not had a bad year in 2018, winning more than $12,000 before his victory skein started. But first he beat out the fastest fair pacer of the year in PA, Love Cut (1:57.2), and then last week derailed Cirrus De Vie as that foe went for his seventh straight triumph. On Wednesday, the last quarter in Venier Hanover’s victory was :28.4, with the timing of the impressive win just perfect.

In the other “A” cut, Cirrus De Vie got another win streak started by defeating Love Cut in 2:02.2. Trainer/driver Roger Hammer co-owns the only seven-time fair winner on the PA circuit with Vicki Fair.

The fastest trot of the week also went to Team Hammer-Fair, as the Explosive Matter filly Blow Back came home first in 2:05.3. Blow Back had ended Critical Hanover’s four-race win streak at Honesdale in their last start, and here at Dayton she ran her own recent record to four wins in five starts in the “A”s.

Thursday’s (Aug. 16) action, devoted to 2-year-olds, saw the “A” pacing filly division go faster than the colts, with the Well Said miss Sure R Lookin Good living up to her name and keeping her fair record unblemished after two starts by posting a 2:03 mile. Eric Neal, having a marvelous streak of driving form, handled the quick miss for trainer Robert Krenitsky Jr. and owner Julie Krenitsky.

The swiftest freshman trotter was the Donato Hanover colt Oceanato Hanover, home first in 2:07 for trainer/driver Todd Schadel, co-owner with wife Christine. Oceanato Hanover went three-for-three in “B” company before stepping up to the “A” ranks, and the rise has hardly slowed his momentum, as he is now 3-2-1-0 in the higher classification.

Oceanato Hanover was one of five driving and training wins for Todd Schadel during the Dayton meet, putting him on top in both columns, and increasing his summer-long stranglehold on both leads.

The PA fair circuit next moves to Meadville and the Crawford County Fair, the home track of the late Pennsylvania Harness Hall of Famer Walter “Boots” Dunn. Racing will go there next Wednesday at 12:15 p.m., a change from the originally-posted time, and at the scheduled 11:30 a.m. on Thursday.