from the PA Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association

Waynesburg, PA — The Pennsylvania Fair circuit which covers almost the entirety of the Commonwealth throughout the summer, made a stop in the southwestern corner of the state on Tuesday (Aug. 7) and Wednesday (Aug. 8) for a pair of days of action at the Greene County Fair in this hometown of harness racing’s all-time winningest driver, Dave Palone.

The Tuesday card featured 2-year-old racing, with the names of the fastest winners on both gaits having a religious theme behind them. Quickest overall was the Ponder pacing gelding Aquinas, named after the noted philosopher/theologian, who scored his maiden victory in 2:05 for driver Shawn Johnston, trainer Gary Johnston, and owner Dr. William Solomon. Unusually, the time was recorded in the “B” division of the Fair Sire Stakes divisional event; “A” winner Next Shot required 2:05.4 to get home first.

On the trot, RT Gloria De Dios took a maiden mark of 2:07.3, with the Muscle Massive filly successful in the “A” for driver Kyle Bolon, trainer Robert Rougeaux III, and the Brocious Racing Stable Inc. All the Brocious horses have their names start with “RT” (for “Rocky Top,” possibly after the famous country song); gloria de dios is Spanish for “glory of God.”

Fastest mile of the meet, as one would suspect, came when the 3-year-olds gathered on Wednesday. The Delmarvalous pacing gelding Marvalous Falcon, a winner in 2:03.1, knows a thing or two about Fair Sire Stakes racing at both the “A” and “B” levels as he now has two 2018 victories in each classification. At Waynesburg, Brady Brown guided him for breeder/owner/trainer Roger Hammer.

Aaron Johnston started a sulky sweep of the sophomore colt trot with the quickest winner, the Cantab Hall gelding Willie B Worthy, home first in 2:06 for owner/trainer Lisa Dunn; he followed up in the very next race with 2:07.2 winner What A Hunk, giving both 3-year-olds two straight wins at the “A” level.

Two final notes, both from Tuesday’s 2-year-old racing:

In the “B” colt trot, Ulterior Hanover posted a clocking of 2:00.2. Now, you get extra points if you figured out that the race was a walkover, and that that was the gelding’s clocking at the three-quarter pole. He zipped home in :34.1 to complete a 2:34.3 mile, for which he got the entire $2,550 purse.

The ubiquitous Roger Hammer had one freshman entered, a pacing filly named Turn Marvalous, who finished second under his guidance. This was his only Tuesday drive at Waynesburg and it came in the middle of a 718-mile roundtrip commute to and from Honesdale, where he raced Monday and Wednesday.

Honesdale started its second meet, the “fair meet,” on Wednesday, and a report on the Wednesday and Thursday action at the northeast Pennsylvania oval will be done after Thursday’s races.