Clearfield, PA – The Tuesday (July 30) and Wednesday (July 31) cards at the Clearfield (PA) County Fair were devoted to Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes racing for 3-year-olds. The pacers, on Wednesday, produced three sub-2:00 miles – with the fastest coming in an unlikely circumstance.

April Ava made her first trip to the winner’s circle this year winning by nine lengths for driver Eric Neal at the Clearfield. PA fair. Seth Dowling Photo.

The Delmarvalous filly April Ava, winless in 2019 and entered in the “B” division of the Sire Stakes, won by nine lengths for driver Eric Neal, stopping the timing watch in 1:59, almost five seconds better than her previous career best. Owned and trained by Wayne Glessner, April Ava had been consistently pacing in the 1:56 range at The Meadows without success, but she obviously enjoyed the move to the twice around oval, and in the process lowered the circuit’s divisional season’s record.

Fastest of the “A” filly pacers was the Sweet Lou miss Sweet Tea Baby, who came first-over in a 2:00.3 triumph for owner/trainer/driver Stephen White.

Colts generated the other 2:00 recordings, with the fastest time for the “boys,” 1:59.3, turned in by Motive Hanover, who became the first horse to post two 2:00 victories at the fairs this year. The Well Said colt opened his fair campaign with three wins at the “B” level (including a 1:59.4 triumph at York), was second to stablemate Way To Close in his first “A” start, and here won by 2-3/4 lengths for trainer/driver Todd Schadel, also co-owner with his son Cody.

Yet another Todd Schadel pupil, the Western Terror gelding Find One More, dropped down to the “B” level and promptly won by five lengths in 1:59.4. Christine Schadel owns this 3-year-old with her trainer/driver/husband.

On Tuesday, it was Todd’s brother Tony who produced the fastest mile on the diagonal gait of the Tuesday card, a 2:02.4 victory with Andovers Asset, his third win in four fair starts and a time that equaled the trotting colts’ fastest win at the fairs. Tony’s wife Linda is the trainer of the Andover Hall gelding, and they share ownership.

Among the trotting fillies, there were two miles in 2:03.2, and one of the winners was no surprise – since the Muscle Massive miss Touch Of Dough already held the mark for fastest fair trotting mile of the year with a 2:01 at Silver Springs Ranch. Touch of Dough now sports a 3-2-1-0 seasonal scorecard at the fairs for driver Eric Neal, trainer/father Randal Neal, and Neal Racing Stable LLC.

The other 2:03.2 sophomore filly trot was produced by a first-time winner in 2019, Miss Right Now, another daughter of Muscle Massive – also in a “B” event, for trainer/driver Roger Hammer, co-owner with Vicki Fair.

Eric Neal had four driving victories during both the 2-year-old and 3-year-old sessions, with his eight total sulky successes earning him the Buster DiSalvo Trophy, annually given at Clearfield to the winningest driver. Eric’s father Randal is a former DiSalvo Trophy winner.

August is the busiest month on the Pennsylvania fair circuit, starting Tuesday (Aug. 6) and Wednesday (Aug. 7), when there will be racing at both the Wayne County Fair in Honesdale PA and at the Greene County Fair in Waynesburg PA.