Meadville, PA — The Pennsylvania fair circuit made its way to the northwest part of the state and the Crawford County Fairgrounds in Meadville, Pa., and unfortunately so did the bad weather that has plagued the middle part of the season. Rain washed out the Fair Sire Stakes races for 3-year-olds on Monday (Aug. 19), along with the Free-For-All Trot.

Benezia and Steve Schoeffel set a track race record of 2:05.2 for 2-year-old trotting colts at Meadville, Pa., on Sunday. Seth Dowling photo.

On Sunday (Aug. 18), the Sebastian K S-Frou Frou freshman colt Benezia broke his maiden in an “A” division of his Fair Sire Stakes, going wire-to-wire by 13 lengths for driver Steve Schoeffel, trainer Dan Walski, and the Walski Stables LLC. His time of 2:05.2 was a Meadville divisional track race record — freshman trotting male Penn Monie Mosie won a 2006 qualifier in 2:05.1.

In the Boots Dunn Free-For-All Pace, named after the longtime patriarch of racing not only at Meadville but through all the Keystone state fair circuit, the Real Artist gelding Artists Ruffles went to the lead at the quarter and increased his margin from there, winning by 14-1/2 lengths in 1:59.4 for trainer-driver Roger Hammer, who shares ownership with Vicki Fair. The clocking was just two-fifths of a second off the track divisional standard set three years ago by Ruffle Up.

The Ponder-Odds On Affair colt Champ Charbel kept up his winning ways during the card’s initial race, going clear by six lengths in a 2:02.4 mile for driver Shawn Johnston and owner-trainer Joe Karrat. Champ Charbel started his fair campaign with two wins in “B” company, and has won three of five races since going up to the “A” division.

During the abbreviated meet, Hammer, Kyle Bolon and Chris Shaw each drove two winners, while Hammer and Karrat both had training doubles.

The state fair circuit continues through its busy summer with racing at the Indiana County Fair this Thursday (Aug. 21) and Friday (Aug. 22). First post is set for 2 p.m. on both days.