by Millard Beatty III, the Delaware Valley Chapter of the U.S. Harness Writers’ Association

Woodlyn, PA — The 2005 Pennsylvania Sires Stake racing season comes to an end on Wednesday (September 28) at The Bloomsburg Fair with a 14 race card, featuring two-year-old and three-year-old pacers and trotters. The first eight events consist of the two-year-old division of the PA Sires Stake Fair Circuit, while the remaining six races consist of the three-year-old division.

In the second race of the day, Todd Schadel’s two-year-old pacer Keystone Rideau, starting from post number three, will try to go for number 13 and try to remain undefeated as she faces a field of four pacers for a purse of $2,046. They consist of: from the number one post, Dixie Dust with Joe Offutt in the bike; Realist Hanover with Winston Lineweaver in the sulky will be gunning out from post number two; Slayer Of Dragons will be firing out from post number four with Stephen “Speedy” Schoeffel at the controls; and starting from post number five, Western Duke, with a driver to be named.

In the eighth race, a trot race for a purse of $2,045, two-year-old filly trotter Keystone Carla makes her fair debut with Joseph Offutt at the reigns. Keystone Carla has won over $70,000 so far this year and sports a 2:01.2 mark. Her record is 11 starts with eight wins, two seconds and one third, a 1.000 batting average for in the money and a 72.7% win ratio. Keystone Carla will start from post number three.

Here is the remaining field in post number order: Ann Aria, post number one, Stephen Schoeffel; Mellow Lane, post number two, Todd Schadel; Danielle K, post number four, Winston Lineweaver; Triple T Pleasure, post number five, Zan Kaiser; and K T Brat, post number six, Brian Weaver.

The three-year-old division is highlighted with a group of hard-knocking trotters in the 11th race, where a field of six will go behind the gate. The Offutt Stable will send out from post number two, Mountain Breez with Christopher Offutt in the bike, who finished second to stable mate Lindmeyourpajamas on Tuesday in the Bloomsburg Stake for three-year-olds. Starting from post number four is Lindmeyourpajamas with Timmy Offutt at the controls, who won by four lengths on Tuesday in wire-to-wire fashion in 2:04.1.

Not to be outdone, The Dunn Stable, handled by trainer Walter Dunn, will send out from post number one, Starry Lane, with Walter “Boots” Dunn in the sulky and from post number three, Bellissimo, with Brian Zendt in the bike. Bellissimo broke at the start on Tuesday against winner Lindmeyourpajamas in one division of The Bloomsburg Stake, and lost all chances when she was making a move and went off stride at the half-mile pole. If she stays flat on Wednesday, she still has a good chance to win.

Rounding out the field, from post number five is Keystone Call Girl with Todd Schadel at the reins and from post number six is Hi Roller K, with Winston Lineweaver getting the call.

In the three-year-old colts and geldings division, rivals Real Hanover and Rendell were split into different heats. In the 13th race, Todd Schadel and Arnold Shaw’s Real Hanover will go against four other opponents for a purse of $1,913. Real Hanover will start from post number three. In post number order the remaining starters are: Dragon’s Heart, post number one, driver to be named; Bachelorboy, post number two, Timmy Offutt; Flashin-Neon, post number four, Norman Morford; and starting from post number five, Startearly Hanover, with Stephen Schoeffel.

L. David Emanuel’s Rendell drew post number two in the second division for a purse of $1,913. In post number order the remaining starters are: Puffandstuff, post number one, Lloyd Lambert; Stamper Hanover, post number three, Timmy Offutt; Arturo’s Reactor, post number four, Stephen Schoeffel; and from post number five, Sanctum Hanover with Todd Schadel at the helm.

When it rains, it pours track records?

Yes, after some decent rainfall on Monday afternoon and evening, canceling the last two races of the day in The Bloomsburg Stakes, the track was back to excellent shape on Tuesday, as the maintenance crew worked hard to get the track surface race able, where two, yes, two track records fell.

The older pacing mare record fell, as four-year-old DVC Uptown Girl upset the overall track record horse R N Artist by a neck in 2:00, breaking the previous mark of 2:00.1 set in September, 1998 by B T Spur and in September, 2002 by B T Ritz. DVC Uptown Girl was driven by David Brickell, who co-owns the mare with Ronna Brickell.

The older trotting horse record fell as Roger Hammer’s seven-year-old horse R N Artist, who just set a track record this past June at Harrington Raceway for older horses (1:56.2), drew off by five lengths to beat the top overnight trotter this year on the Fair Circuit, Boomer Berman, in 2:00.2, eclipsing the previous mark by over two seconds. The previous mark was set by another Hammer horse, Surpassing Hanover in 2:02.2 in September, 2003.

On Tuesday, Winston Lineweaver went over $50,000 in purses as a driver in the PA Sires Stakes, with a second place finish with R T Phoebes Giant. Winston picked up $460 in earnings for his second place finish. He only needed $17 to go over $50,000 and is now the fourth driver to go over the $50,000 mark.

Next to challenge that plateau is the young Timmy Offutt, who is having an outstanding year. Timmy only needed $227 to hit the $50,000 mark. Timmy drove the three-year-old trotter Tioga County to a third place finish in a PA Sires Stakes, in the last race of the day, picking up $184 in earnings, leaving him only $43 short of hitting the mark. Timmy will cross that plateau in the first race on Wednesday, making him the fifth driver to earn over $50,000. Todd Schadel, Stephen Schoeffel, Roger Hammer and Winston Lineweaver have hit the mark.

Does home field advantage, or where you train your horse really work? Well it did on Tuesday between rivals, Rendell and Real Hanover. See, Real Hanover trains at Gratz, Pennsylvania, where the Gratz Fair is held. Well last week, Real Hanover beat Rendell by about two lengths in the PA Sires Stake race to win the “Little Brown Pint.” Now we switch to Bloomsburg where Rendell trains. Well, you know, Rendell this time called Bloomsburg home sweet home, and went wire-to-wire in 2:00 flat to beat his rival Real Hanover by a length. As the old saying goes, “there is no place like home.”

Rendell and Real Hanover race again on Wednesday, but not as rivals, as they are entered in different divisions of the PA Sires Stake.

Next time these two combatants go against each other will be on Wednesday, October 12 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in the $10,000 PA Fair Final for three-year-old colts and geldings.

Three-year-old trotting gelding B S Woody won his 13th race out of 14 starts on Tuesday in a PA Sires Stake race in 2:02, coming home in :29.4. There seem not to be much pressure — you see B S Woody won by 51 lengths.

The Pennsylvania Fair Finals will be at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Tuesday, October 11 for the two-year-olds and on Wednesday, October 12th for the three-year-olds.

Please go to http://www.standardbredbreederspa.org/ for the latest PA Fair Points, Quaker State Final Stats for driver, trainers, breeders and owners and also the PA Sire Stake leaders.