by Publicity Office, Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association

Bloomsburg, PA — If it turns out that Roger Hammer is one victory short of a milestone win whenever he decides to end his illustrious sulky career, he’ll remember the name “Billy’s Falcon.”

On Thursday (Sept. 29), the last day of a three-day harness meet at the fairgrounds in this northeast Pennsylvania town, and the last fair on the 2016 Pennsylvania twicearound tour, all eight divisions of the Bloomsburg Stakes, worth $38,255, were carded. In the opening race, the 3-year-old colt pace, Hammer looked forward to a walkover with Billy’s Falcon, as his horse was the only one to declare.

But when it rained Wednesday night (Sept. 28) into Thursday, the track was rendered unraceable, and the Bloomsburg Stakes were canceled which was a squishy end to a great year on the Keystone fair trail.

Hammer still got the money–all $3344 of it–and the other seven events had their purses divided equally among all those who declared in. But money can’t buy experience and conditioning, which is why the PA-sired 2-year-olds suffered a double blow at Bloomsburg, with their Tuesday (Sept. 27) Sire Stakes being washed out, then joined in rainout by their Bloomsburg Stake events Thursday.

That leaves 20 days between their last Sire Stakes contests, a week ago Sunday (Sept. 25) at Gratz, and their $25,000 divisional Fair Championships at The Meadows a week from this coming Saturday (Oct. 9). You can be sure that some horsemen will be scrambling to find qualifiers and still-undrawn overnight races for early next week, so that their stock can be in top fettle for the championships.

But even the rain couldn’t spoil what was an excellent season on the Pennsylvania fair circuit, which saw no fewer than 36 track record miles, including the rewriting or equaling of all-age standards at three ovals, and 24 miles in 2:00 or less.

The following is a short statistical summary of the Pennsylvania fair season, leading with a listing of the top point-winners based on finish position at the various fairs at which they competed; all of the leading pointwinners will receive a blanket with their stable colors at the annual Pennsylvania Fair Banquet on January 14, 2017 in Bedford Pa.:

2-Year-Old Trotting Colt – TOOLBOX TUESDAY, an altered son of Broadway Hall-Spawning trained by Roger Hammer, who is also co-owner with Vicki Fair; six fair wins, most in his division, and three track records.

2-Year-Old Trotting Filly – NO NOT YET, a daughter of Tom Ridge-Clessidra trained by Gary Johnston for owner Dr. William Solomon; tied for her divisional lead with five fair victories.

2-Year-Old Pacing Colt – MARVALOUS ARTIST, a Delmarvalous-R N Artist gelding trained by Roger Hammer, who is co-owner with Vicki Fair; eight fair victories, second in the division only to stablemate Artists Ruffles’ 10, and one track record.

2-Year-Old Pacing Filly – CAMERA LADY, a daughter of Dragon Again-Ann Van Go trained by Dave Brickell, also co-owner with Mitchell York; started her fair campaign with 14 straight victories, including a track record, then lost by a nose in her 15th (and what turned out to be last) fair start at Gratz.

3-Year-Old Trotting Colt – MAJOR MATTER, an Explosive Matter-Tahiti Springs gelding trained by Rick Beinhauer, who is also co-owner with Regina Beinhauer; six fair wins, opening his fair campaign by tying the all-age track trot mark at Wattsburg with a 2:04 mile — also defending divisional champion.

3-Year-Old Trotting Filly – A LITTLE LAID BACK, repeating as divisional pointsleader, a Great George Two-Annabelle Lane filly trained and owned by Roger Hammer; six fair triumphs to lead her group, and three track records.

3-Year-Old Pacing Colt – STAR OF TERROR, an altered son of Western Terror-Game Bunny trained by Jason Shaw for owners Fortunate One LLC; eleven wins at the fairs, five of them in 2:00 or less to lead all fair campaigners, and equaled the all-age track pace record at Butler, 2:00.2, among three track records.

3-Year-Old Pacing Filly – UNBEAMLIEVEABLE, repeating as divisional pointsleader, a daughter of Moon Beam-DVC Iblievenangles trained by Jason Shaw for owner/son Mason; set two track records among her nine 2016 victories at the fairs, and ends her fair career with a remarkable two-year tally of 27-22-4-0.

Most points, overall, for 2-year-olds, for pacers, and for females: Camera Lady.
Most points for 3-year-olds and for males: Star Of Terror.
Most points for trotters: A Little Laid Back.

Multiple 2:00 performers: 3-year-old pacing gelding Star Of Terror, 5; 3-year-old pacing colt Dragon Strikes, 4; 3-year-old pacing filly Vorst, 3.

Fastest time, pace: tie between 2-year-old pacing gelding Artists Ruffles (Real Artist-Fast Ruffles) and 3-year-old pacing gelding Star Of Terror, 1:57. (Artists Ruffles’ mile equaled the all-time Pa. 2-year-old pacing colt fair record, the only such listing altered in 2016). Fastest time, trot: 3-year-old trotting filly Real Caviar (SJ’s Caviar-Missy Lavec), 2:00.1.

Multiple track records set:
4 – 2-year-old trotting filly Lovebeinglucky (Lucky Chucky-Tahitian Springs).
3 – 3-year-old trotting filly A Little Laid Back; 3-year-old pacing gelding Star Of Terror; 2-year-old trotting gelding Toolbox Tuesday.
2 – 2-year-old pacing gelding Artists Ruffles; 3-year-old pacing filly Singalongwithbing (Yankee Cruiser-Demotta Bing); 3-year-old pacing filly Unbeamlieveable; 3-year-old pacing filly Vorst.

Top drivers by wins: Chris Shaw, 65; Roger Hammer, 46; Todd Schadel, 41; Shawn Johnston, 37; (tie) Brady Brown and Steve Schoeffel, 32.

Top trainers by wins: Jason Shaw, 57; Roger Hammer, 44; Todd Schadel, 36; Gary Johnston, 23; Mike Gillock, 22.