from Harness Publicists across North America

Monday’s (August 31) edition of Fair Roundup features results stories from the Indiana (PA) Fair and the Waupaca County (WI) fair.

PA Fair racing begins in Indiana

Indiana, PA — The Indiana County Fairgrounds in Indiana, Pa., opened its three-day harness racing meet with 3-year-olds in action in 12 stake events.

The Lefty Brocious Memorial 3-year-old Quaker Stake began the evening card and RT Sun Poco, owned by the Brocious Racing Stable, captured the event in 2:03.2. Bobby Rougeaux trains and reined the Yankee Paco filly, who has now won seven in a row.

The Quaker Pace was won by Blueridge Demondog, a Blissfull Hall gelding. Owned and trained by Jason Shaw, Blueridge Demondog won for the first time in 18 starts this season by pacing in 2:05.

The remainder of the card featured Sire Stake races, with Columbia County winning the first of two splits of the 3-year-old colt trot. Owned by trainer John McMullen and his daughter-in-law, Michelle McMullen, Columbia County (Sierra Kosmos) trotted in 2:03.3 for his ninth win in 19 starts on the year. Wilbur Yoder was the winning driver. In the second division, Technicalybroadway scored in 2:04 for trainer/driver Todd Schadel. Schadel co-owns the Broadway Hall gelding with his wife, Christine.

Schadel picked up a winning catch-drive in the first filly trotting division, guiding Lady B Pearl to victory in 2:07.3. Kim Good owns and trains the Topgun Hall filly. Schadel earned his third win in a row when Keystone Twilight crossed the wire first in the second division. Owned and trained by Schadel as well, the Cantab Hall filly was a winner in 2:09.4. In the final division, Bank Star won for the McMullen/Yoder team. The Banker Hall filly covered the mile in 2:10 to earn her fifth win of the year.

In the first division of the 3-year-old colt pace, Lahaye equaled the all-time track record by pacing in 1:59.2 for trainer/driver Roger Hammer. The Real Artist colt is owned by Hammer in partnership with Nevin Gilbert. Hammer won the second colt pace with Happy Shark, another member of his own stable. The Four Starzzz Shark colt won for just the second time this season by pacing in 2:04.1.

The evening ended with three groups of sophomore filly pacers. In the first division, Real Espresso won her 11th straight race and 12th overall on the year, pacing in 2:02.3. Roger Hammer owns, trains and drove the Real Artist filly. In the second division, Tremor Hanover (Allamerican Native) was a wire-to-wire winner in 2:02.2 for trainer/driver Aaron Johnston. Charles Moses and Shawn Johnston own the filly. In the final race, Hammer guided his other 12-time winner, Bell On Wheels, to the win in 2:01.4. The Western Hanover filly pushed her season’s bankroll over the $37,000 mark with the win.

On Tuesday, 2-year-olds will be in action at both Indiana and Wattsburg in Erie County.

— PA Harness Racing Commission

Rain does not stop fair racing in Wisconsin

Weyauwega, WI — Driver Gary Magee had a short commute to the “office” on Sunday (August 30) from his home in Shawano, Wisconsin. The former president of the Wisconsin Harness Horse Association had made the run down to the Waupaca County Fairgrounds a few times earlier in the week to check on track conditions.

Saturday (August 29) was an anxious day for most with steady rain falling on the clay oval, but Gary’s unbridled optimism (and the hard work of the track crew on Sunday morning) allowed the 12-race meet to proceed with less than a two-hour delay in post.

Although winning times were a bit slower than usual because of track conditions, Magee visited the winner’s circle four times over those 12 races. Driving for trainer Gene Miller, Magee guided Flora Da OJ to victory in 2:09 in the sixth race. Then the retired professor won the last three in a row to finish his day. Fox Valley Windy, trained by Gary Rath, held on to win in 2:04.4, BGs Siren (trainer-Robert Bergum) scored in 2:06.1 and Audreys Queen (trainer Gary Rath) took the final in 2:06.

USTA District Director Bob Yohn continued the driving clinic for the fans, scoring two wins and a place, despite starting from the second tier in each of his three races. Driver Gabe Wand also had a great day with two wins, three place finishes, and a fourth in his six races. Wand’s 4-year-old trotter, Good Ride Cowboy, cruised to his fourth straight victory. Robert Grismore also won twice for trainer Robert McCabe with Invitation to Play (2:05.4) and Coco Donut (2:08.3).

Other drivers scoring victories at Weyauwega were Rick Davis with R Double Brand Man and Adam Turnbull driving Whose Trick N Who.

— Rick Tittsler