from the PA Fair Harness Horsemen’s Assn. Publicity Dept.

Gratz, PA — The first two-day meet at Gratz, Pa., the fifth stop on the Pennsylvania Fair harness racing circuit for 2014, featured some $95,000 of Sire Stakes action, with five of the eight “PA Fair Season’s Leaders” emerging from the session, including the quickest miles on both the trot and the pace.

Actually, the local season’s record in the 3-year-old colt trot category was lowered three times in Sunday’s three divisions within 30 minutes total, and Steve Schoeffel, top North American UDR driver (300-499 starts) in 2013 and again atop the local circuit’s driving colony, handled all three.

First came Millertown Road, winning in 2:03-:29.2 and sending announcer/trainer Jim McGettigan down from his booth to the winner’s circle, and then two trained by Bill Daugherty Jr. for owner Susan Dougherty. First was Fly Past Hanover, reclaiming the distinction with which he entered the day with a 2:02.3-1:00.1-:30 triumph to run his fair scorecard to five-for-five, and then Broadway Charm, running his fair tab to four-for-five after a 2:01.3 tally, also the new quickest trot mile locally in ‘14.

Fastest pacer of the meet, and of the fair circuit so far, is Mister Chaos, last year’s 2-year-old colt pace Fair Championship winner, who overcame the outside post six in 2:00.3 for trainer Bob Rougeaux III and driver Chris Shaw, who like Schoeffel had three wins on the Sunday card.

Fly Past Hanover is the only sophomore who raised his record to five-for-five over the weekend. On the freshman side, he was joined by the filly Tropical Terror (driver Chris Shaw for trainer/brother Jason), winning sharply in 2:01.1 to be the fastest 2-year-old of the local season. Fastest freshman trotter is also a filly, Peoplesayimnogood, who won in 2:04.3 for driver Todd Schadel and trainer/Vivid Photo partner Roger Hammer, and at an opportune time: with no fewer than 12 divisions of 2-year-old filly trotter state pari-mutuel stakes action this past week, this fair Sire Stake drew only one division, making the cut worth a seasonal-high $11,710.

All nine freshman winners took new marks over the quick Gratz oval Saturday, with four sophomores rewriting their speed badges on Sunday.

Steve Schoeffel and Chris Shaw each drove five winners on the weekend to earn top status; Jason Shaw was leading conditioner with four winning charges (all owned by his 2-year-old son Mason, Chris’s nephew).