Prospect, PA – The 2023 Pennsylvania harness racing fair circuit started on Saturday and Sunday (June 24-25) in this west central Pennsylvania borough’s Big Butler Fairgrounds, and it debuted as auspiciously as possible – both cards got to be raced, and the oval saw the first two 2:00 miles in its history during Sunday’s sophomore action.

The first magic mile, and the faster one, was produced by the Captaintreacherous gelding Louie Hanover, who got home in 1:59.2 to reduce the all-age track record of sophomore pacing filly Crew Sock Hanover by four-fifths of a second. Brady Brown drove the winner for owners Jason Ash LLC and Scott Cox, and the track record magic mile must have been poignant for trainer Steve Schoeffel, whose father Terry campaigned local legend Audie K, who held the Butler track record of 2:00.2 in whole or in part from 1992 to 2019.

In the very next race, 2022 divisional Fair Sire Stakes champion Lou On The Beach posted a 1:59.3 tally. Mike Wilder drove the Sweet Lou colt for trainer/father-in-law Dan Altmeyer and owners Diamond Club Racing and David Wills.

Wilder/Altmeyer would sweep the 3-year-old pacing filly divisions, both miles in 2:01.2: with another 2022 Fair champion, the Stay Hungry filly Stay Happy, for Ruth Altmeyer, and with the Sweet Lou miss Southwind Bourbon for the Diamond Creek Racing / David Wills partnership, here in conjunction with Tar Heel Racing.

Fastest trot of the meet was produced by the International Moni gelding Momoni De Vie, coming off two seconds in Stallion Series pari-mutuel action. His 2:02.2 effort saw him defeat the local 2-year-old divisional record holder Big Baller Beane and last year’s divisional Fair champion HS Winchester for driver/trainer Aaron Johnston and owners Jennifer Johnston and Brian Taylor.

Freshmen kicked off the meet Saturday, with the quickest 2-year-old being the Roman Conqueror N colt Catawampus, home in 2:03.4 for driver Ronnie Gillespie and trainer/owner Susan Sickle. Fastest baby trotter was another International Moni gelding, the Shawn Johnston-driven Thaler Hanover, who won in 2:06.2 for trainer Gary Johnston, also co-owner with Abigail Wright.

Mike Wilder won sulky honors with five victories at the meet, one ahead of Aaron Johnson and Gary Johnston. Dan Altmeyer trained four of Wilder’s winners to top the trainers; five conditioners tied for second with two victories. Special mention should be made of 20-year-old driver Steven Fedokovitz, whose win with Wide Eve Charlie was the first of his career.

This meet was the special “2-day Sire Stakes meet” racing allowed in Pennsylvania law at five stops; the trotters and pacers will be right back at Butler during the “fair portion” of the action, taking place at 1 p.m. on both Wednesday and Thursday (June 28-29).