Indiana, PA – Kurt gives short answers. Like “1:59.1.”
A 2-year-old-colt by Always B Miki-Cheyenne Deo, the pacer Kurt traveled the Indiana (PA) half-mile fairgrounds oval in 1:59.1 on Thursday, the first day (for freshmen) of a two-day fair meet at Indiana. He knocked three-fifths off the divisional track record set by Sapphire City 16 years ago to the week (and was only three-fifths of a second off the all-age track mark, set by another “SC,” Straight Character, the day before Sapphire City’s record). The 1:59.1 was also the fastest mile of the two-day meet by almost two seconds (Always B Hula won in 2:01 on “sophomore day” Friday).
The trip for Kurt was anything but easy, and credit to his rivals – the winner was used very hard to keep Fast Crunch outside to and past the three-quarters, and then he had to dig in to withstand pocket-sitter Turntheothercheek by a quarter-length. But Kurt, who also has a pari-mutuel Stallion Series division to his credit, kept his record undefeated after five “A” fair starts, with Steve Schoeffel in the sulky Thursday for trainer Bill Daugherty Jr. and owner Stephan Brochu.
The other big story of the Thursday card was that Western Twister, a freshman trotting filly heretofore unbeaten in seven “A” fair starts, finally had to settle for a second in a 2:04.2 mile (fastest of all 2-year-old trotters here), defeated by the International Moni-Ready To Ignite miss Rekindle Hanover, who broke her maiden in defeating her vaunted rival for trainer-driver Todd Schadel, co-owner with Jim Simpson.
Both 2-year-old top-level pacing filly winners are now undefeated in four “A” starts: Thats Faith (Stay Hungry-Thats What I Said) in 2:06 for driver-trainer Schoeffel, and the 2:04.4 winner Dragon Flame (Papi Rob Hanover-Dragon Lady Art, driver-trainer Todd Schadel).
During Friday’s 3-year-old action, two pacing fillies, in separate divisions for Team Todd Schadel, brought “A” records of 8-6-2-0 to their races, as they both looked to join Western Twister with seven fair wins, top among the “A” fair group.
One succeeded – the Bettor’s Wish distaff Don’t Be Late, who traveled the Indiana oval in 2:02 for driver-trainer Schadel, co-owner with his wife Christine for her seventh fair victory (tops among all pacers). The other, Papi Knows, has nothing to be ashamed of with a second to Lovebug Hanover, the Tall Dark Stranger filly who was claimed the first of July at The Meadows by her connections, trainer Kevin Johnson and P T Stable, and had been 4-for-5 on the cotton candy circuit before defeating Papi Knows in 2:02.1 for driver Kyle Bolon.
Fastest mile on Friday was the 2:01 victory of Always B Hula, driven by Aaron Johnston and leading a 1-2 finish ahead of Ima Proud Captain for trainer Neil Balcerak and owner George Prushnok.
Setting the meet standard for trotters was the Bar Hopping gelding Swan Wayne, taking his fourth straight with a win in 2:02.2 for the ownership team of driver Wayne Long and trainer Joyce Lineweaver. The other division went to the Father Patrick gelding Family Guy, a six-time “A” winner with a 2:03.1 nose triumph over Mister Beiler, fastest trotter at the fairs this year, for “Team Steven”: driver Steven Fedokovitz and trainer Steve Schoeffel, and the ownership of Schoeffel, Schoeffel, Schoeffel, and Schoeffel (none of them named Steve).
Todd Schadel and Steve Schoeffel each drove six winners to tie for meet honors; Todd’s shedrow sent out seven winners to top Steve’s by one – top meets for the relatively-youthful longtime competitors in both respects.
The fields for Sunday and Monday’s 1 p.m. cards (Aug. 30 and 31) at the Erie County Fair at Wattsburg (PA) have already been drawn as the Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes circuit thunders toward the three-quarters pole (Wattsburg will be the 14th stop on the 19-stop circuit; the finals are at The Meadows on Friday, Oct. 9).