by Jeff Zidek, information specialist, Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission

Gratz, PA — The Gratz Fairgrounds hosted 2-year-olds in stakes action on Sunday (Sept. 19) and multiple track records fell on a day that saw Roger Hammer pick up his 100th driving win on the fair circuit for the season.

In the first race, a 2-year-old colt PA Sire Stake pace, Sapphire City and trainer/driver Todd Schadel just missed the track standard for freshman pacing colts, going wire-to-wire in 1:58.3, just one-fifth off the record. Hammer and Schadel co-own the Metropolitan colt.

Ya Gotta Go scored in 1:58.1, a track record for 2-year-old colt pacers.

The next colt pacing division did break the record, as catch driver Steve Schoeffel sent Ya Gotta Go, another son of Metropolitan, right to the front and cut fractions of :28.2, :58.4 and 1:28.3 en route to a 1:58.1 victory. Rich Gillock owns and trains the four-time winner this season.

Fool To Cry (I Am A Fool) won the last colt pacing split, covering the mile in 2:01.2, a lifetime best. Owned by David and John Prushnok, Fool To Cry is trained by Randy Neal and was driven by Randy’s son, Eric.

In the first $6,054 division of the PASS filly pace, Hammer was a winner with Caramel Chinno (Allamerican Native) in 2:00. Owned and trained by Hammer as well, Caramel Chinno’s mile was the fastest of her nine wins this season.

Blissful Artist set a new track mark for freshman filly pacers when she scored in a time of 1:58.4.

In the second filly pace, Eric Neal guided Blissful Artist to an upset win over My Gal Hannah and Hammer. My Gal Hannah had entered the race winning 10 of 13 starts on the year, but Blissful Artist went wire-to-wire in 1:58.4, a new track record for freshman pacing fillies. The daughter of Blissfull Hall is owned by the Neal Racing Stable and Shainah Rugh, while Randy Neal trains. The filly has now won five of 12 starts in her career.

Three groups of PASS filly trotters were next and the first division was captured by Arizona Miss and trainer/driver Hammer in 2:04. The SJ’s Caviar filly is owned by Mervin Wengerd.

Filly Bay was a winner for trainer/driver Bill Fahy in the second division in 2:04.3. The mile was a lifetime best for the Chip Chip Hooray filly, owned by Moira Fahy.

In the last group, Schoeffel guided one from his own stable, Mynah Hanover, to a 2:03.3 victory. The Cantab Hall filly is owned by Stephen Lander, Virginia Schoeffel and Kathy Schoeffel. The mile was a lifetime mark.

Three divisions of colt trotters ended the sire stake portion of the day and Cadence Hall continued his dominance in the first group, holding off a determined challenge by S J Better Days (SJ’s Caviar) in 2:01.2. Bill Daugherty trains and reined the winner, a gelded son of Chip Chip Hooray. Susan Daugherty owns Cadence Hall, now a winner of nine races in 14 career outings.

Hammer returned to the winner’s circle after the second division, as Antipasto Hanover, owned by Hammer in partnership with Ed Mullinax, picked up his first career win, trotting in 2:04.2. Previously, the SJ’s Caviar colt had managed just a pair of second place finishes in 11 career starts.

Ryan Zidek photos

Linus B Worthy gave driver Roger Hammer his 100th win of the year on the PA Fair Circuit.

In the final division, Hammer guided Linus B Worthy to a 2:03.2 win for the Dunn Stable. The driving victory was number 100 on the PA Fair Circuit this season for Hammer, far ahead of his nearest competitor. Linus B Worthy, a son of Cantab Hall, set a new lifetime mark with the effort.

Quaker stake action for PA-owned or PA-sired horses ended the day. In the first division of the Quaker Pace, Bermuda Rough was a winner for driver Chris Shaw in 2:05.1. Jason Shaw owns and trains the son of Allamerican Ingot. In the second division, DVC Havenly Cam (Million Dollar Cam) scored for owner Genevieve Louk and trainer/driver Timmy Offutt in 2:03.2.

In the lone division of the Quaker Trot, Bona Fide Man was a winner in 2:11 for lessee-trainer Syl King and driver Wayne Long. The You Betcha gelding won for the first time in his career.

Action at Gratz continues on Monday with 3-year-olds in action beginning at 12 Noon. For video highlights from the circuit, visit www.pafairharness.com.