by Mary Lou Lawless

Independence, IA — Challenged by a recent directive from the legal department at Prairie Meadows, the Board of the Iowa Harness Horsemen’s Association continues to weigh options for an IRS compliant entity to receive the $1 million funding for harness races at this state’s county fairs and at other race meets scheduled for 2007.

According to Association President Royal Roland, Prairie Meadows has considered the payments to be an operating expense up until 2005 and made payments to the Association, which is not classified as an exempt organization by the IRS. State legislation enacted in 2006 brought about a reconsideration of the payments to the association and funding for 2006 was accepted through one of Iowa’s exempt county fair organizations last year.

To date, race meets have been held as scheduled and the membership has been assured that the draw and race meet at the Taylor County Fair track at Bedford on Saturday, June 23, is still a go.

Saturday’s $50,000 program will feature 3-year-olds and older trotters and pacers, going to post for the first time at 1:00 p.m.

While last Thursday’s (June 14) $11,000 program at the Wapello County Fair in Eldon, Iowa was written for Iowa owned/registered and Diamond Harness Alliance colts and fillies, the race card was dominated by talented Iowa sired contenders.

Aaron Mitchell has charge of the Armbro Marcus freshman filly See Logo, who as of Thursday is undefeated in three lifetime starts, and made her best mark of 2:10 at Eldon. Lorenza Gooch of Dallas, Texas is the breeder and owner of See Logo.

As predicted by announcer Richard Kranzel, Jr., Aaron’s fellow “Texas Ranger,” Milt Traylor, guided his own Beau Chip filly, Silvercall Chip, to the second place finish.

Scoring again in the second race, Mitchell brought on his Hot Pans pacer Blues Hot Clues, who hot footed to his third consecutive win in a quick 2:01.4. Traylor reined the Hot Pans filly Hot Love to second place money in this contest.

Rick Huffman campaigned a pair of trotters to wins: the Kickin B gelding KB Spider in 2:10.3, and then the sophomore Band Of Chips filly Whatgetsyougoin, in 2:08 flat.

Melt Down’s Felix, by Raycer Thad, paced over Eldon’s “Super Half Mile” in 2:05.4. The gelding is owned by Mr. Ken Buck of Denison, Iowa and trained and driven by Adam Hauser.

From the stable of Paul Liles of Batavia, Gary Liles reined a gelded son of Proud Crown, The Big Guy, in 2:13.2. Out of the Egyptian Dancer mare Fox Valley Amazon, The Big Guy had finished second to Bo Brandy in his first start at Oskaloosa the previous Saturday.

Trained and driven by owner Will Roland of Gilman, the gelding Iowa Heat, by Hot Pans, showed the way in 2:03.4 for a field of six baby pacers, and was followed home by Royal Roland, with Count Monte Cristo, by Blissfull Hall. C.L. Kessel of Fairfield, Iowa owns the colt in partnership with Royal and Barbara Roland of Grinnell.

Panaramic Art was a 1:59.3 winner for Will Roland.

Panaramic Art recorded Thursday’s fastest time, 1:59.3, the best for the meet, with trainer Will Roland in the bike for Roger Roland of Grinnell. Stablemate Indian Crazy Horse, one of the final sons of the phenomenal sire Indian Sunset, notched a :59 second half and lowered his lifetime mark for the second time in two starts, to an efficient 2:00.4.

Liles Stables’ Proud Crown sophomore trotter Proud Valiant crossed the wire almost three lengths ahead of Aaron Mitchell’s Sierra Nansadolly in 206.3, bringing Gary Liles’ driving tally to two wins, a second, and a fourth place finish on Thursday.

Three colts and three fillies made up the field for the final trot of the afternoon. The girls had the rail, but no way of hindering Dan Roland’s Shadow Of A Crown colt Smokemifyagotem, who made a quick getaway from the fourth post position and showed the way wire-to-wire ahead of Aaron Mitchell and Miss Cupcake (by Sierra Bandit) and Rick Huffman with KB Amy (by Kickin B). The time of the race was 2:06.2.

Mary Lou Lawless photos

Zippy Star and Gary Hafner were 2:01.2 winners at Eldon.

A total of 52 horses answered the call to the post on Friday afternoon (June 15) at Eldon, beginning with four fields of Iowa older trotters and pacers. Winners of the $2,350 IA purses were Hihopes Sunset (Will Roland), Brooklyn Striker (Royal Roland), Hearmenow (Adam Hauser, 2:00.4), and Zippy Star (Gary Hafner, 2:01.2).

In the NW1000/maiden category, Intrepid Spirit (Lesa Peters), Phantom Dancer (Adam Hauser), and Driving To Towne (Aaron Mitchell) prevailed.

Jenni King and her own Giant Triumph mare, Skinan, won the FFA Trot, and the Allgood Brothers’ No Road Parking, by Park Place, was driven to victory by Nick Roland in the final pace.

The fairgrounds and track at Eldon are among the oldest in the state, dating back to 1891 when Iowa boasted 114 harness tracks and the site overflowed with horses and with fans. Giving testimony to the support of the Iowa Harness Horsemen’s Association toward the state’s county fairs, a spacious, newly built, metal clad, all purpose building housed horses this year that were displaced by a fire that took out an entire shedrow this past winter. The building accommodates many more horses than the old barns, and is used by the fair the year-round.

Just after competition ended at Eldon on Friday, 70 contenders began warming up for the early meet at Sioux Center, where first post time was 6:00 p.m. on Friday evening.

Hosted by the Sioux Trotting Association, the 11-race card paid out almost $13,000 in purse money.

The meet drew four large fields of Iowa and DHA eligible freshman. Pacers EZPZ Lemonsqueezy (Cam’s Card Shark) and Smart Little Art (Everlasting Art), both with Van Otterloo Stables, were winners in 2:08 flat. Trotters Sierra Sylvia (Sierra Bandit) and Red Brandy (Branded), both campaigned by McDanel Stables, won in 2:12.4 and 2:14.4, respectively.

Van Otterloo Stables started 19 pacers on their home track Friday, and racked up five wins, two seconds, five thirds, five fourths and three fifth place finishes!

McDanel Stables started 10 trotters, and garnered four wins, one second, one third, one fourth, and one fifth place finish.

Piloted by Joel McDanel for Sturtz Stables of Humboldt, Pacific Fonzie paced a mile in 2:05.1 and Alan Sandbulte’s own TJ Beach Poker recorded a 2:05.1 win in the seventh race.

Driver standings are as follows as Iowa racing heads for Bedford this weekend: Adam Hauser, Will Roland, Nick Roland, Aaron Mitchell, Gary Hafner, Rick Huffman, Joel McDanel, Gary Liles, Mark Mintun and Scott Smith.

Standings and results can be viewed at www.iowaharnessracing.com on the worldwide web.