by Gerry Connors, the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission
Harrisburg, PA — The ladies took the spotlight during the recently-concluded two-day meet of harness racing at Gratz, in central Pennsylvania, as three distaffs set divisional track records.
First to earn a line in the record books was the Real Artist freshman pacing filly Ty’s Artist, who held well under pressure to win a Sires Stakes event in 1:59.4 on Sunday, September 16. Todd Schadel guided the winner, now with four wins and 11 board finishes in 12 starts, for owner/trainer Roger Hammer.
On Monday, September 17, 3-year-old filly Heirodynamic made a bold late move while trotting the mile in 2:00, taking a Sires Stakes event in record time. The daughter of SJ’s Caviar is co-owned by driver Randy Neal and trainer Cliff Neal.
In the very last race of the meet, the Northwest mare Spare Tire rallied from behind a fast pace to win a photo in 2:01.1, a Gratz mark for older pacing mares, in a conditioned event. Perhaps fittingly since it was three females who set the track records, it was Kimberly Good in the sulky behind Spare Tire for owner Richard Williams and trainer Ted Williams.
Also catching the eye on Sunday were a pair of 2-year-old pacing colts from the Steve Schoeffel barn, both winning Sires Stakes events with Schoeffel in the sulky. The Shady Character gelding Special Character stormed home in :28.1 to win in 2:01.1. In the very next race, Drive All Night was victorious in 1:59.1. Virginia and Kathy Schoeffel co-own both talented freshmen; Special Character with Marian Schilling, and Drive All Night with James Nelson.
Finishing Lines: Steve Schoeffel had six wins during the meet, reducing Dave Brickell’s dash advantage for the 2007 Pennsylvania fair season to 47-46…The last meet of the fair year here is a three-day event at Bloomsburg Fair next Monday through Wednesday (September 24-26), with an 11:00 a.m. post each day.