by Thom Pye, for the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association

London, OH — The 2018 race program at the 129th Madison County (Ohio) Fair showed the folks that the 118-year-old track still has what it takes for an exciting day of fast miles and close finishes.

The weather could not have been more perfect when announcer Ayers Ratliff called the horses to the gate at 12 noon for the first division of the $5,085 Ohio Fair Racing Conference 2-year-old colt pace and the Steve Bateson/Harold Moore/Jeff Brewer-owned Kryptonite Rock (Pet Rock-Riverbank Hanover) kept the field at bay as the Jeff Brewer-trained colt and driver Jason Brewer sprinted home in :29.4 en route to a new lifetime tab of 2:03.4. Woodman B (Scott Cisco) was second as Bonsai (Hunter Myers) took the show spot.

In the second race, the $3,615 OFRC division for 2-year-old trotting colts, it was a tight scramble to the wire but Katherine Ann Smith’s Jesse Turbo (Cayenne Turbo) and trainer/driver Pat Karcher emerged the victor over Look At Turbo (Ammon Hershberger) and Jeff Nisonger with Perfect Pete.

Mike Conklin’s star pupil Long Train Running and Hunter Myers again clipped off another impressive mile as the Big Bad John gelding went express for the $4,860 OFRC 3-year-old colt first division in a solid 1:59.1h, winning by four lengths, pacing a last panel in :28.4 over Goingtocalifornia (Beau Brown). McHarry L with young Harrison Levan took third.

The second OFRC $4,785 colt pace division was taken by trainer/driver Cameron McCown’s Officially Nub when the Art Official gelding got Drinka Beer (Tyler Smith) by a head in 1:59.1 as he stamped out a last quarter in :28.4. Insane Propane (Tyler Rush) was third.

Another Jeff Brewer/Jason Brewer colt would take the second $5,010 OFRC division for 2-year-old pacers. Woody Woodpecker, a colt by Woodstock, knocked off a mile in 2:01.4 and laughed his way home with a :29.2 last quarter. Winchester Wally (Jeff Nisonger) grabbed second money as Thundering Jim (Luke Ebersole) rumbled up for show.

There were good trotting miles by Stars An Stones, PC’S Caviar (both driven by Cameron McCown) and Cumberland Gap (Lou Bauslaugh) during the afternoon.

The contestants were from Moraine, Kenton, Lancaster, and Bloomingburg in the Racing With The Stars contest that went to post for the afternoon’s fifth race but the draw pitted two local London friends on the colts that finished 1-2.

“We’ve known each other for eons,” laughed an amicable Ron Stewart. “We worked in the Department of Corrections for over 40 years.”

And while they both sat together to watch a good race it was his pal Mel Lowry who had the winner and got to be part of the winner’s circle celebration.

“Next time,” ribbed Stewart as Lowry happily inspected his OHHA prize package.

For the 2018 “Doc” McMillan Open Pace ninth race finale it was local owner/breeder Mark Yoder’s Bubba Delight as Cameron McCown scored his third winning drive of the day with the Ed Bibler-trained 5-year-old gelding by Pine Valley. Light Up The Sky (Luke Hanners) was second.

Thanks to all at the Madison County Fairgrounds and the Speed Committee for giving the fans and the horsemen a good, enjoyable program.