by Publicity Office, Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association

Meadville, PA — The annual two-day meet at Meadville, PA, brought the pacing colts into the spotlight with the freshman colt Venier Hanover again flirting with an all-age track record when the freshmen raced Wednesday (Aug. 23) and the sophomore Midway Island breaking the all-time Meadville mark when winning in 1:58 on Thursday (Aug. 24).

The Somebeachsomewhere gelding Midway Island made his first start on the 2017 Pennsylvania fair circuit, and coming off a lifetime best 1:52.1 at The Meadows, the 3-year-old showed he can handle the twicearound oval in style. He knocked a fifth of a second off the previous mark of 1:58.1 set by McAlvin in 2013 while also perforce eclipsing that horse’s divisional mark.

Ryan Zidek photo

Midway Island sets a new all-age track record of 1:58 at the Meadville Fair.

The constant between the old and new Meadville standardbearers is driver Chris Shaw, who guided the 16-1/4 length winner, a month-old acquisition for trainer Ron Burke and the ownership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Knox Services Inc., and David Wills.

A day earlier, the Well Said gelding Venier Hanover paced the half-mile oval in 1:58.3, his fourth divisional track record of the year; no other horse has more than one. It was also Venier Hanover’s fourth 2:00 mile on the circuit. Three-year-old Ginger Tree Marty has five, and thus the two have nine of the 17 2:00 miles for the year at the fairs between them. Venier Hanover, who has nine victories overall and is 8-7-1-0 at the fairs, is trained and was driven by Dave Brickell, who co-owns with Mitchell York.

On Thursday, Team Brickell/York came back to tie the Meadville mark for 3-year-old pacing fillies (2:00.4), with Camera Lady. The filly is a daughter of Dragon Again and was 2016’s winningest freshman. She has six wins at the fairs this season. Unbeamlieveable first established the divisional local mark last year.

The other A Sire Stake 3-year-old pacing filly division was won by Bella Ragaza in 2:03.2 for her eighth straight victory. She is now 10-9-1-0 at the fairs and is owned by driver Tony Schadel and trainer Linda Schadel, with Roxanna Buffington.

Bella Ragaza has the most points on the fair circuit this year with 340. This division has the horses 1-3-4 in the overall standings – Bella Regaza, Camera Lady (305), and Gemalous (292).

The horse in second place in the points standings would be the Donato Hanover filly All Set Lets Go, who took the race immediately after Bella Ragaza won. The 2:03.3 victory was the ninth straight win on the fair circuit for All Set Lets Go and raised her point total to 330.

Roger Hammer handled sulky duty for trainer John McMullen Jr. and his family’s McMullen Stable LLC.

The Muscle Massive freshman gelding Bela’s Bad Boy, was victorious on Wednesday in 2:06 for trainer/driver Todd Schadel, who co-owns with Christine Schadel. That 2:06 clocking was the fastest race mile by a freshman trotting male at Meadville.

Todd Schadel tied with Roger Hammer for leading trainer at Meadville with four victories; Hammer leads Jason Shaw 37-27 in the seasons’ standings. Hammer also was in the sulky for six winners at Meadville, bringing him closer to leader Chris Shaw in a 46-40 duel.

The fair circuit is at its busiest all season during the extended week ending on Labor Day. There will be racing at Indiana on Monday and Tuesday; at Wattsburg on Tuesday and Wednesday; and at Stoneboro on Thursday and Monday (Labor Day) before the circuit ends its western tour and heads east for its final three stops at York, Gratz, and Bloomsburg.