by Jerry Connors, for the PA Harness Racing Commission

Meadville, PA — If you had said before the 2013 Pennsylvania Fair season that a McMullen clan trotting filly would be setting track records, one could have reasonably assumed that would be Lady Broadway, the only double Fair winner (point standings and championship) last season.

Well, Lady Broadway was sold in the off-season (and is doing nicely, thank you), but the deep McMullen bench has come up with 2013 powerhouse Monroe County, a daughter of Glidemaster who tied the all-time track trotting record of 2:02.3 at the Crawford County Fair in Meadville, Pa., on Sunday, the second day of the annual Meadville Sertoma event hosted by Walter “Boots” Dunn and that charitable organization.

Of course, charity does begin at home; Boots had three winners over the weekend.

Leaving from the outside post six for driver Wilbur Yoder, Monroe County tucked second early as Olivet De Vie, a winner at Wattsburg last week, kicked out in :30 for the top. Monroe County then brushed to the lead, reaching the half at 1:01.2. Lindyofalifetime (from the Dunn Stable) followed that move and was on the winner’s back at the 1:32.4 three-quarters, but a :29.4 dash home put Monroe County six lengths clear at the wire.

The 2:02.3 time equaled the oldest and the youngest records on the Meadville books, both set by sophomore trotting colts: Williewon’the in 1993 and Redder Than Red last year. It also lowered the 2:03 standard for fillies previously held by R T Sun Poco.

The winner is owned by the father-in-law/daughter-in-law team of John McMullen, Jr., the trainer, and Michele McMullen.

They had an additional thrill on Saturday when 6-year-old Owen McMullen got his first winner as an owner with the freshman trotting colt Mr Weaver, named after the late Pennsylvania fair stalwart. In all, the McMullens visited the Meadville victory lane three times over the two days.

Another line alteration in the Meadville books came when She’salilfireball, who lowered the all-time Wattsburg mark to 2:00.3 last week, kicked home in :28.1 to complete a 2:01.3 package that took two-fifths of a second off the local sophomore pacing filly mark previously held by Real Express. A daughter of Allamerican Native, She’salilfireball is well-handled by Aaron Johnston for owner-trainer Robert Grover.

A dominant theme of the Wattsburg action, the tremendous success of the Schoeffel stable, continued on at Meadville with five victories. Steve Schoeffel trained all five, but after reining three on Saturday turned the Sunday lines over to Brady Brown, who added the last two of the quintet.

During the Saturday action for 2-year-olds, two pacing Schoeffelites caught the eye: Stirling Caprice, who roared home in :29.4 to complete a 2:03.2 package that missed the divisional standard by a tick, and Spy The Life, 17 lengths to the good at the finish in 2:02.1, just two ticks shy of the colt mark.

Were Schoeffel not so red hot, the talk among the horsemen would be Dave Brickell, who had three wins on Saturday and another on Sunday to raise his total after four days of county fair racing to nine.

The action now moves southeast a bit to the Big Butler Fair, where Pennsylvania Sire Stakes will be featured on Thursday for freshman and Friday for sophomores, and all the Quaker State races will be gathered on Saturday. Post time for all three cards is 9 a.m. In calling in entries for the three cards Tuesday, please use the 724.865.9968 office phone.