by Bill Peters

Paulding, OH — The Ohio county fair harness racing season got underway Tuesday evening (June 14) with racing at the Paulding County Fair at Paulding. The program featured nine harness races and five Trottingbred races.

The Greg Straub-trained No No Richard (Dawn Ofa New Day-Precious Kiss) captured the fastest division of the 3-year-old colt pace in 2:03.1. Ryan Stahl drove the gelding for owner John Burks. The other split went to Bristle Ridge Bob (Towner’s Big Guy-Latisana) in 2:03.2. Herb LeVan trains Bristle Ridge Bob and also co-owns him with Jerry Lyon. Jack Dailey picked up the winning drive on the gelding.

Lofty Jessica (Jailhouse Jesse-Lofty Comer) took the lone division of the 2-year-old filly trot in 2:12.4. John Konesky III trains and drives the filly and also co-owns her with his son Patrick.

The Floral City Stable’s Friskie Flicker (Feelin Friskie-Bydawnearlylite) won the fastest division of the 2-year-old filly pace in 2:06.4. John Schuberg trains the filly with Greg Bateson doing the piloting. Tom Marts, Jr. steered Friskie D (Feelin Friskie-Double E Hanover) to victory in the other division in 2:10. Marts also trains the filly with Ben Ott picking up the bills.

The only division of the 3-year-old colt trot found Melissa LeVan’s Herbie L (Pegasus Spur-Phar Khan) in the winner’s circle after a mile in 2:06. Herb LeVan trains the gelding with Roy Burns handling the driving duties.

The fastest Trottingbred race of the evening was a 1:03 half-mile turned in by M/R Special Irish. The pacing mare is owned in Bermuda by Sergio Raynor and is trained and driven by Daryl Miller.

Harness racing concludes at the Paulding County Fair Wednesday night (June 15) with a ten-race program. Post time for the first race is 6 p.m.