by Jeff Zidek, for the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission

Gratz, PA — The Pennsylvania Fair Circuit returned to the Harrisburg area as the Gratz Fairgrounds in Dauphin County hosted the first of two days of stakes racing on Sunday (September 18).

Freshmen were featured on the 14-race card, and Side Ways opened the day with a narrow victory in the Quaker Trot. Brady Brown picked up the winning drive for owners Laura Oldin and Terry Altmeyer. Side Ways, also trained by Terry Altmeyer, trotted in 2:09.2.

In the Quaker Pace, DVC Itsanattitude watched two other horses battle early, then went three wide late to score in 2:03.3. David Brickell owns, trains and reined the Magical Mike filly.

Ryan Zidek photo

Mulligan Bi was a winner in 2:06 in his colt trot division.

In the first division of the PA Sire Stake colt trot, Bob And Bobby was a winner in 2:03.1. Steve Schoeffel drove the Andover Hall gelding for owner Susan Daugherty and trainer Bill Daugherty. In the second division, Boytown (American Winner) recovered from an early break to win in 2:05.2. Sam Beegle picked up the catch-drive for trainer Mike Gillock and owners Rich Gillock and James and Barbara Richardson. The third colt trotting split was won by Redder Than Red and driver Winston Lineweaver in 2:02.4, a lifetime mark. The Dunn Stable owns the winner, while Boots Dunn trains the SJ’s Caviar gelding, now a winner of nine of 14 starts. Mulligan Bi, another son of Andover Hall, won the fourth and final colt trotting event, surviving a long first-over trip to score in 2:06. James McIlmurray owns, trains and was in the bike.

Three groups of filly trotters were up next and Keystone Tempo was a winner in the first division for the Schadel family. Bruce and Tanya Schadel own the Cantab Hall filly, Linda Schadel trains, and Tony Schadel drove. The winning time was 2:03.2. Another Schadel group — owners Todd and Christine and trainer/driver Todd, won the second division with Cantab Cabela in 2:05.3. Sire Cantab Hall then made it a clean sweep when Barefoot Brook scored in the final division in 2:06. Roger Hammer drove for the Dunn Stable and trainer Boots Dunn.

In the PASS 2-year-old filly pace first division, Chrome Over was a winner in 2:01.4 for Steve Schoeffel, who also trains the Yankee Cruiser filly. Virginia and Kathy Schoeffel, Marian Schilling and Jim Nelson own the filly, now a four-time winner in her career. In the second division, Nuclear Photo (Nuclear Breeze) made a power move as the field headed to the three-quarter pole, then went on to win in 2:01.1 for driver Timmy Offutt. Joe Offutt trains and co-owns with Samuel Stoltzfus. In the final filly pacing split, Tom Haughton and Mike Gillock’s Scott’s Terror (Western Terror) was a winner in 2:01.4. Gillock also trains the filly, while Todd Schadel drove.

The day ended with two $6,044 divisions of the freshman colt pace for state-breds. Nucular Enemy, by Nuclear Breeze, won for owner/trainer/driver Roger Hammer in 2:00 in the first group. The mile was a new lifetime mark for the colt. In the second division, Police Car (Yankee Cruiser) picked up the pieces after battling horses went to the first half in :58.4, pacing his mile in 2:02.1 for trainer/driver Steve Schoeffel. Virginia and Kathy Schoeffel, Jim Reuther and Jim Nelson own Police Car, now a winner of three of 14 starts.

Action at Gratz picks back up on Monday at 12 noon, with 3-year-olds competing. The circuit then returns to Gratz for four days of racing on Monday (September 26) with races that were originally slated for Bloomsburg, but were moved due to flooding. For video highlights from the PA Fair Circuit, visit www.youtube.com/pafairs.