by Jeff Zidek

The Great Stoneboro Fair in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, welcomed stake racing to their half-mile oval on Sunday, September 2, with 11 stake events for 2-year-old trotters and pacers.

Three Quaker Stake events opened the day, led by Dancen SJ (Annie’s SJ), who captured the lone division of the Quaker Trot for trainer/driver John Green. Leased by Robert Hogue, Dancen SJ won for the fourth straight start, and is now five-of-seven in his career. The winning time was 2:08.1, a lifetime best.

Two splits of the Quaker Pace were up next, with victories going to Blissfull Doll (Blissfull Hall) and DVC Easy Does It (Tune Town).

Blissfull Doll, owned by Anne McDonald and trained by Joe Offutt, scored in a quick 2:03 in wire-to-wire fashion. Timmy Offutt picked up the winning drive. DVC Easy Does it picked up his first career win for owner/trainer/driver Jeff Indof, scoring in 2:06.1.

The remainder of the day’s races were Pennsylvania Sires Stakes events. RT Dandy Lion, owned by Harold Brocious, won the first division of the freshman colt trot, scoring in 2:10. Robert Rougeaux trains and reined the Ebanks gelding, who has now won three of 11 starts on the season.

In the second frosh colt trot, Bettis was a winner in 2:06.3 for trainer/driver David Wade, who co-owns the Sierra Kosmos colt with W.F. Peel.

KT Attitude overcame a break to win in 2:10.4.

In the 2-year-old filly trot first division, the final outcome was no surprise, as KT Attitude (Sierra Kosmos) won for the seventh time in 13 starts for owner/trainer Ken Weaver. However, KT Attitude made the race interesting by making a break in the first turn, spotting the field plenty of lengths, then roaring back to pass the field and win the race in 2:10.4. Ed McNeight, Jr. drove the winner.

The “clubhouse” turn also proved to be tricky in the second division. Ithoughtyouknew (Sierra Kosmos) crossed the wire first, but was disqualified for interference in the turn. That placed Digital Photo (S J’s Photo) into the top spot for the filly’s first career win. She was credited with a time of 2:07.4 after falling three-quarters of a length short to Ithoughtyouknew at the wire. Bill Fahy drove the winner for trainer Mike Gillock and owner Moira Fahy.

The first colt pacing division brought the day’s fastest time, as Special Character (Shady Character) scored in 2:01.2 in wire-to-wire fashion for trainer/driver Steve Schoeffel. Virginia and Kathy Schoeffel co-own the four-time winner with Marian Schilling.

Ryan Zidek photos

Special Character posted the fastest time of the day by winning in 2:01.2.

Schoeffel swept the colt pace on the afternoon, as Drive All Night, also owned by Virginia and Kathy Schoeffel, in partnership with James Nelson, scored in the second split in 2:02.4. Drive All Night is a son of Real Artist.

The day’s final two events, 2-year-old filly pacing races, were won by DVC Elegant Beauty (Quentin Hanover) and Allamerican Swift (Real Artist).

DVC Elegant Beauty scored in 2:04 for owner/trainer/driver Dave Brickell, while Winston Lineweaver guided Allamerican Swift to the victory for owner Bill Kreutzer and trainer Brad Buxton. Allamerican Swift scored in 2:03.2.

Eleven races are on tap at Stoneboro on Labor Day, with 3-year-olds taking to the track in Quaker and Sires Stakes racing action.