by Jeff Zidek, for the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission
Dayton, PA — 2-year-old stake horses were in action at the Dayton, Pennsylvania Fairgrounds to wrap up their annual fair meet.
Three divisions of the PA Sire Stake freshman colt trot started the day, and Roger Hammer guided his own SJ’s Caviar colt, NF Tbone, to the win in the opener in 2:07. It was the second straight win on the circuit for NF Tbone.
The last two divisions were captured by horses owned by the Dunn Stable and trained by Boots Dunn. First up was Sharpshooter G, driven by Chris Shaw. The Broadway Hall colt won in 2:08.2. Redder Than Red, by SJ’s Caviar, won the third split in 2:05.3 with Hammer at the lines.
In the first colt pacing sire stake, Nucular Enemy (Nuclear Breeze) was a 2:03.3 winner for Hammer. It was the colt’s fourth win in eight career outings. The next two divisions were won by owner/trainer Don Lark and driver Steve Schoeffel, as Danger Hi Joltage and Strother were winners. Danger Hi Joltage (Village Jolt) paced in 2:04, while stablemate Strother (Yankee Cruiser) crossed the wire in 2:05.2.
Two $5,890 divisions of the PASS filly trot took to the track next, as Desired Outcome was a 2:10 winner for the Dunn Stable, trainer Boots Dunn and Roger Hammer. Desired Outcome is a Tom Ridge filly. In the second group, The Raincatcher took top honors with a 2:09.1 mile for driver Steve Schoeffel. Bill Atlmeyer owns the SJ’s Caviar filly, while Terry Altmeyer trains.
In the first division of the PASS filly pace, Roger Hammer and Frank Dettore’s Paints Hall was a winner for the fifth time this season, pacing in 2:04.4 Hammer had a pair of horses in the race, so Schoeffel picked up the winning catch-drive. Paints Hall is a daughter of Blissfull Hall.
The second division was won by local favorite Caribe, owned, trained and reined by David Brickell, in the time of 2:04.3. The Yankee Cruiser filly just held off another local horse, Kissing Yankees and driver Eric Neal, in a tight photo.
Hammer made a return trip to the winners circle with another of his fillies, Shootoutthelights, a daughter of Dragon Again. The filly paced the mile in 2:04.2.
The day’s final stakes were Quaker events. In the 2-year-old Trot, Stone Valley went wire-to-wire in 2:10.2. Cory Kreiser owns and drives. In the Quaker Pace, Kingoftheroad got away last in the field of seven but found his way to the winners circle with a 2:06.3 effort, winning in a three-horse photo. Wayne Long drove for owner Genevieve Louk and trainer Joe Offutt.
For video highlights from the PA Fair Circuit, visit www.youtube.com/pafairs. The circuit’s next stop will be the Crawford County Fairgrounds in Meadville, with a four-day meet starting on Monday at 12:30.