The Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association (OHHA) will continue its 2023 Ohio county fair racing season with live-streaming coverage of the first day of racing from the Lorian County Fair, in Wellington, Ohio, and the second day of racing from the Darke County Fair, in Greenville, Ohio, on Sunday (Aug. 20).
Twin B Joe Fresh wins battle of the titans in Lynch
Twin B Joe Fresh picked up her third win in a row, capturing Saturday’s (Aug. 19) $250,000 James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old female pacers by two lengths over Charleston in 1:49.4 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. Sweet Amira finished third in the race, which saw co-favorite Sylvia Hanover go off stride on the final turn as her 13-race victory streak came to an end.
Up Your Deo rallies late to capture Beal Memorial
Up Your Deo and trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt used a pocket trip behind Celebrity Bambino and pounced with an inside move in the stretch to win Saturday’s (Aug. 19) $300,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for 3-year-old trotters by 1-3/4 lengths over Kilmister in 1:52.3. Kierkegaard K finished third and Celebrity Bambino was fourth.
Confederate stalks, pounces in Hempt
After vaulting home with :25.4 closing quarters to win both the Meadowlands Pace and the Cane Pace, Confederate obliterated yet another field of 3-year-old male pacers in Saturday’s (Aug. 19) $300,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, soaring off second-over cover to a 1:48.3 win — his sixth in seven tries this season.
Bond avenges Oaks defeat in Delmonica Hanover
After losing in a photo finish to Heaven Hanover in the Hambletonian Oaks two weeks ago, Bond turned the tables on her rival in the $250,000 Delmonica Hanover, for 3-year-old trotting fillies, on Saturday (Aug. 19) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. Bond took full advantage of a pocket trip behind Heaven Hanover before rallying up the open stretch to score in 1:52.1.
Lepanto takes Vernon feature; MacDonald wins six
Lepanto and Barton Dalious captured the $7,500 featured trot on Saturday night (Aug. 19) at Vernon Downs, but John MacDonald stole the headlines with a six-win performance in the sulky.
Mirragon A passes tough test in Batavia Open
Batavia Downs was the fourth different track that the recently-landed Australian import Mirragon A has competed over since starting his North American career in June, and he made his Saturday night (Aug. 19) appearance a victorious one with a 1:53 score in $15,000 Open I Handicap Pace.
Maine freshmen shine at Skowhegan
Maine-bred 2-year-old pacers closed out the week of harness racing at the Skowhegan State Fair in grand fashion, with distaff sidesteppers going two $14,000-plus Maine Sire Stakes divisions on Friday (Aug. 18) and their male counterparts mimicking that pattern on Saturday (Aug. 19).
Allywag Hanover three-peats in Always B Miki
In the first 60 starts of his career, Allywag Hanover has only ventured to Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on three occasions — for a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes event in 2020 and for the Always B Miki Invitational on the Sun Stakes programs of 2021 and 2022, winning all of them. On Saturday (Aug. 19), in his 61st start, Allywag Hanover made yet another triumphant trip into the mountains, winning his third consecutive edition of the Always B Miki, outpacing South Beach Star for a 1:48.4 score in the $100,000 pacing event.
Southwind Tyrion best in Sebastian K
Southwind Tyrion won Saturday’s $100,000 Sebastian K Invitational for older trotters by 1-1/2 lengths over Hillexotic in 1:50.4 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. On Higher Ground finished third.