by Jerry Connors, for the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission

Harrisburg PA — Pennsylvania fair horsemen looking forward to competing in the $160,000 PA Fair Sire Stakes Championships on Saturday afternoon, October 16, at The Meadows should be aware of the qualifying standards that will be required at this pari-mutuel track.

The basic Sire Stakes time parameters at a pari-mutuel track are 2-year-old trotters: 2:05, 2-year-old pacers: 2:03, 3-year-old trotters: 2:02, and 3-year-old pacers: 2:00. The normal allowances for “track variant” and for coming from a half-mile track will be in place.

Normally, the clean charted line within these time restrictions (plus allowances) would be required within 30 days of the declaration date, but because of the heavy rain at Bloomsburg and so many opportunities being lost, for this year only the clean charted line in time will be accepted up to 45 days back from the declaration date of Tuesday, October 12.

Horsemen whose horses do not meet these standards, even though finishing among the leading fair pointwinners, would be well-advised to check the overnight sheets and qualifying schedule at their local track for opportunities to meet qualification.