from the Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association

York, PA — The Pennsylvania fair harness racing circuit checked into this southcentral Pennsylvania town for a weekend of sulky sport on Saturday and Sunday (July 7 and 8) and emerged with all eight of its season’s records for the Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes rewritten.

Another horse, the Lear Jetta mare Knuckle Up, rewrote a line in the all-time York annals when she won a free-for-all trot in 2:02 for trainer/driver Pete Kaiser, co-owner with Ronde Dalton. The previous local standard for older trotting mares was 2:04.4, set by Keystone Call Girl a dozen years ago.

The 2-year-old trotting filly Bumper Hanover equaled Lyrical Lady’s 2010 divisional mark when she was victorious in 2:03.3 for trainer/driver Todd Schadel, who also co-owns the Muscle Massive miss with wife Christine. The clocking is also lower than any time posted by a 3-year-old at the Pa. fairs this season.

Schadel’s brother Tony can say, “Hey, I have the fastest horse on the pace, whether two or three,” as in the very first race of the meet he sulkysat behind the Russell Hanover gelding Aflame Hanover in a 1:58.3 mile, missing the track mark that Venier Hanover set last year by a tick. Also a winner at Hughesville Fair and fourth, beaten less than three lengths, in a Pennsylvania All-Stars contest. The horse is trained by Tony’s wife Linda, and they share ownership.

Another young star, multi-Amateur Driver of the Year Hannah Miller, also visited the winners circle at York with a son of Muscle Massive, Grandpa Erv, who is trained by Hannah’s father Erv and is owned by the Ervin Miller Stable Inc. and Michael Anderson. He’s two-for-two at the fairs as well.

But to show that Saturday was not just a showcase for youth, 87-year-old Don Wiest guided the Donato Hanover filly Sigilwig to victory despite a trailing post seven. Many veterans were asking if Wiest was the oldest driver ever to win at the Keystone State fairs.

On Sunday, the 3-year-olds steeped into the spotlight, and a pair of pacers, the Real Artist gelding Cirrus De Vie and the Bettor’s Delight filly Pretty Proud, ran their fair tallies to three-for-three. First up was Cirrus De Vie, coming off equaling the Butler all-age track record of 2:00.2; at York the divisional championship winner at two recorded a time of 2:00 for trainer/driver Roger Hammer, who also co-owns with Vicki Fair.

Pretty Proud, also a championship winner at two, got her third win in succession with a 2:01.3 victory, but she was fully extended at the finish, with Dance For Kisses, who had driver Justin Lebo looking for his first career sulky success, charging at her late but coming up a head shy. Pretty Proud was driven by Steve Schoeffel for trainer Rich Gillock, who also co-owns the filly with Barbara and James Richardson.

Todd Schadel trained and drove five winners at York, including four 2-year-olds, to take weekly honors; Roger Hammer, who had three wins on each gait leads the seasonal starts with 10 wins in each category.

The fair circuit returns to the Lycoming County Fair in Hughesville for 4:30 p.m. action this Wednesday and Thursday.