by Susan Zimmerman
Canton, OH — The Home Talent Colt Stake circuit shipped into the Stark County Fair in Canton, Ohio, on Wednesday and Thursday, September 1 and 2. Northeast Ohio weather provided two glorious days for delightful harness racing action over the half-mile course.
On Wednesday, the racehorse barns were bursting with 96 horses. They were divided among 16 races, and the card saw only one scratch. There were three divisions each of two-year-old filly pacers, three-year-old filly trotters, maiden pacers, maiden trotters, and two divisions each of three-year-old filly pacers and two-year-old filly trotters.
The fastest divisional trophy winners were:
- the two-year-old filly pacer Sandy’s Pill Jill, who went gate-to-wire in 2:034 for owners Andrew and Rosemary Steven with Tony Hall driving for trainer Jeff Maletz.
- the three-year-old filly trotters, Norse Comer and Jericho Duchcookie, who shared the fastest divisional honor as both trotted to victory in their respective races in 2:044; Norse Comer, owned by Dean Davis and Brenda Sugg, had driver-trainer Kurt Sugg in the bike, and Jericho Duchcookie, owned by Dale Pursley, was driven by Jeff Nisonger and trained by Jamie Coffy.
- the three-year-old filly pace saw Tears of Joy in the winner’s circle as driver-trainer Kenny Kidd cut all the fractions and won in 2:003 for owners Ron and Veronica Edwards.
- the two-year-old filly trotter Easy Lover raced on the engine to win in 2:07 flat for owner Mary Travis, driver Jeff Nisonger, and trainer-owner Gilbert Travis.
- the maiden trotter Yankee Solution made her first win memorable as she won by 20 lengths in 2:044 for driver Jimmy Smith, trainer Wes Hershberger, and owner Creek Side Stable.
- the maiden pacers Doogie Howsier and Dewy Soakum N Howe shared the fastest divisional honors, as both came from behind in their races to win in 2:052; Doogie Howsier was owned, trained, and driven by Tom Hall while Dewy Soakum N Howe was driven by Jeff Nisonger, for trainer Robert “the Hawk” Nemec, and owner Country Pace Farm.
Thursday’s race program saw 78 horses divided between 13 races. There were three divisions each of two-year-old colt trotters and three-year-old colt pacers, and two divisions each of two-year-old colt pacers and three-year-old colt trotters, one division of the FFA Stark Co. Fair Pacing Derby, and two divisions of the FFA Stark Co. Horsemen’s Trotting Derby.
The fastest divisional winners were:
- the two-year-old colt trotter Look Like Gene, who won in 2:07 flat for owner-driver-trainer Kenny Kidd.
- the three-year-old colt trotter Red Radar Gun won on the engine in 2:04 for local driver-trainer Charlie Myrick and owner Second Chance Stable.
- the two-year-old colt pacer Precious Revenge won in 2:03 for owner Tina Sutermeister, driver Jamie Dunlap, and owner-trainer Mike Medors.
- the three-year-old colt pacer Triple The Money went gate-to-wire in 1:582 for driver-trainer-owner Kenny Kidd and partners Ron and Veronica Edwards.
- the FFA Pacing Derby, limited to horses that are trained or owned by people in the counties of Stark, Wayne, Tuscarawas, Carroll, or Holmes, went to the six-year-old gelding Loop T Loop, for his first up mile in 2:02 under the guidance of driver-trainer John D. Wengerd for Holmes Co. owner Bob Starner.
- the FFA Trotting Derby, again limited to the quintet county conditions, was won in an exciting stretch drive by the seven-year-old mare, Cumin’s Diesel, who trotted in 2:032 for driver-trainer Bill Mt. Pleasant and Wayne Co. owner Don Landfair.