from the PA Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association

Meadville, PA — The Pennsylvania Fair circuit checked into the Crawford County Fair in the northwestern part of the state for two days of racing on Wednesday (Aug. 22) and Thursday (Aug. 23). Each day there was a free-for all event honoring the late local legend Walter “Boots” Dunn in addition to the state Fair Sire Stakes.

Dunn’s longtime friendly rival Roger Hammer swept the two divisions of the FFA pace, both in 2:02, with the Nuclear Breeze gelding R N Nate, a horse which he bred, owns, trains, and drove, and with Mcjaggersonthemove, who was claimed for $7,000 by owner/trainer Ryan Shafer and is now three-for-five for his new connections. Both horses overcame the outside post six.

The FFA trot was won by a Lucky Chucky horse with an even-better recent win ratio. Thanks For Playin came to town having won his last four starts at Ocean Downs, and he gave new owner-trainer-driver Lester Mullet a quick return with a 2:06 tally.

Seth Dowling photo

Venier Hanover won in 2:01.2, fastest time of the meet.

In the Fair Sire Stakes, last year’s terror Venier Hanover is quickly becoming this year’s terror Venier Hanover, as the Well Said gelding, who set eight divisional track records at the fairs last year, including the local freshman standard, strung together his fourth straight victory after a slow start to his campaign. He won in 2:01.2, fastest of the meet, over Cirrus De Vie, who has a 9-7-2-0 fair record, the two losses to Venier Hanover the last two times they have met.

Here Dave Brickell got a :28.1 individual last quarter out of Venier Hanover to catch Cirrus De Vie by two lengths for trainer/driver Brickell, also co-owner with Mitchell York.

Hammer’s Cirrus De Vie may be feeling the wrath of the rejuvenated Venier Hanover, but the veteran horseman won the other section of the “A” colt pace in 2:02.2 with Marvalous Falcon, again in a breeder/owner/trainer/driver capacity.

Almost as quick as Venier Hanover (just a tick behind in final time) was the Somebeachsomewhere sophomore filly Keystone Diamond, who has now won her last three fair outings for trainer/driver Todd Schadel, who shares ownership with Dr. John Egloff.

On the trotting side, the fillies went faster than the colts among both the sophomores (Thursday) and freshmen (Wednesday). Swiftest was another Todd Schadel pupil, Critical Hanover, a daughter of Crazed who is owned by his wife Christine and his son Cody. Todd guided her to a 2:03.4, three-quarter length victory over Blow Back (Hammer), and these two are marvels of consistency. Critical Hanover is now 8-5-3-0 at the fairs, Blow Back is 9-5-4-0.

Honors among the freshmen were won by the Muscle Massive–R T Sun Poco miss RT Gloria De Dios, now unbeaten in three fair starts with a 2:06.2 score for driver Kyle Bolon, trainer Bob Rougeaux III, and the Brocious Racing Stable Inc. RT Sun Poco may have been the top performer in the last few years of the old Quaker State series.

The freshman pacing filly Crew Sock Hanover has now won five straight at the fairs after the Well Said–Chantal Hall miss stepped home first in 2:03.1 for Team Venier Hanover, Dave Brickell and Mitchell York.

Fastest of all the freshmen was yet another Todd Schadel trainee, the gelding Motive Hanover, also by Well Said and out of Maeve Hanover, who has now taken three straight after a 2:02.3 tour of the double oval for Todd and co-owner/son Cody.

The Pennsylvania fair circuit again splits this coming week, with racing at Indiana on Monday and Tuesday and Wattsburg (Erie County) on Tuesday and Wednesday.