Ten training wins for Schadel at Honesdale (Pa.)
August 6, 2018,from the Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association
Honesdale, PA — On Sunday (Aug. 5) and Monday (Aug. 6), the Wayne County Fairgrounds in northeast Pennsylvania staged the first half of its unique doubleheader, their “two-day Sire Stakes meet,” permissible at five locations under Pennsylvania law. Then on Wednesday (Aug. 8) and Thursday (Aug. 9), they will have the “agricultural fair meet” two-day stand.
The 2-year-olds proved to be a bit quicker than their 3-year-old counterparts in terms of accomplishments lining up against previous standards, with two divisional track records equaled on Monday, while Sunday’s three-year-old competition naturally produced the faster raw times.
It didn’t take long for the Honesdale record book to see its first alternation Monday, as in the opening contest the Western Terror-Tootsie J freshman pacing gelding Way To Close reported home in 2:01.4 for trainer Todd Schadel, who co-owns with Christine Schadel. But it was not Todd in the sulky behind the winner, as he handled stablemate and runner-up Motive Hanover. Roger Hammer drove the new record holder.
The other horse equaling a Honesdale standard was the Muscle Massive-Missing Dough trotting filly Touch Of Dough, who ran her fair record to three wins in five starts by trotting her mile in 2:07 and equaling the local mark first reached by AJ Peyton Rose in 2009. Eric Neal, who drove five winners at the meet, guided the juvenile for his father Randal and the Neal Racing Stable LLC.
The real star of the day, and the meet, was Todd Schadel. The Schadel barn sent out seven winners on the 11-race Monday card, with Todd also driving five of them. Vivid Photo co-owner Hammer handled the other two, and Todd finished second behind him on both occasions. Combined with a trainer-driver triple on Sunday, Schadel amassed 10 training wins and eight driving wins over the two-day session.
The sophomores on Sunday produced a pair of magic miles, with the Real Artist gelding Cirrus De Vie continued his undefeated ways with a 2:00 mile. Trainer-driver Roger Hammer co-owns Cirrus De Vie, now a six-time winner on the circuit, with Vicki Fair.
Last year, Cirrus De Vie had four seconds and two thirds behind Venier Hanover, who was sensational at the fairs at two. This year, Cirrus De Vie had finished ahead of Venier Hanover in five straight starts, but Venier Hanover finally drew apart from this week by going a tick faster than Cirrus De Vie. Trained-driver Dave Brickell, co-owner with Mitchell York, is certainly hoping this win may augur a change of 2018 fortune for the winning son of Well Said.
The fastest sophomore trotter was the Donato Hanover gelding Show Me The Magic, making his first fair start of the season a successful one in 2:03.3 while in rein to Drew Chellis. Todd Schadel’s father Bruce is the trainer and owner of the sophomore, who has now won two of his last three.