Big Rapids, MI – Four track records were rewritten during the two-day harness racing meet at the Mecosta County Free Fair, including two on Monday’s (July 7) Michigan Colt Stakes program.
Oldford Racing and Allen Sisco Stable’s Believeincaptain knocked 1-1/5 seconds off Striking Express 32-year-old 2:01 record for rookie male pacers with a 1:59.4 win in his $7,775 Michigan Colt Stakes Blue Division event. In line to Kody Massey, the son of Captain Victorious-Believeincarrie controlled splits of :31.1, 1:00 and 1:30 before pulling away in the stretch to defeat pocket rival Captain Butch by roughly seven lengths.
In the very next race, a $15,250 Colt Stakes event for 3-year-old trotting fillies, the Celebrity Pegasus-Keep The Cash filly Westwinds Pegasus and trainer-driver LeWayne Miller rated splits of :32.2, 1:02 and 1:32.2 before unleashing a :28.1 sprint home to defeat Capella Star by roughly 12 lengths in 2:00.3, 1-4/5 seconds better than the previous divisional record of 2:02.2, taken in 1979 by Fancy Arbor.
The fastest mile on the Monday card belonged to Hardt Of A King, who won the $15,250 3-year-old male pace in 1:59. Brad Kramer drove the Manhardt-Earhart Hanover gelding for owner-trainer Kelly Goodwin.
Tuesday’s (July 8) overnight card saw both track records for older horses fall.
In the $2,000 Free-For-All Trot, Holton and Kody Massey sat in the pocket behind Stoneborough through splits of :32.3, 1:02, and 1:32.2 before pulling on the far turn and speeding away to a 2:01.2 win, taking 1-4/5 seconds off Spring Fancy’s former divisional mark of 2:03.1. Allen Sisco trains the 8-year-old Dontyouforgetit gelding for Oldford Racing.
RB and Itsonlyrocknroll A turned in matching 1:59 miles in the final two races of the meet, becoming co-holders of the older pacing track record in the act. Ty Goodell drove RB, a 6-year-old Megatron gelding, for owner-trainer Kim Pluta in a $2,000 conditioned pace; Winter Asher-Stalbaum drove Itsonlyrocknroll A, a 14-year-old gelded son of Million Dollar Cam whom he owns and trains, in a $2,000 Free-For-All.
The Michigan fair harness racing circuit now moves to the Barry County Fair, in Hastings, MI, for racing on Saturday (July 12) and Sunday (July 13). Post time both days is noon.