from Publicity Office, Pennsyvlania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association

Gratz, PA — Even though the sophomore trotters and pacers produced five miles in 2:00 or less at the Gratz Fairgrounds Monday (Sept. 18) the most sensational racing was generated on Sunday (Sept. 17) by the freshmen, with two freshman not only breaking their respective Gratz track marks, but also posting the fastest time for age/sex/gait in the history of the Pennsylvania fair circuit.

Venier Hanover, a gelded son of Well Said-Valmctorian, added more luster to his shining record by winning in 1:56.4 for trainer/driver Dave Brickell, who co-owns with Mitchell York. Besides lowering the Gratz 2-year-old pacing colt and gelding mark from the 1:58.1 put up by Ya Gotta Go in 2010, it was also the fastest mile by a 2-year-old ever at a Pa. fair.

It was a fifth better than the quality miles coming from a quintet of horses: Dixie Pride and Shu Hanover (both 2003 at Bloomsburg), Evening Shadows (2010 at Port Royal), Gordo (2014) and Artists Ruffles (2016, the latter two at Bedford). It was also his seventh track record at the fairs this season and his sixth 2:00 mile, both at the top of all lists.

Ryan Zidek photo

Venier Hanover wins in 1:56.4 which is the fastest mile ever for a 2-year-old on the fair circuit.

The other multi-record eclipser was the Explosive Matter-Nan’s Conway filly, Nicole Hanover who went fractions of :29.2, :59.3, and 1:30.2 before stopping the timer in 2:00.3, which lowered the Gratz mark of 2:01.4. This was first set in 2013 by Glide By Shooting and then equaled last year by All Set Lets Go.

Nicole Hanover’s time wiped out the all-time Keystone twicearound mark for 2-year-old trotting fillies of 2:01.1, set by Shesfastandfurious back in 2006. Wayne Long guided the winner to the record time for trainer Bob Rougeaux III and the Brocious Racing Stable Inc.

The fastest winners of the other two divisions also set 2017 Pa. fair season’s records. They are the freshman trotting gelding by Andover Hall-Girls’ Getaway, Grapple Hanover, who won in 2:03.1 for trainer/driver Wayne Long, and the Well Said-Goddess’s Princess pacing filly Geisha Seelster, closing in :29.1 to win in 2:00.2 for trainer/driver Roger Hammer. All four horses broke records that were their own.

Turning to the sophomores, the fans wanted to see if two fillies could extend long winning streaks. First up was the Donato Hanover trotting filly All Set Lets Go and while she didn’t need to set a record to win her heat, her 2:02.1 triumph for driver Roger Hammer, trainer John McMullen Jr., and his family’s McMullen Stable LLC was her eleventh straight at the fairs. It is the longest current streak.

Her pacing counterpart, Bella Ragaza, had taken nine races in succession, but after setting the pace she was caught in the lane, settling for second. But it was no fluke that beat her as it was the Dragon Again filly Camera Lady, last year’s winningest 2-year-old in North America.

Currently, she is a winner of six of her last seven fair outings after winning in 1:59.4 for trainer/driver Brickell, who co-owns with Mitchell York. This dup completed a sweep in the 3-year-old pacing filly ranks with a daughter of Moon Beam, Cajun Moonlite, who went a tick faster than her stablemate.

On the colt side of things, the fastest trotter and pacer pushed the fair record of the Burke Brigade to nine-for-nine in 2017. The Yankee Glide gelding New Heaven became the first sub-2:00 performer on his gait on this circuit. He made up five lengths in the stretch while winning in 1:59.3,

Pacer Midway Island was a front-end winner, stepping home in :57.4 and :28.2 to win in 1:56.3. Chris Shaw drove both New Heaven and Midway Island for Burke, and the fast 3-year-olds are both owned by the combine of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Knox Services Inc., and David Wills.

For the meet, Eric Neal and Hammer both crossed the wire first. This helped Hammer reduce Chris Shaw’s seasonal advantage to 59-56. Hammer, Brickell, and Todd Schadel each sent out three winners from their barn to top that column; Hammer has 51 winning trainees for the season and will not be caught.

The horses on the Pa. fair circuit earn their way into their rich championship races by accumulating points throughout the season based on finish, on a 35-25-15-10-8-5-4-2-1 basis, with nine for a rainout. At the top of these tables, All Set Lets Go and Bella Ragaza are exactly even after 19 of the 20 stops, each with 418 points.

But some of the most heated competition when the circuit ends its year at Bloomsburg this Friday (Sept. 22) at 3 p.m. and Saturday (Sept. 23) at 10 a.m. will be among the horses who are very close in points to rivals who could make the final with a superior performance; there are several of these horses in nearly every one of the eight divisions.