from the Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association’s publicity office

Dayton, PA — To be a strong candidate for consideration into becoming a member of the sport’s pinnacle, the Hall of Fame, a non-trainer/driver should have solid credentials, such as not only continuing but enhancing the credentials of a major breeding farm, consistently having top horses in the top ranks in the sport, and performing respected committee work on many of the sport’s most elite committees and boards.

It also doesn’t hurt to have the hottest horse in the Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes circuit. And Charles Keller III, who will be on the Hall of Fame ballot that should be distributed starting next week, can tick off all of the above boxes.

Keller is the co-owner of Connie Jean, a 2-year-old trotting filly by Cantab Hall-Eclat Hanover, and on Thursday she kept her PA fair record perfect after five starts with a victory at the Dayton (PA) Fair.

The time of 2:09.3 wasn’t as important as the fact that Connie Jean is still looking for a conqueror as she rolls along for trainer/driver Todd Schadel and Keller’s co-owners, Charles Keller IV, Dan Bittle, and Brett Bittle.

Other 2-year-olds with impressive records who raced at Dayton were the pacers Well Lets See (Well Said-Lioness Hanover), taking a colt event in 2:03.3, fastest freshman mile and running his record to 8-6-0-2, and filly Devious Behavior (Dragon Again-Ideal Sign), now 8-7-1-0 after a 2:06.4 win.

Both sidewheelers are campaigned by Team Delaware — driver Brandon Givens, trainer Kevin Lare, and owner Frank Chick — who are having a tremendous first year at the Keystone twicearounds.

The sophomores took to the Dayton track Wednesday, and a 2:00 mile was rung up by Slick Rain, an altered son of Quik Pulse Mindale, who took a quick liking to “country cookin’” after a steady diet of city food at Harrah’s Philadelphia, for trainer/driver Wayne Long and owner Janice Hertzog.

Other horses continuing impressive form sprees Wednesday were pacing gelding Royaltyhasarrived, now 8-7-1-0 after a 2:01 tally for driver Brady Brown and trainer Steve Schoeffel; Betterthanrevenge, a pacing filly who is now six-for-six on the fair circuit after a 2:02.4 victory for hot trainer/driver Harold Brocklehurst; and the trotting gelding Wimborne Hanover, last year’s 2-year-old champion who is now seven for nine after winning in 2:02 (top trotting time) for driver Schoeffel and trainer Bill Daugherty Jr.

Brandon Givens led the drivers’ standings at the two-day meet with four victories, one more than Dave Brickell, Wayne Long, and Chris Shaw. On the trainers’ side, they had to put sideboards on the trophy, as no fewer than eight horsemen harnessed two winners to tie for the top of that category: Dave Brickell, Harold Brocklehurst, Mike Gillock, Roger Hammer (season’s leader in both driving and training), Kevin Lare, Todd Schadel, Steve Schoeffel, and Jason Shaw.

Pennsylvania fair legend Walter “Boots” Dunn will be the genial host for four days of racing at the Crawford County oval at Meadville starting on Monday; high noon will find the first race going to the gate each day.