by Bill Peters, Regional Coordinator, for the Ohio Fair Racing Conference

Edgerton, OH — The highlight of the two-day race meet at the Williams County Fair at Montpelier, Ohio, was the establishment of a new track record for 2-year-old colt trotters. In the second race on Thursday’s (Sept. 15) card, DJ Delight (Dejarmbro-Amaretto Delight) stopped the timer in 2:03.2 to break the old mark of 2:04 by Thatsallhewrote in 2002. DJ Delight is owned by Joseph Hess and is trained and driven by Dan O’Mara.

The gelding raced four times on the pace in the early fairs in the Ohio Fair Racing Conference before being switched to the trot for his last five trips to the track.

Two races after DJ Delight’s record-breaking performance, the fourth race saw Back The Bank (Break The Bank K-Accountability) match that time in the second split of the 2-Year-Old Colt Trot. The gelding is trained by Kent Hess for owner Ted Boschma. David Lake had the winning drive in the record-tying mile.

Sandwiched in between the two divisions of the 2-Year-Old Colt Trot was the second division of the 2-Year-Old Colt Pace which saw Dancin Fever (Indian Fever-First To Cruise) come home first in 1:59.3 to equal the track record for freshman colt pacers. Noble Jetta had toured the Montpelier twice-around in that same time in 2004. Dancin Fever is owned by Bill Webb and the D and K Stables LLC. Webb also trains the gelding with Mark Headworth performing the driving duties.

The fastest pacing mile for the fair came in the Ohio Ladies Pace Series race where Rosy Weaver steered Mr. Tommy Fra (Western Ideal-Shades Of
Art) to a mile in 1:58.4. Weaver also trains the 8-year-old stallion and co-owns him with Michael Weaver. This marks the second consecutive year that the fastest race for the Williams County Fair has come in the Ohio Ladies Pace Series.

The 2:03.2 miles by DJ Delight and Back The Bank in the 2-Year-Old Colt Trot were two of the three fastest trotting races for the meet.

Need A Winner (Neely Dunn-That Lady’s Hot) also trotted a mile in 2:03.2 in winning the lone division of the Three-Year-Old Colt Trot. Jim Mulinix owns and trains the gelding with Mark Headworth doing the driving.

Mark Headworth led all drivers on the week with five trips to the winner’s circle. Ty Bates, Joe Seekman, and Bill Webb each had two training wins to share honors in that category.

A big thanks to Speed Superintendent Al Goebel, the track crew of Leroy and Scott Stantz, and many other fair board members and volunteers for all of their hard work in putting on a successful two-day program.

Also, a big “hats-off” to Charlotte and Eric Stantz, Sharon and Bub Steinke, and Dave Dietsch for all of their time and efforts selling race programs, conducting drawings for grandstand giveaways, and managing the “Pick the Winner” contests. Last but not least, thank yous are in order to the four participants in the Ohio Ladies Pace Series race (Mandy Jones, Desirae Seekman, Ulrika Fox, and Rosy Weaver) for taking the time to help many young kids have fun in the stick-horse and shopping cart races during Tuesday’s (Sept. 13) race card.

Susan Schroeder, the Project Coordinator for the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association, was on hand during the Thursday races with the Association’s “Racing with the Stars” exhibit. The display once again provided information and entertainment for those in attendance.

The final stop on the circuit for the Ohio Fair Racing Conference will be the Delaware County Fair at Delaware. Racing at the home of the Little Brown Jug will take place on Sunday (Sept. 18) at 1:00 p.m., Monday (Sept. 19) at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday (Sept. 20) at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday (Sept. 21) at 11:00 a.m. and Thursday (Sept. 22) at 11:00 a.m. There will be at least one Ohio Fair Racing Conference race contested each day.