by Publicity Office, Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association
Prospect, PA — The freshman Well Said-Valmctorian gelding Venier Hanover was again the star of the show during action at the Butler Fair in this northwest Pennsylvania city. The 2-year-old won on Thursday (June 29) in 2:00.4, obliterating the former divisional track record, set by Skylite’s Falcon in 2012, by 2-3/5 seconds. He came within two-fifths of a second of the all-age track record, which was first set by the legendary Audie K 25 years ago, and then tied by Star Of Terror one year ago.
Venier Hanover is now 4-3-1-0 in his career; the second came to the talented Marvalous Falcon at Hughesville last week. Venier got away poorly from the second tier and had to make a big move just to get into the race. Venier Hanover again had a trailer spot at Butler, but he had a little bit more as he and Marvalous Falcon dueled in a :29.1 last quarter in the previous contest.
Marvalous Artist (Delmarvalous-BT Falcon) took a misstep and had to settle for second.
Dave Brickell was as usual in the sulky behind Venier Hanover and along with Mitchell York, are the co-owners of this apparent double season’s record-holder. The gelding has been timed in 1:54 at The Meadows and 1:58 at Dayton, the latter time within a tick of their all-age mark.
The biggest winner during the two days of action with freshmen on Thursday and sophomores on Friday, was driver Chris Shaw, who paraded back a winner no fewer than nine times during the two cards, five of them for brother/trainer Jason. Jason’s son Mason was the owner or co-owner of all five.
The Shaws showed an early mastery over the recently-introduced A/B double division Sire Stakes format in the 3-year-old filly pace, winning the A event with the Delmarvalous miss Gemalous, the 2016 fair championship winner, in 2:05.1, and then bringing back Keystone Nikki, who set a 1:59.3 divisional track record at Dayton. Because she was fourth at Hughesville, the filly was eligible to drop to the B class this week and took a division of that event in 2:04.1.
Shawn Johnston, the 2017 Boots Dunn award-winner for most promising youngster on the Pa. fair circuit, had five driving wins during the two-day session, two each for trainers Gary Johnston and LaDarrius Whitaker, and the fifth with the Rich Gillock trainee The Book Of Life, with whom he won the 3-year-old colt pace A section in 2:01.1. The Book Of Life has now taken two straight after starting his career 1 for 22.
The nine-bagger by Chris Shaw vaulted him to the top of the fair drivers standings by a 15-13 margin over Roger Hammer, who had but a single triumph at Butler; Jason Shaw got closer in the trainers standings, now only 13-10 behind Hammer.
The next stop on the Pa. fair circuit is a two-day event at Gratz, one of the fastest ovals on the tour, with freshmen going at 12 noon Saturday (July 8) and then sophomores at the same time Sunday (July 9).