The Indiana fair circuit’s "Quest for the Governor's Cup" makes a southern swing this week with a pair of programs at the Harrison County Fairgrounds in Corydon. Harness racing is slated for Thursday (June 16) and Friday (June 17), with an 11 a.m. post time each day. A dozen $3,500 divisions will be contested Thursday, with another nine events scheduled Friday. 

Nine winners from last week’s action at Converse dropped in the box for round three. Mr Knowitall, a gelded son of You Know You Do, is two-for-two in 2022 after a 2:12.1 triumph last week. Owned by Julie Rideout and Alan White and trained by Doug Rideout, the freshman trotter has drawn the rail in Friday’s fourth race. Gelding Prince Henry, conditioned by Leander Schwartz for breeder and owner Vernon Oakerson, trotted to a 2:06.1 victory one week ago and lines up fourth in the day’s fifth race. Rideout will also send out round two winner If Not For You, a You Know You Do filly, in Friday’s first race. Freshman pacers seeking repeat victories Thursday include fillies Live Your Life and Check In Progress and colt Master Splinter, a nine-length winner in his first career start for driver and trainer Terry Skinner. 

Two track records fell last week at the Converse Fairgrounds during the Wednesday (June 8) program. Finishing three-fifths off the mark for two-year-old pacing fillies in week one, Take Your Pick returned to drop the record by more than a full second. Guided by Clifton Bell for trainer Curtis Rice, the filly won by nearly nine lengths and stopped the clock in 1:58.1, eclipsing Meadowbrook Lady’s 1:59.4 standard established in 2020. The Jk Endofanera-Intelligence freshman is owned by Gregory Riley.

Summit City Sonny lowered the track record for three-year-old colt trotters in the day’s finale with a 1:58 performance. The Dover Dan sophomore shaved nearly two seconds off Summit City Nate's 1:59.4 record set in 2015. Owner and trainer Byron Hooley also owned and conditioned the previous track record holder. Jordan Ross steered the trotter to victory. Both Take Your Pick and Summit City Sonny received sashes to commemorate their track record performances.

Ross maintains a narrow lead in the driver standings after two weeks of competition. He collected five more victories last week and now sits at 12 trips to the winner’s circle. Rideout, defending leading driver and trainer, has 11 winning drives to his credit. The veteran conditioner leads all trainers with 11 winners. Mervin Schmucker ranks second with seven victories and Justin White is tied with Rice for third, each registering four wins. 

Racing fans are encouraged to follow along and participate this season using #Quest4GovCup on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Quest for the Governor’s Cup Locations and Dates

• Complete - Round 1: Converse, Ind. - June 1 & 2
• Complete - Round 2: Converse, Ind. - June 8 & 9
• Round 3: Corydon, Ind. - June 16 & 17
• Round 4: Shelbyville, Ind. - June 21 & 22
• Round 5: Frankfort, Ind. - June 27 & 28
• Round 6: Frankfort, Ind. - July 4 & 5
• Round 7: Kendallville, Ind. and Kentland, Ind. - July 9
• Round 8: Portland, Ind. - July 13
• Round 9: Shelbyville, Ind. - July 18 & 19
• Round 10: Goshen, Ind. - July 23, 25 & 26
• Round 11: Connersville, Ind. - August 1 & 2
• Round 12: Portland, Ind. - August 6
• Governor’s Cup Championships: Indianapolis, Ind. - August 11

Horses earn a point for each start made on the fair circuit, with race winners awarded 50 points. A second-place finish merits 25 points, a third-place effort yields 12 points, eight points are awarded for fourth place and five points for fifth place. The top eight point earners in each division that have also made the prerequisite seven fair starts will compete in the $25,000 Governor's Cup Championships to be held August 11 at the Indiana State Fair.

Indiana fair races will be available via livestream this season through a partnership between the Indiana Standardbred Association and Indiana Standardbred Breed Development. Fans can watch fair racing by visiting the ISA website, indianaharness.com, on race days. Races will be archived on the website.

(USHWA Indiana)