Harness racing action on the Pennsylvania fair circuit moved to Bedford Fair, but wet weather caused the cancellation of the Thursday, July 17 card that was to be devoted to two-year-olds. But Bedford bounced right back with the three-year-olds on Friday, July 18 and it was a magnificent day for the husband and wife, driving and training team of Tony and Linda Schadel, the hottest pairing on the circuit, who combined for six winners on the day, including a winner in three of the four “A” events in the Pennsylvania Fair Stakes, which they jointly own.

Tony and Linda Schadel got proceedings off to a fast start by taking the two divisions of the filly pace. The quicker of the two winners was the Bettors Wish miss Tinas Wish, who lowered her overall record almost five seconds with a 1:56.4 win over the half-mile oval. Her stablemate, Milagro, the 2024 fair champion and author of the 1:55.2 fastest mile of the young fair season at Hughesville, then won her fourth consecutive fair start in 1:59.

On the pacing colt side, the main fireworks were provided by fair newcomer Fasting, a Stay Hungry gelding who blazed the twicearound in 1:56, quickest time of the meet and of the fair year for his division, for driver Eric Neal and trainer Mitchell York, the latter co-owner with Erin York. The clocking was not far off the all-time Bedford track record of 1:55.2, first set in 2021 by the filly Tiamogonedancen (trained and co-owned at the time by York) and later matched by the gelding Captaincountrystar.

The former colt divisional leader, the Captain Crunch colt Bettor Not, became the first horse to notch five “A” wins in 1:59.2, furthering his 2:00 total to four (Milagro has three) for trainer/driver Todd Schadel, co-owner with Christine Schadel.

The author of the fastest trotting victory of the meet was the Cantab Hall gelding Cantab Zette, whose 2:00.3 mile ended the undefeated fair streak of Set The Bar (winner in 1:58.4 for the Hughesville and seasonal trotting record). Cantab Zette won for driver Eric Neal and trainer Susan Callihan, the latter co-owner with Gregory Callihan, Nichole Buchleitner and Amber Setznefand. Tony and Linda Schadel kept their hand in with a 2:03.2 victory by 2024 fair champion Lionheart Hanover, a Greenshoe gelding.

In the filly trots the Schadel family reined, as the Cantab Hall miss Classy Cocktail was the quicker in 2:00.4 for Todd Schadel; brother Tony guided the International Moni filly Tally The Tab to a 2:02 victory in the other section.

By the way, the final winner for Tony and Linda Schadel, the “B” winner Baby Tao, an altered son of Bar Hopping, does have a co-owner in Presli Poletti.

The Keystone fair circuit now has its longest break of the entire summer until racing resumes on Saturday, Aug. 2 and Sunday, Aug. 3 at the Erie County Fairgrounds in Wattsburg. Post time for both cards will be at 1 p.m.

(With files from Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association, Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association & Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)