The Pennsylvania fair circuit returned to the Crawford County Fairgrounds in Meadville, Pa. on Saturday, Aug. 16 and Sunday, Aug. 17, and perhaps it was the warmer weather and better surface (the track was rated +2 the first day and +3 the second), but the two-year-olds that opened the weekend generated the quickest miles on both gaits for the two-day stand.

The Stay Hungry-Pueblo Blue Chip gelding Quill Gordon became the first two-year-old to tally in five Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes A-level starts, and his Meadville win in 2:02.2 proved the be the quickest mile of the entire meet. A winner of four straight fair races, Quill Gordon was driven by Eric Neal for trainer Mitchell York, who co-owns the gelding with Erin York.

The baby trotters also produced the fastest race on their gait, and it came from a filly – the Bar Hopping-Lady Ping miss Drinks On Olivia, who took her first A-class victory for the owning partnership of driver Wayne Long and trainer Joyce Lineweaver in 2:05.3. The clocking beat out by a fifth that of another Bar Hopping progeny, the gelding Harlem Hanover (dam Hallance), who made his fair debut a successful one after winning in the pari-mutuel Stallion Series on Aug. 2. Todd Schadel drove for trainer Bill Daugherty Jr. and owners Susan Daugherty and Perry Wilson.

Though not benefitting from optimal racing conditions, there were three-year-old performances of note, with the fillies having a good day as both A-tier pacing distaff winners went faster than the single male A split. On the trot, the B-class male bested his A-level counterpart.

The first sophomore A pacing filly winner was the Heston Blue Chip-Tremor Hanover distaff Dont Touch My T, now a three-time winner in the top level, in 2:03 for driver Bryce Brocklehurst, trainer Aaron Johnston, and owner Jennifer Johnston. Behind her by two ticks of the clock was the Tall Dark Stranger-Sansovina Hanover filly Skepticism, who now has won four straight races in the A contests, including two miles in 2:00 or better. Neal piloted her for trainer Tom Loughry Jr. and owner Geraldine Poerio.

Going to the diagonally-gaited side, the Fordham Road-Focus On Me gelding Rt Watch Me scored in 2:08 in the B-division for Neal, Loughry, and Brocious Racing Stable Inc. He is a four-time winner on the lower level. The Cantab Hall-Maple Grove Karen gelding Cantab Zette, now a winner in his last four A starts, won in 2:08.2 with Neal driving for trainer Susan Callihan, who co-owns him with Greg Callihan, Nichole Buchleitner, and Amber Setzenfand.

Schadel, with five driving wins on the Saturday card, tied Eric Neal for top honours among reinsman for the meet. Schadel also took the training crown as he sent out four two-year-old winners, beating out Aaron Johnston and Joyce Lineweaver by one tally. He reached the 50-win plateau on the year with Saturday's haul.

After eight cards in eight days, the Pennsylvania fair circuit gets a break of three days until the trotters and pacers set up shop in Indiana, Pa. on Thursday and Friday, starting both days at 2 p.m. The box will close at 10 a.m.

(Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen's Association, Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association, and Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)