The Pennsylvania fair circuit returned to the Erie County Fair in the northwestern part of the state for Sunday (Aug. 24) and Monday (Aug. 25) racing during the fair proper, after earlier hosting a “two-day Sire Stakes meet.”

Quick performances, many by horses with a long list of “A” fair successes, came during the Monday racing for the three-year-olds. The quickest mile, 2:01.2 (over an oval which has never seen a 2:00 mile in its long history), was put up by the cleverly-named Stay Hungry gelding Fasting, already his division’s season’s leader at the twicearound ovals, for driver Eric Neal and trainer Mitchell York, the latter co-owner with Erin York.

Absent from this division at Wattsburg was Bettor Not, undefeated in nine “A” fair trips to the gate, but that gave the opportunity for two horses to be co-leaders with him in wins at the nine number. One such winner was the Always B Miki pacing filly Milagro, who had carried a long list of fair accomplishments with her already: five 2:00 wins, including the fastest fair mile of the year at 1:55.2, and defending Fair championship winner.

However, Milagro’s 2:04 time was actually the slowest of three divisions for her group in Erie: the Heston Blue Chip filly Dapplesrsweet was speediest at 2:02 for driver James Dodson, trainer Ronald Lineweaver, and owner Steve Wetzel, and Milagro’s stablemate for driver Tony and trainer Linda Schadel, Tinas Wish, won in 2:03.2.

Another horse of Team Tony / Linda who boosted his “A” fair win total to nine was Lionheart Hanover, a gelded trotting son of Greenshoe who also was a 2024 fair champion; he notched the fastest trotting mile of the meet, 2:05.4.

During Sunday’s racing for two-year-olds, the first winner was the circuit’s first five-time freshman trotting winner in the “A” stakes, the Fordham Road – Keystone Wonder gelding RT Wonder Colt, who has now won two straight, four of his last six, and five of his last eight for driver Eric Neal, trainer Tom Loughry Jr., and Brocious Racing Stable Inc. of the fondly-remembered “Lefty.”

Fastest among all the diagonally-gaited freshman babies was the Father Patrick – Toms B-day Belle filly Belles Victory, who recorded a 2:07.1 time for the husband/wife ownership team of Tony Schadel and Linda Schadel.

Two two-year-old pacers who had already notched five “A” victories, the gelding Quill Gordon and filly Vegas Queen, were not successful in adding a sixth. The male top division produced the fastest freshman clocking, 2:03.4, in a race won by Fancy Captain, an altered son of Captain Crunch – Fancy Filly driven by Aaron Johnston for trainer Dan Walski and Walski Stables LLC.

The lone filly “A” cut was won by the Stay Hungry – Keepofftheflowers miss Dancin Camille, who won her second race in her most recent three starts for driver Chris Shaw, trainer Brian Indof, and owner Frank Indof.

Tony Schadel piloted six winners to lead the Wattsburg fair meet, one more than Aaron Johnston and Chris Shaw. All six of Tony’s winners were trained by Linda Schadel for the conditioners’ lead, with the podium filled out by two more female trainers, Ashley Brown and Joyce Lineweaver at three each.

“If ya snooze, ya lose” on the Pennsylvania fair circuit, and entries are already drawn for racing on Wednesday and Thursday at the Stoneboro Fair, which has a noon post each day. Better Not, Lionheart Hanover, and Milagro will all be seeking Pennsylvania fair circuit win number ten in 2025 on the Thursday program.

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