The 2009 Pennsylvania Fair Finals brought a festive, carnival-like atmosphere Saturday to The Meadows as well as several championships with fun-house results
. The year’s “winningest” harness horse in North America was defeated while a 15-race maiden won.
Fans enjoyed live music, mechanical bull rides and a chance to meet Vivid Photo, winner of the 2005 Hambletonian and divisional champion at three. But there were serious matters to address as well, as the eight finals offered a total of $196,916 in purses. Some of that cash ended up in unexpected pockets.
The three-year-old pacing filly Bell On Wheels had won 20 races this year, more than any other standardbred regardless of age, sex or gait. Moreover, she was part of a Roger Hammer entry that included Real Espresso, no slouch herself. Together, the fillies had captured 59 of 105 career starts, impressive numbers that persuaded the public to hammer Hammer down to 1-9.
Bell On Wheels and Hammer moved first over for the lead down the backside and held off the stern challenge of Mud Pie Hanover. But lurking behind the dueling leaders were Tremor Hanover and Aaron Merriman, who charged through the Lightning Lane to score a 5-1 upset over Bell On Wheels by a neck in 1:56. Mud Pie Hanover saved show.
“I’ve been chasing Bell On Wheels all year and almost beat her twice,” said Aaron Johnston, who trains Tremor Hanover, a $9,000 yearling acquisition. “So I figured at the raceway, we had a chance. The track is different, the driver is different — I was driving her all year. She’s not eligible for any other stakes this year, so we’ll race her in overnights here until the weather gets bad.”
Charles Moses and Shawn Johnston own the daughter of Allamerican Native-Terrie Letsgo.
It was one of three championships, and five wins overall on the 12-race card, for Merriman, who also steered Team Spirit to an 8-1 upset in the final for two-year-old pacing fillies. The daughter of Allamerican Ingot-Idylwood Encore was winless in 15 previous outings — she tied for the last qualifying spot in the final — but exploited fast fractions by the pace-setting My Gal Mykenna.
“They got a little bit crazy on the front, which helped me out a lot,” Merriman said. “She did race well the other day when she was a closing third. I thought in her last start of the year, I would give her a shot. Those leaders had to be tired; it’s a long year.”
Jeff Indof trains and owns Team Spirit with Scott Aiello.
Here is a review of the other championships:
Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace
On October 1 at Bloomsburg, Red Hot Scandal snapped Lahaye’s lengthy fairs winning streak. On Saturday, it was déjà vu all over again, as Red Hot Scandal and Chris Shaw surged through the Lightning Lane to down Lahaye by a length. The first-up Eagle All was third.
Boots Dunn trains Red Hot Scandal, a gelded son of Real Artist-Scandalize, for Dunn Stable.
Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot
Tygerlynx was as wide as a horse can be in the stretch, but he gobbled up enough ground to score the 7-1 upset for trainer/driver Bill Fahy. Technicalybroadway was a length back in second, with Naughty Pajamas third.
Moira Fahy and John Bowers own the gelded son of SJ’s Photo-Hawaiian Sierra, who squeaked into the final as the last qualifier.
Three-Year-Old Filly Trot
Blazing Caviar, yet another bottom qualifier for the championship, erased an 8-1/2-length deficit to gain a decisive victory for trainer/driver Steve Schoeffel and owner Thomas Barrett. The daughter of SJs Caviar-ENS Brittania was 4-3/4 lengths better than the first-over Lady B Pearl while Keystone Twilight rallied for show money.
Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace
Mcdickerson, a gelded son of McArdle-Canaco Model, used his patented late brush to overcome a four-length margin and triumph in 1:55.1 for Tony Hall. Early leader Straight Character was 3-1/4 lengths back in second, with Half Moon Bay third. Mcdickerson, a $3,500 yearling purchase for trainer Cliff Neal and Randy Neal, finished second in the 2009 PA Stallion Series championship, but Randy Neal said the youngster toured the fairs by design.
“I bought this horse for my son Eric,” Neal said. “This was his first full year driving at the fairs. He’s been a good horse who’s helped my son learn.”
Mcdickerson finished in a tie for the last qualifying slot in the final but earned the berth by virtue of higher fairs earnings.
Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot
Southwind Nitro had to press for the early lead, but it was no contest from there, as the SJs Caviar-New York To Paris colt drew off to score by 5-1/2 lengths in a career-best 1:58.2 over Tag The Lady, with Tommaso third. Merriman drove for trainer William Daugherty, Jr. and owner Susan Daugherty.
“I drove him earlier in the year and kind of babied him that day,” Merriman said. “He had a lot of trot at the end of that mile, so I expected a lot from him today. He was super, but he got lonely on the front. I think he’d have gone more if somebody had challenged him.”
Two-Year-Old Filly Trot
KT Dixie Hummer and Ed McNeight, Jr. worked out a perfect pocket trip, then exploded down the backside en route to a 7-1/4-length triumph in 2:02.1 over early leader Caviar And Kisses. AJ Peyton Rose completed the ticket. Ken Weaver bred, trains and owns the daughter of Sierra Kosmos-KT Troublein Dixie.
(The Meadows)