The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association and The Meadows Racetrack & Casino will host a special day of racing this Saturday, October 7. The card will feature the Pennsylvania Fair Finals, as well as a ‘Pink Out’ event including the track's second annual Mini-Pony races.
For the full-sized horses, the stakes racing action will kick off with Race 1, the first of eight $24,200 divisions of the PA Fair Finals.
The two-year-old male trotters will be led by Hockey Hanover, a son of Explosive Matter that was recently crowned champion of the PA Stallion Series as well. Hockey Hanover has won nine of 13 races and nearly $80,000 this year for the McMullen Stable, LLC. Co-owner John McMullen and driver Wilbur Yoder have shared training duties throughout the year as the horse has bounced between the fair circuit and the state’s pari-mutuel tracks. Belas Bad Boy (by Muscle Massive), from the Todd Schadel barn, and Grapple Hanover (Andover Hall), trained by Wayne Long, are also in the field, and each has posted a fair circuit win over Hockey Hanover in recent weeks.
Freshmen pacing fillies will be on the track for the day’s second race, with Roger Hammer’s Geisha Seelster leading the way in the win column, with eight victories in 15 starts. The Well Said filly has earned more than $28,000 this year racing almost exclusively at the fairs. She comes off a sickness scratch earlier this week at the Meadows, so that could open things up for TSM Déjà vu, a winner of three of her last four races. Two of her wins came at the fairs and one at Shenandoah Downs for owner Ted Tomson, trainer Bob Krenitstky Jr and driver Eric Neal.
In the Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace, all eyes will be on Venier Hanover, a son of Well Said with multiple track record performances on the fair circuit this year. A winner of more than $87,000 for trainer/driver David Brickell, Venier Hanover won his last start at the Bloomsburg Fair in 1:56.1, and has tallied 13 wins in 19 starts. Mitchell York co-owns with Brickell.
The fourth race on the card is for sophomore colt and gelding pacers, and features the circuit’s other recent record-setter, Midway Island. A Somebeachsomewhere gelding, Midway Island was purchased by the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and David Wills earlier this summer and has been undefeated in his fair starts. Overall he is seven for 20 this year and set the fair circuit’s all-time speed record with a 1:53.4 score at Bloomsburg. Chris Shaw is listed to drive for trainer Ron Burke.
Sophomore colt trotters will take to the track for the day’s sixth race, with another Burke Stable entrant leading the way. New Heaven (Yankee Glide) was also undefeated on the fair circuit for trainer Ron Burke, and Chris Shaw is listed to drive from Post 8.
In the Three-Year-Old Filly Trot, slated for Race 8 on the card, a pair of entries highlight the field of nine, with two each from the Todd Schadel and Wayne Long stables. A main challenger will be another entrant from the McMullen/Yoder combination, All Set Lets Go, a winner of 12 of 23 this season including four straight. The Donato Hanover filly has won more than $43,000 this season.
The sophomore filly pacing final is led by a pair of double-digit winners this season. Camera Lady, out of the David Brickell barn, has won 10 of 28 this year, while Bella Ragaza, trained by Linda Schadel, has 11 wins in 29 appearances. The duo has met the last two weeks at Gratz and Bloomsburg, with Camera Lady winning both times.
The 10th race on the card is for freshman filly trotters, with a balanced field led in wins by Nicole Hanover. The Explosive Matter filly drew Post 8 for the Brocious Racing Stable and trainer Bobby Rougeaux III. She has six wins this year including her last two fair circuit starts.
In between races will be the Pink Out Mini-Pony events, which proved last year to be extremely popular among the horsemen, fans and participants. All money raised through donations and a Chinese Auction will benefit the American Cancer Society.
It will also be an MSOA ‘Family Fun Day’ with various activities for kids of all ages. Post time on Saturday will be 1:05 p.m.
(MSOA)