The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association and The Meadows Racetrack & Casino will host the $200,000 Pennsylvania Fair Finals this Saturday under the lights in a special card, featuring horses that have been battling for points throughout the summer at 19 stops around the Commonwealth, competing in PA Sire Stakes events.
Each of eight divisions will go for a purse of $25,000, starting with an off-the-card, non-wagering event at 6:45 p.m. That race features two-year-old colt trotters, with the field led by Major Matter and Rick Beinhauer, already a winner of more than $59,000 this season with a mark of 1:57.2. Major Matter, a son of Explosive Matter, has won seven of 11 starts. A pair of Roger Hammer trained colts, Keystone Shotgun and High Octane, also have seven wins each, and will be the main contenders.
First up on the wagering card, which begins at 6:55 p.m., will be the two-year-old filly trot, led by Roger Hammer’s A Little Laid Back. The Great George Two filly has won 12 of 15 starts this season, with a mark of 2:03.1 and earnings of more than $37,000. She will be challenged by Connie Jean, out of the Todd Schadel barn, who has won seven of 12 starts and banked over $25,000 with a mark of 2:03.
Up next, in three-year-old filly trotting action, Hammer has a 1/1A entry of Massive Looker and Peoplesayimnogood. The duo has combined for 11 wins this season, seven of which are by Peoplesayimnogood, a daughter of Lear Jetta. They have posts one and two and are coupled at 5-2 on the morning line. Missive, out of the Steve Schoeffel barn for driver Mike Wilder, also has seven wins this season and is listed at 7-2.
The three-year-old colt pace is led by Royaltyhasarrived, trained by Schoeffel and driven by Brady Brown. The Western Terror gelding has won 15 of 30 starts this season en route to just under $60,000 in earnings. He took his mark of 1:52.2 at The Meadows earlier in the summer. The main challenger will be Hammer with RN Nate, a winner of 12 of 24 races this season with earnings over $71,000 and a mark of 1:53.3.
In the three-year-old colt trot, last season’s Fair Final champion Wimborne Hanover has been dominant again, and looks to win the title again. The Bill Daughtery trainee, sired by Muscle Massive, has 10 wins in 17 starts this year, and will be driven by Hall of Famer Dick Stillings.
Race eight on the card will be the two-year-old filly pacing final. The division has been a showcase this season for Unbeamlievable, trained by Jason Shaw and driven by Chris Shaw. The Moon Beam filly has won 13 of 14 with earnings of more than $33,000. She has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favourite.
The two-year-old colt pace features a pair of 11-time winners this year. From post two, it will be Well Lets See, trained by Kevin Lare. The Delaware-based invader, sired in PA by Well Said, has been driven throughout the summer by Brandon Givens. Mike Wilder will take the lines on Saturday. Leaving from post seven will be Billys Falcon, trained and driven by Roger Hammer. The Nuclear Breeze colt has a 1:59.4 mark at the Gratz, PA fair.
The three-year-old filly pace, carded at Race 11, is led by nine-time winner Betterthanrevenge, trained and driven by Harold Brocklehurst. The Quik Pulse Mindale filly has banked more than $25,000 this season and took a mark of 1:57.3 at The Meadows. One of her main challengers figures to be Tropical Terror, a six-time winner this year with a mark of 2:01.2 for the team of Jason and Chris Shaw.
Saturday is the MSOA’s Family Fun Night, with plenty of activities for kids of all ages, including barn tours and jog cart rides.
(With files from MSOA)