Cloudy skies and cooler temperatures greeted freshmen at the Lycoming County Fairgrounds in Hughesville, PA, as the half-miler hosted an 18-race card on Thursday.
VC Eclipse opened the card with a 2:08 victory – the first of his career – in a PA Sire Stake colt trot. Timmy Offutt drove the Donato Hanover colt for owners Maria Lewis and Karen Offutt. Joe Offutt was the winner trainer.
Albany House (Andover Hall), won the second division in 2:09 for trainer/driver Roger Hammer. It was the fourth win of the year for Albany House, co-owned by Hammer and the Ervin Miller Stable.
Hammer then captured the third split with Dunn Stable’s Quoting Tom, a Tom Ridge colt. It was the first career victory for Quoting Tom, as he trotted in 2:12.3 for trainer Boots Dunn.
The fourth and final colt trot was won by Bsmaximummoondream, as the Bedford County gelding overcame a second-tier start to win in 2:06. Dave Brickell, who trains and was in the bike, co-owns with Susan Brickell.
Three groups of PASS filly trotters were up next, and MMs Miss Tess was the first winner, trotting in 2:10.3 for trainer/driver Bill Daugherty. Jim Daugherty owns the daughter of Malabar Millennium.
Classical Love (Classic Photo) took top honours in the second division, scoring in 2:09.2 for driver Eric Neal. Bill Kreutzer an Eileen Lineweaver own the filly, with Kreutzer doing the training.
In the final division, James Dodson guided Tommys Cover Girl to a 2:09.4 wire-to-wire win. Dodson also owns the Tom Ridge filly, while Ron Lineweaver earned the training win.
Two divisions of the Quaker Pace were up next for PA-owned or PA-bred horses. Fool Bewitch You gave Dodson his second driving win of the day, as the first-time starter crossed the wire in 2:06.3. The Western Ideal filly is leased and trained by Ron Lineweaver. In the second group, Rampage K, owned by Ginny and Kathy Schoeffel, won in 2:10 for driver Brady Brown. Ashley Brown earned the training win.
PASS filly pacers were next to the track in five groups. Real Leggy, a homebred Real Desire filly owned by David Kinee and Theresa Pavlik, remained undefeated in her career with a 2:02.1 victory in the first division. Wayne Long trains and was in the bike.
Quik Response, owned, trained and driven by Hammer, won the second division in 2:04.3. The Quik Pulse Mindale filly broke her maiden in her third career effort.
Dave Brickell’s DVC Jaded Attitude won the third division in 2:03.2 after making a move coming to the half mile pole. The Magical Mike filly has now won three of six starts for trainer/driver Brickell.
In the fourth division, In A Better Place (Christian Cullen) won her second straight, covering the mile in 2:09.1 for Chris Shaw. Amanda Beinhauer owns the filly, while Jason Shaw trains.
Perhaps the day’s biggest upset came in the fifth split, as RT Redyourrights won for the first time in her career, getting up in the final stride in 2:05.2 for Dave Brickell over Lifesarealbeach and Roger Hammer. RT Redyourrights, owned by the Brocious Racing Stable and trained by Bobby Rougeaux, is a daughter of Allamerican Native.
In the first division of the PASS colt pace, Falcons Breeze brought Hammer back to the winners circle with one out of his own barn. The Nuclear Breeze colt scored in 2:03.2.
Another Nuclear Breeze gelding, West Coast Breeze, captured the second division for trainer Joe Offutt and driver Timmy Offutt. West Coast Breeze, owned by Joe and Karen Offutt, paced in 2:05.1.
The final pacing split went to Mein Schatz, a Real Desire colt owned by Jim Biego and trained/driven by Aaron Johnston. It was the first career win for Mein Schatz, who covered the mile in 2:06.4.
Race 18 was the lone division of the Quaker Trot, and Paragon Winner earned the win in 2:15.3. The Credit Winner colt is owned by Ginny and Kathy Schoeffel, Jim Reuther and Jerry Dedoszak. Steve Schoeffel trained and was in the bike.
After just one day off, the circuit heads to the Northeast corner of the state for two days of racing at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Honesdale, starting Saturday at 1PM.
(PA Fair HHA)