The three-day race meet at the Big Butler Fairgrounds in Butler, Pennsylvania concluded on Saturday with five Quaker Stake events for two- and three-year-olds
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In the Quaker two-year-old pace, Seth First, a colt by Stonebridge Regal, recovered from a break just past the half mile pole to record the win in his first career start, pacing in 2:07.2. Seth, Dorothy and Fred Dowling own the winner, while Steve Schoeffel trains and was in the bike.
Two groups of three-year-old Quaker trotters were up next, with victories earned by Ohno U Just Didnt and Georgian Diablo. Ohno U Just Didnt, owned by Shaunna Morris, trotted in 2:10.3 for driver Brad Provost. Jim Rothfuss trains the Donerail filly. In the colt division, Georgian Diablo was a wire-to-wire winner in 2:12, sprinting home in :30-seconds flat after slowing the tempo through the first three-quarters of a mile. Jim Daugherty owns, trains and drove the Great George Two gelding.
In the lone division of the three-year-old Quaker pace, SJs Patriot, owned by S&J Racing, was a winner for trainer-driver Terry Altmeyer. A Blissfull Hall gelding, SJs Patriot covered the mile in 2:05.2.
For the first time in many years, there was just one entrant in the box for the Quaker two-year-old trot. High Heels Hanover, an Andover Hall filly, had a walkover for the full $2,413 purse. Trainer-driver Steve Schoeffel guided the filly home in 2:13.2 for her first career victory. Virginia and Kathy Schoeffel, Jim Reuther and Roger Romesser own the filly.
Highlights from PA Fair action throughout the summer can be found at www.youtube.com/pafairs.
The circuit next moves on to Gratz in Dauphin County, where two days of Sire Stake events will be held next weekend, July 9-10.
(Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission)