The 2019 Pennsylvania fair circuit’s records on both the trot and the pace were rewritten during two days of racing at the York fairgrounds on Tuesday (July 2) and Wednesday (July 3).
The 2:02.4 seasonal trotting mark was first set by a two-year-old and then tied by a three-year-old. On Tuesday, the Father Patrick-Yankee Etta gelding Penance worked to the lead past the half en route to his third straight victory for driver Kyle Bolon, trainer Bob Rougeaux III, and the Brocious Racing Stable Inc.
The next day, the Andover Hall gelding Andovers Asset matched the 2:02.4 clocking in a hard-fought triumph over Grover Hanover. Andovers Asset won his 2019 fair debut for the ownership team of trainer Linda and driver Tony Schadel.
Tony’s brother Todd guided the pacer who put up the fastest mile of the year to date on the Keystone fair circuit: the Western Terror sophomore gelding Way To Close, who made every pole a winning one in 1:57.4 over stablemate Find One More. A winner earlier this season at Pocono in 1:52.4, Way To Close is now perfect in two fair starts for trainer-driver Schadel, who shares ownership with wife Christine.
Todd Schadel also rang up the only other sub-2:00 mile of the young fair season when Motive Hanover won in 1:59.4. The Well Said gelding is owned by trainer-driver Todd along with his son Cody.
The other big news coming out of York was that three-year-old pacing filly Crew Sock Hanover was finally beaten at a Pennsylvania fair after winning 12 straight starts at two and three. Drawing an outside post in a bulky field of seven, Crew Sock Hanover was parked for entire mile, battled the middle half and beyond, and tired late as Dancin With Rose maintained the lead under pressure for driver Tony Schadel and went on to win in 2:00.3. Trainer Justin Lebo conditions the victorious daughter of A Rocknroll Dance with Jamie Kiehl.
(with files from the PFHHA, PHHA and MSOA partnership)