Three-year-old trotters and pacers took to the track on Thursday, July 3 during a “two-day meet” at the Lycoming County Fairgrounds in this northcentral Pennsylvania borough, following the two-year-old racing of the day before, and the sophomores put a battering on the local speed record book, the likes of which has seldom been seen at any Keystone State twice-around oval.
In the fastest mile of the day – and the fastest mile ever at the Hughesville oval – the Always B Miki-Thecrowdiswatching filly Milagro won in 1:55.2 for the driver-trainer husband-wife team of Tony and Linda Schadel. The previous overall local standard had been 1:56.1, also set by a filly, Blank Cheek, in 2023.
Setting records is nothing new for Milagro, who rewrote the Championship record for her division last year with a 1:54.2 victory at The Meadows. But this win not only gives her the overall bragging rights at Hughesville, but also matches the fastest mile ever at a Pennsylvania fair for the sophomore filly pacer ranks. R N Artist first posted that time at Bloomsburg in 2003 (at the time the fastest mile ever at any Pennsylvania fair; that overall speed record now stands at 1:53.4 by Midway Island); Tiamogonedancin equalled the standard at Bedford in 2021; and now Milagro adds her name alongside those talented fillies.
Lowering the overall track trot record to 1:58.4 – 15 minutes before Milagro strutted her stuff – was the Bar Hopping-Promisemethis gelding Set The Bar, who not only broke the old speed standard, but smashed it, with the previous local trotting record of 2:01, set by Aloysius in 2015, left in the stonedust. Trainer-driver Todd Schadel also co-owns Set The Bar, who won at Butler last week, with his wife Christine and Rick and Regina Beinhauer.
Todd Schadel would lower the Hughesville standard for sophomore trotting fillies to 2:00.3 with the International Moni-Cantab Cabela filly Tally The Tab – and then return in 14 minutes to lower it again to 2:00 with the Cantab Hall-Setntheworldonfire filly Shalamar Hanover. Todd and Christine Schadel own both of these promising fillies.
The only “A” division not lowering a local record was the pacing colts, with the Captain Crunch-Bettorhaveanother colt Bettor Not, who opened the card by winning in 1:57.4 in the only “A” dash for his division. Todd and Christine Schadel not only own this one as well, but also are the parents of Cody Schadel, the driver of the second-place finisher Wheelhouse Hanover.
But the pacing colts recorded two more 2:00-or-better miles – in the “B” divisions: Home Run King (Joe Chindano Sr.) in 1:58.2, and a 2:00 clocking by Alvin Hanover, driven by Cody Schadel. That’s six 2:00-or-better miles on the day over a fairgrounds oval, two by trotters, for those keeping score.
The two-year-olds on Wednesday did not rewrite any Hughesville standards, but each division had a winner faster than the season’s leader established at Butler. The fastest freshman was Quill Gordon, a Stay Hungry-Pueblo Blue Chip gelding who won in 2:00.3 for driver Eric Neal and trainer Mitchell York, co-owner with Erin York.
Steve Schoeffel handled the rest of the day’s headliners. He won with the Captain Corey-First Tracks trotting colt Liege, a 2:05.1 winner and fastest freshman on his gait, for trainer Craig Knude, the co-owner with Robert McMillan. Schoeffel then scored with the sweepers of the pacing filly action, both of whom he trains: Beachys Mistress (Always B Miki-Zane Hanover) in 2:03.1, and Unawatuna (Sweet Lou-Somebeachbythesea) in 2:05.
Eric Neal won six races during the two days of racing to lead the sulky colony. Todd Schadel topped the trainers by sending out an equal number of visitors to the winners circle.
And the really scary thought to contemplate is that by this time next week, much of what is written here might be old news! This was the special “two-day meet" at Hughesville; the racing at the Lycoming Fair proper is this coming Wednesday (two-year-olds) and Thursday (three-year-olds), so the fast Fair Sire Stakes crew will get another shot at what is obviously a honed oval. Post time for both cards next week will again be 4 p.m.
(Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association, Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association, and Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)