Harness racing returned to the Somerset County Fairgrounds in this southwestern Pennsylvania town in 2020, after a 67-year absence that started when a hurricane destroyed the barns. Horsemen interviewed upon the return of racing here said that this track has the potential to be one of the fastest fair stops in the Keystone state.
Five years later, during the two days of racing here for freshmen (Thursday, Aug. 14) and sophomores (Friday, Aug. 15), those prophetic words proved to be exactly correct. Five of the eight divisional track records were broken, including an equalling of the all-age pacing track record, and after 19 miles in 2:00 during the first nine fair stops in 2025 (an average of just over two), six more were recorded over the Meyersdale oval this week.
The first 2:00 mile was turned in by the Tall Dark Stranger-Planet Rock two-year-old pacing gelding Party Rock Hanover. Heretofore known as a “hard-luck” performer (one win and six seconds in seven “A” fair starts), Party Rock Hanover rewrote that reputation with a 1:57 mile, over three seconds faster than any other two-year-old had gone at the fairs this year while also chipping one and two-fifths of a second off Rowdy Ryder’s 2020 standard. The leading driver and trainer on the Keystone fair circuit this year, driver Tony and trainer Linda Schadel, co-own the new record holder.
Also establishing Meyersdale baby trot records were the Father Patrick-Tymal Lux filly Pa Patricia, resetting the mark at 2:02.2 by over five seconds, for driver Chris Shaw, trainer Ashley Brown and owners Sandy Petersen and Alexa Shaw, along with the Greenshoe-Fifty Shades colt Green Shades, trained and driven by Sam Beegle for Hutt Racing Stable, home in 2:03.2.
The Always B Miki-Thecrowdiswatching sophomore pacing filly Milagro went the fastest time of the year so far at the fairs, 1:55.2, at Hughesville, a time which set a Hughesville all-age track record and equalled the divisional record for any PA fair. On Thursday at Meyersdale, Milagro got a second all-age track record on her resume, tying the colt Needham Hanover (2020) with a 1:56.2 success, her seventh at the fairs, for Team Tony and Linda Schadel. This filly was also her divisional Fair Champion in 2024. (The Schadels won the other “A” division as well with the Bettors Wish-Selinass Joy filly Tinas Wish, whose 1:57.1 mile also would have broken the old Somerset County mark.)
Both of the sophomore A” trots went in 2:00 flat, and the one by the Greenshoe-Lady Riviera gelding Lionheart Hanover, also a 2024 Fair Champ and a seven-time “A” winner this year, changed a line in the Meyersdale record books. His female counterpart under the guidance of Tony and Linda Schadel, the Cantab Hall-Cocktail Attire filly Classy Cocktail, also won in even time.
The Papi Rob Hanover-Apple Hanover gelding Stealing Apples, winless in “A” company this season, missed his divisional standard by a tick when he paced home first in 1:56.3 for driver Jesse Barnard and trainer/owner Savannah Bernard.
Both Tony and Linda Schadel won six races at Meyersdale to be their ranks’ leaders, both locally and for the entire circuit.
This exhaustive week on the Pennsylvania fair circuit comes to a close with the seventh and eighth cards in eight days, Saturday and Sunday at the Crawford County Fairgrounds in Meadville, a fair event with post time set for 1 p.m. both days.
(With files from Meadows Standardbred Owners Association, Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association & Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association)