Bo Silas became the fastest trotter in the history of the Oceana County Fair in Hart, Michigan on Tuesday, Aug. 20, parrying a head-stretch challenge from Rankin to win the $10,890 Michigan Colt Stakes for Michigan-bred three-year-old trotting colts and geldings in 1:59.
In line to Brad Kramer, Bo Silas set early fractions of :30.1, 1:01.2 and 1:30.3 over a 'good' trackc with Rankin sitting in the pocket. Turning for home, Rankin encroached to within a length of Bo Silas, but the gelded son of Jailhouse Jesse-Betteka sprinted home in :28.2 to score by 3-1/4 widening lengths.
The 1:59 mark takes two and two-fifth seconds off Eries Blues' 2:01.2 all-age record, set in 1996, and three seconds off the divisional mark of 2:02, shared by New Swan In Town and Bluemoon Glide.
Trainer Kelly Goodwin shares ownership of Bo Silas, who has won three races in a row, with Deborah Spike-Pierce and Scott Price.
Born Wild used a :27.4 sprint home to evade Captain Candy Man by 1-1/4 lengths in the $10,890 three-year-old male pace, with his 1:58 winning time taking two-fifths of a second off the 1:58.2 divisional standard set in 2003 by Johnny G Thats Me and a tick of Black Chana's 20-year-old all-age track record of 1:58.1. David Lake drove the Well Said-Artistic Heart gelding for trainer Kent Hess and owner Ted Boschma.
King Putt rode the pocket to a four-length, 1:59.4 win over Nightpro Star in the $11,027 two-year-old male pace, one-fifth of a second faster than the 2:00 divisional record set by Goodness Graycious last year. Joe Casagranda bred, owns, trains and drove the JK Endofanera-PV Miracle Mary colt.
Tequila Time defeated Plays Pro by 7-1/4 lengths in the $10,959 two-year-old filly pace, and her 2:01 time matched the divisional record set by Mother Mary last year. Driver Aaron Colley owns and trains the daughter of Real Desire-DCN Tulip Time.
A pair of long-standing track records also fell during Monday's Colt Stakes card for Michigan-sired horses.
Kaa Dee Carol and Lake sped to a 2:05.1 win over a 'good' track in the $13,630 two-year-old filly trot, knocking one and two-fifth seconds of Mariesas Gem Star's 2002 standard. Kent Hess trains the Marjorie Deshetsky homebred Southwind Russet-Cant Fire Me filly.
Ice Crystal and owner-breeder-trainer-driver Scott Altizer romped in the $15,274 sophomore filly trot, defeating Paragonalisnchains by 10-3/4 lengths in 2:04.4 and taking one-fifth of a second off Quillionaire's 20-year-old divisional track record.
The Michigan fair harness racing circuit returns to the Barry Expo Center in Hastings on the next two Tuesdays (Aug. 27 and Sept. 3).
(Michigan Harness Horsemen's Association)