The Explosive Matter colt Stickler Hanover trotted the fastest mile in the history of the Clearfield (PA) County fairgrounds on Monday afternoon (August 3) in Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes action.
On Monday, Stickler Hanover won in 2:01.1. The clocking lowered the fairgrounds record by one fifth of a second (the mark had been set by Bet On Tom in 2017).
Trainer Steve Schoeffel held the lines behind the new track record holder, who won his PA Fair Championship event in 2019. Stickler Hanover boosted his lifetime earnings over $100,000 and has now won both of his fair starts (with a Stallion Series victory in between) for owners Virginia and Kathy Schoeffel.
Among Stickler’s pacing counterparts, the Western Ideal gelding Full Send, who had posted the circuit’s other all-age record when he lowered the Silver Springs Ranch standard and overall fair season’s record to 1:57.4, was the fastest of three 'A' sire stakes winners. He covered 'the twicearound' at Clearfield in 1:59.2 for driver Wayne Long, trainer Eli Scott Jr., and Chesapeake Equine Clinic Inc.
Another 2019 fair champ, the Ponder colt Champ Charbel, won his 'A' cut in 2:01 for driver William Carter and trainer/owner Joe Karrat; Nome Hanover won the third highest-level fair sire stake in 2:00.1 for trainer/driver Todd Schadel, co-owner with Timothy Hayes and Dr. Megan Moschgat. That wasn’t the end of the 'glamour division’s 2:00 production, however, as fair newcomer Bipbopnallie posted a 1:59.4 win in a 'B' division, the Artspeak gelding winning for driver Branden Smith, trainer Roger Hammer, and the partnership of Leblanc Racing Inc., Count De Money Stable, and William Lutz Jr.
The third fair champ of last year to win at Clearfield was Dream Dancing, a daughter of A Rocknroll Dance who won the fastest division of the filly pace in 2:00.1 for her fourth straight win, that streak including a stallion series triumph. Driver Dave Brickell and trainer Mitchell York are the co-owners of the fleet filly.
Furious Fast set a PA fair season’s record when she won her cut of the sophomore filly trot in 2:03.1, scoring for driver Shawn Johnston and trainer Rick Beinhauer, the latter co-owner with Ronnie Stamm.
In Sunday’s two-year-old action, Tiamogonedancen lowered the local standard for two-year-old pacing fillies while remaining undefeated in two starts with a 2:00.1 mile for Team Brickell/York, with Chrome Over’s 2011 mark of 2:01.2 going by the boards; the time also made her the fastest freshman at the 'Pennsy fairs' this year. And if her stablemate Lazy Day Hanover had raced just before instead of just after her, she would have set a track record, as she is now undefeated in four fair starts after a 2:01.1 triumph.
The only other four-time fair winner, Capo Dei Capi, failed in his attempt to become a five-time success story on 'the cotton candy circuit' when he was second to the Creatine colt Swing Batter Swing, home first in 2:07 for owner/trainer/driver Roger Hammer. The race before that, the Southwind Frank gelding Killer Instinct had lowered the fair divisional season’s mark to 2:06.1 for driver Wayne Long, trainer Bob Rougeaux III, and the ownership of Brocious Racing Stable Inc. and the Lone Wolf Stable.
Clearfield annually awards the Buster DiSalvo trophy to the driver with the most wins at the meet; this year the trophy was shared by Dave Brickell and Todd Schadel, each five-time visitors to victory lane. Todd Schadel also trained six winners to lead the meet in that category.
The season has been compacted by the delayed start, and the Keystone trotters and pacers will be back in action on Thursday and Friday at 2 p.m. at the Crawford County Fairgrounds in Meadville PA.
(Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen Association, Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association, and Meadows Standardbred Owners Association partnership)