The 2016 Pennsylvania fair harness racing circuit started the last leg of its Western campaign for the summer on Thursday in this town in the northwest portion of the state, and the theme of the day, devoted to two-year-old racing, was “sweeping,” less in the sense of “cleaning” than of “cleaning up” the purses for a few stables, and one filly in particular.
The Dragon Again filly Camera Lady showed she’s not superstitious as she paced to victory in2:04, last quarter 30, to keep her undefeated in 13 starts across the state at its fairgrounds. The victory was her 14th overall in 15 career starts, as she took her mark of 1:58.1 (in her second start) in an overnight at The Meadows, the track at which she had her only loss, trying the “big big girls” in the state Sire Stakes, and race-timed in 1:56.3, in her fourth career trip to the gate.
After that, she’s posted 11 consecutive victories along the fair circuit, setting a track record at Hughesville and establishing herself as the PA fairs’ season leader with a 2:00.3 at Bedford. This 14th victory puts her only one win off the lead out of the entirety of North American harness horses, with two veterans at 15: pacing mare Velocity Vespa and the trotting gelding Mama Made Me Blue. And for being a “fair horse” with less than three months of racing under her girth, she’s already bankrolled $32,143 for her owners, Mitchell York and trainer/driver “Smilin’” Dave Brickell.
(with files from Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association)