The Pennsylvania Fair Circuit wrapped up the 2011 season with two-year-olds in Sire Stake action at the Gratz Fairgrounds
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Ballagio Hanover (by Cantab Hall) opened the day by winning a division of the freshman colt trot. Todd Schadel trains and was in the bike for the 2:07.3 effort, the colt’s first career win.
In the second division, NF Tbone and Roger Hammer overcame a second-tier starting spot to win in 2:03.4, ending a three-race win streak by Boytown, who made a break but recovered to finish second. NF Tbone is an SJs Caviar colt.
Hammer then returned to take the final division with the Broadway Hall colt Avenue Of Dreams, who was fresh off a win in a Standardbred division at the Delaware, Ohio Fair. The winning time was 2:04.1.
In the first of three splits of the two-year-old filly pace, Tom Haughton and Mike Gillock’s Scotts Terror was a winner in 2:02. Todd Schadel guided the Western Terror filly to a wire-to-wire victory.
Wanna Go Fast, a daughter of Yankee Cruiser, won the second split in 2:02.4. Trainer=driver Steve Schoeffel sent the filly to the front in a brisk "28.3 and she held on for her fifth win of the season.
Schoeffel then won the last division with another Yankee Cruiser filly out of his barn, Chrome Over. It was also win number five this year for the filly, as she paced in 2:01.3.
In the first of two $6,000 colt pacing divisions, NF Drum Roll, owned by Hammer and Schadel, was a winner in 2:04.3. Todd Schadel trains and was in the bike behind the Real Artist colt. Hammer then won the second division with one of his own, Nucular Enemy (by Nuclear Breeze), in 2:01.2.
Three divisions of filly trotters then completed the day and the season, and Gold Diggin Girl won the first split in 2:09.2. Joe Offutt owns and trains the SJs Caviar filly, and Timmy Offutt drove.
Schadel and Meadowbranch Jill (by Cantab Hall) made a break early in the second division, but came back to get the win in 2:09.4. Hans Enggren bred and owns the winner.
Finally, Rosannadanna Tim won the season-ender, trotting in 2:06.1 for her first career victory. Virginia Ehrhart owns the homebred daughter of Tiny Tim. Neal Ehrhart trains, and Bobby Rougeaux picked up the catch-drive.
The top point-earners from the summer long, 20-stop series now head to The Meadows on October 8, for the 2011 Pennsylvania Fair Finals. For video highlights from the circuit, visit www.youtube.com/pafairs.
The fair circuit horsemen and the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission would like to express their thanks to the Gratz Fairgrounds and everyone involved in allowing this week’s races to take place. All four days of racing this week were originally slated to be held at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds, but that venue was not available due to flooding.
(PHRC)