CLEARFIELD PA – The Pennsylvania Fair Circuit swung into the fairgrounds in this northcentral Pennsylvania borough for its only four-day stand of the year, with two-year-olds on Sunday and Monday and three-year-olds the following two cards. It would be unwieldy to report on 32 heats in one wrapup story, so this report summarizes the freshman action; after the sophomores have raced, there will be a report on their contests, plus a meet summary.
Both days devoted to the two-year-olds saw a filly turn in the fastest mile. Sunday was devoted to the trotters, with the International Moni – Nightflix Hanover miss H Moni Winner recording her first win in a stylish 2:04.2, which is also the fastest time for any baby trotter at the fairs so far. Shawn Johnston drove for trainer Dana Kahrig and owner Joseph Burkholder.
The Cantab Hall – Quite Possible gelding Born Silly became the first baby to record three victories among the “A” Fair Sire Stakes crowd, winning for trainer/driver Todd Schadel, also co-owner with wife Christine and Rick and Regina Beinhauer. Sunday also saw Tom Loughery Jr., a talented trainer, score his first-ever win in the sulky behind RT Grancenglory.
Speed honors among Monday’s pacing races were won by the Heston Blue Chip – Lastplanetolondon filly D’Applesrsweet after a 2:00.4 victory, fastest on the 2024 circuit by any freshman. Todd Schadel was behind the swift miss for trainer/owner Steve Weztel. Trainer/driver Aaron Johnston won the other two sections of this event with Don’t Touch My T, who also rolled up a third fair win for owner Jennifer Johnston, and Always B Momma.
Todd Schadel won both of the “A” colt pacers, the faster with the Papi Rob Hanover – Well What’s New gelding Wheelhouse Hanover, who broke his own fair season’s record with a 2:02.2 win for Todd and his son Cody. Amazingly, the two “B” sections of this group also generated 2:02.2 clockings, showing that winners Alfredo Hanover and Bettor Safe may soon be making the hike up to the “A” division.
Todd Schadel was the leading trainer and driver in the two-year-old competition with six wins; Steve Schoeffel was second among drivers with three successes, while Schoeffel and Aaron Johnston each had two training tallies.
The three-year-old pacers will go postward at Clearfield Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.; the trotters bring down the curtain on Wednesday at 1 p.m. Fair information is available at www.pafairsracing.org.
