Track records for trotting fillies at Meadville (PA) Fair

MEADVILLE, PA – Track records for harness racing trotting fillies were turned by both a two-year-old and a three-year-old during Thursday (freshman) and Friday (sophomore) Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes racing at the Crawford County Fairgrounds in this city in the northwest portion of the state.

First to make her mark on the record books was Shalamar Hanover, a Cantab Hall – Setntheworldonfire filly who broke her maiden in 2:05.4, equaling the local standard shared by Lady Broadway (2012) and Ridinonarainbow (2018) and also serving as the fastest baby trot. Shalamar Hanover is trained and was driven by Todd Schadel, and he co-owns her with wife Christine. Also deserving of a shoutout in this section is fair season’s leader Classy Cocktail, who now has seven fair “A” wins for trainer/driver Tony Schadel, co-owner with wife Linda.

The fastest freshman was the Heston Blue Chip – Escape Girl gelding PHR, who went in 2:03.1 for driver Wayne Long and trainer-owner Oscar Johnson Jr. Wheelhouse Hanover, another winner in this division, is the only horse with eight fair “A” wins, and he’s done so while going undefeated on the twicearound circuit for trainer/driver Todd Schadel, also co-owner with son Cody.

Between the Thursday and Friday races, Bob Rougeaux III and Rich Gillock oversaw a crew giving the track a good working-over. Sam Beegle, president of the PHHA (and a double winner on Friday) said that he and many other horsemen were appreciative of them stepping up and working hard to make the racing better.

The Friday’s track record setter was the Fordham Road filly Loveyoubunches, whose fair campaign can best be told with numbers; eight starts, seven wins, five track records, including two all-age track records including the fastest mile ever at the fairs for her division (1:58.1), which is also the fastest trot of the year.

At Meadville, she won in 2:00.2, erasing the 2:03 mark of Cheesy Hanover in 2021 for trainer/driver Todd Schadel and co-owners Christine Schadel and Rick and Regina Beinhauer. And if Loveyoubunches hadn’t reset the mark in the sixth race, twelve minutes later these same connections had the Bar Hopping filly Bar Talk win in 2:02.1 in a “B” division.

At the risk of repetitiveness, we must also report that Team Todd Schadel also had two three-year-old pacing males, both Betting Line geldings, sweep their “A” section and both post their sixth fair wins: Twigg’s Pub and Ante Up Hanover, the latter both the fastest performer at all 2024 fairs (1:57) and at this Meadville stand (1:59.3).

At the Dayton meet, we reported on 72-year-old Ronald Lubosco, who won his first race in 45 years with Good Queen Bess. Eight days later, the pair decided they liked winning so much that they did it again!

Again, no prize for guessing the leading driver and trainer. Tied for second in the driver’s column were Sam Beegle, Aaron Johnston, Wayne Long, Tony Schadel, and Steve Schoeffel; on the trainer’s side, tied for second were Sam Beegle, Tony Schadel, and Steve Schoeffel.

The Pennsylvania fair season has only five more stops left, including the Erie County Fair in Wattsburg at 2 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. Then comes Stoneboro, the 2-day and fair meets at Gratz, and Bloomsburg – the last chances for horses to gain enough points to be among the top eight in their division and earn a place in the $200,000 Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes Championship Night at The Meadows on Friday, October 11.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From the PHHA, PFHHA and the MSOA partnership