PA Fair circuit standings with two stops to go

HARRISBURG PA – The Pennsylvania Fair Harness Racing Circuit will have its final two stops of the 2024 season this week: racing will take place on Sunday and Monday at noon at the Gratz (PA) Fairgrounds, and then the season closes at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds on Friday and Saturday (October 20-21), with an 11 a.m. card scheduled at Bloomsburg both days.

This weekend’s racing from Gratz is scheduled to be livestreamed, and can be seen at this website.

The eight “A” divisions of the Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes have 20 stops during the summer, 15 during fairs and five during special “2-Day Events” away from the actual fair dates. Horses earn points on a 35-25-15-10-8-5-4-2 basis in each race; the top eight per division are then eligible for their $25,000 Pennsylvania Fair Championship, that $200,000 Night to be held Friday evening, October 11 at The Meadows. The top point winners earn a valued blanket in their stable colors, to be presented at the annual Fair Banquet in January.

The following is a brief summary of the news items that will attract attention this coming week.

TWO-YEAR-OLD TROTTING FILLIES – With just two stops left, the biggest point swing can be 70 points, for a double winner vs. a non-participant. The first horse to have clinched a blanket is Classy Cocktail, who has a 92-point lead before Gratz racing with a total of 360. She has eight “A” victories, and is her fair season’s record holder. The current eighth-place Championship cutoff point is 179; four horses are within twenty points of that total.

TWO-YEAR-OLD TROTTING COLTS – Lionheart Hanover (360 points and the season’s record holder) and Mr Hopper (330 points), both with eight wins in their division, meet in a division at Gratz. Baby Tao (310 points) is not mathematically eliminated from blanket consideration. Eighth place is at 175 points.

TWO-YEAR-OLD PACING FILLIES – Sweet Ride Hanover leads this group with 315 points, but is not in at Gratz; her nearest rival, Its Written (260 points), is in to go. Season’s record holder is Milagro, coming to Gratz with a five-race win streak. Eighth place is 155 points.

TWO-YEAR-OLD PACING COLTS – Wheelhouse Hanover, who lost his nine-race unbeaten fair run in his last start, has 330 points; his closest rival, PHR (305 points) is not. “Wheelhouse”’s nine wins tops all fair performers. Season’s record holder Sweet Parlay is in against Wheelhouse Hanover. Eighth place is at 123 points, with three others within 15 points.

THREE-YEAR-OLD TROTTING FILLIES – With a steady participation of fair racing, 2023 Champion Little Town Road (299 points) and Shady Maple Amber (289 points) are 1-2 in the standings, and face each other at Gratz. On the “outside looking in” blanket-wise is Loveyoubunches (273 points), with seven wins including five track records and two all-age track records, plus the year’s fast trotting mile of 1:58.1; she’s in the other cut at Gratz. Unique Wedding (244 points) is not mathematically out of it. Eighth place is 139 points.

THREE-YEAR-OLD TROTTING COLTS – Five horses still have a blanket chance: Contango Hanover (289 points), Yen Hanover (264), Hall Of Flame (260), International Craze (246, season’s record holder), and Cyclone Ben (234). It’s interesting that the top two have combined for only three wins, but have 22 board finishes between them; the next three have five wins each. All five are in at Gratz. Eighth place is 120 points.

THREE-YEAR-OLD PACING FILLIES – 2023 Champion Showboat Hanover (318 points) leads Chatty Vanessa (290 points), and with the latter not dropping in at Gratz, nothing but the worst luck can keep “Showboat” away from a blanket. Stay Sunny is the season’s record holder. Eighth place is 108 points; Gingertree Caitlin came to the fairs late but has won all her three starts, and if racing at both stops will meet the minimum “five fair starts to qualify for Championship” requirement. These three entrants race each other at Gratz.

THREE-YEAR-OLD PACING COLTS – Twiggs Pub (318 points on a 10-6-3-1 record) leads over Always Bet On Me (255 points); the former is in at Gratz, but the latter is not. Still with a mathematical chance is Ante Up Hanover (253 points, 7-6-1-0, 2023 Champion, fastest fair horse this year at 1:57), who starts next to Twiggs Pub, the only horse to beat him at the fairs this year. Eighth place is 97 points.

From the PHHA, PFHHA and the MSOA partnership