Record books get pounded at Lycoming Fair

HUGHESVILLE, PA – The Pennsylvania harness racing fair circuit returned to the Lycoming County Fair in this northcentral Pennsylvania town for racing on Wednesday and Thursday, and by the end of the meet much Wite-Out was used keeping the record books up to date – sometimes with a double coating in the same category – as the Keystone trotters and pacers put on quite a speed show.

For one example, consider the three-year-old pacing colt Cirrus De Vie, the only four-time winner on the Pennsylvania twicearound circuit this year under the guidance of trainer/driver Roger Hammer, also co-owner with Vicki Fair. The gelded son of Real Artist toured the Hughesville oval in 1:57.3, eclipsing the former all-time local standard of 1:58.1 set by Royaltyhasarrived set in 2015.

Less than 90 minutes later, that "all-time" clocking would be eradicated from the record books, as the Delmaravlous gelding Love Cut was clocked in 1:57.2 to be the new Hughesville King of Time for driver Tony Schadel and trainer Linda Schadel, who are co-owners with Elizabeth and James Schadel (combined ages of the latter two: around 14). Making the feat more spectacular is that Love Cut's record mile came in a "B" division of the Fair Sire Stakes!

Another lower-level performer who would "B"-come a divisional recordholder was the Delmarvalous filly Marvalous Song, a three-year-old pacer who toured the track in 1:58.3 for driver Cory Kreiser, trainer Jason Shaw, and owner Mason Shaw, clipping a full second off the 2016 standard of Devious Behavior.

There was a second track record set (actually equaled) and rewritten the same day (Wednesday), in this case within 40 minutes: the Crazed filly Critical Hanover equaled the 2016 2:01.4 sophomore filly trotter mark of Keystone Wonder for trainer/driver Todd Schadel and owners Christine and Cody Schadel, only to see his partner on the storied Vivid Photo, Roger Hammer, guide Blow Back to a 2:01.1 time in the same division to take the local record. Hammer trains and drove the Explosive Matter miss, and he is co-owner of her with Vicki Fair.

Thursday's racing, for two-year-olds, would see both marks for fillies reset, starting with the day's first contest, where Todd Schadel guided the Muscle Massive filly Ridinonarainbow to a 2:02.4 Hughesville record, knocking a full second off the 2015 mark of A Little Laid Back (driven by – payback time! – Roger Hammer). Todd also trains the filly, perfect in three purse starts, and co-owns her with wife Christine.

On the pace, trainer/driver Dave Brickell, also co-owner with Mitchell York, completed the Daily Double with the Well Said filly Crew Sock Hanover, home in 2:01.1 for her third purse win, and no hard feelings emerged because the mark she broke was that of the Brickell/York filly Camera Lady, who had gone in 2:01.4 in 2016.

Todd Schadel visited the Lycoming Fair Victory Lane seven times as both trainer and driver in the two days, taking over the seasonal lead from Roger Hammer – the score is now 15-11 on the driving side and 14-12 on the training side (the difference coming when Todd won with part of Roger's entry, R N Artist, in the free-for-all pace at York last week).

The fair circuit next sets up shop in the hometown of local Sports Hall of Famers Hammer and Sam Beegle, Bedford PA, for racing on Monday the 23rd and Tuesday the 24th.

From the Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen Association