Fastest mile ever recorded at Clearfield (PA) Fair

CLEARFIELD, PA – Ante Up Hanover (Betting Line) won at the Clearfield (PA) Fair during the Tuesday (July 16) twilight card in 1:57 – the fastest time ever posted over the harness racing half-mile track in the northcentral part of the state.

The three-year-old gelding, who won last year’s PA Fair Sire Stakes Championship for his group, looks on track to have a good go at repeating the distinction. The former Clearfield mark of 1:57.3, set by the three-year-old filly My Gal Phyl, had stood for 21 proud years, and if “Phyl” had to lose her record, her co-breeder / co-owner / trainer / driver Roger Hammer was likely glad that the new recordholder is trained and driven by Todd Schadel, his partner on the Hambletonian-winning Vivid Photo.

Team Schadel swept this PaFSS division when another altered son of Betting Line, Twiggs Pub, succeeded in 2:00.2; Todd and his wife Christine, owners of Ante Up Hanover, share ownership of Twiggs Pub with their son Cody.

Among the sophomore filly pacers, the Sweet Lou filly Sonadora became the only four-time fair winner in the “A” ranks with a 2:02.2 tally for driver Aaron Johnston, trainer Nathan Bresnahan, and owner Matthew Miller. The other division of this group was won in 2:00.4 by 2023 Championship winner Showboat Hanover, yet another Betting Line offspring campaigned by the Schadels, here with Caitlin Solt co-owning.

Wednesday’s card, for three-year-old trotters, ended the marathon Clearfield stay. Driver Wayne Long, who recently earned his 1000th driving win, had the hot hands with four winners circle visits, with three of the winners trained by Joyce Lineweaver, including a sweep of the filly “A” races. The faster of this pair was the International Moni miss Unique Wedding, who scored in 2:03.1 and is owned by his driver and trainer.

Fastest trot mile of the meet came from an altered son of International Moni. Thaler Hanover, yet another 2023 Championship success story winning at Clearfield. The 2:02.1 winner was driven by Aaron Johnston and trained by Gary Johnston, the latter co-owner with Abigail Wright.

Todd Schadel again led the horsemen’s stats with nine sulky successes and eight training wins, but several others had outstanding meets. Wayne Long drove six winners, and Aaron Johnston five; Aaron’s four training triumphs tied him for second with Joyce Lineweaver.

No rest for the Pennsylvania Fair Circuit – there will be racing on Thursday (two-year-olds) and Friday (three-year-olds) at 3 p.m. at the Bedford Fair. Ante Up Hanover is back in Friday’s first race, three days after his record Clearfield mile.

from the PHHA, MSOA, and PAFSS partnership