Fast freshmen, sloppy sophomores at Gratz

GRATZ PA – The Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes series came to this eastcentral borough on Friday and Saturday as the first of the season-ending cards “in the east” that has this 2-Day event followed by the Gratz Fair harness racing this coming weekend and then concluding at Bloomsburg.

The two-year-olds got the action going on Friday, and three of the four season’s records for the fair circuit were rewritten, including an equaling of the divisional mark for pacing fillies by the Always B Miki – Thecrowdiswatching miss Milagro, who paced in 1:57.3 to equal the Gratz standard established by Little Lady J in 2022. Milagro has now won five “A” events in a row for trainer/driver Tony Schadel, co-owner with wife Linda.

The group’s “A” male counterpart Sweet Parlay became the fastest fair freshman of the year when he stopped the timer in 1:57.2. The Sweet Lou – Parlee Beach gelding triumphed for driver Eric Neal and trainer Richard Dunn, the latter co-owner with MBC Stables LLC. This race was also notable because it saw the end of Wheelhouse Hanover’s undefeated nine-victory “A” campaign, as he had to settle for third here.

PHR also turned in a magic mile, 1:59.2. He’s a Heston Blue Chip – Escape Girl gelding who was driven by Wayne Long for trainer-owner Oscar Johnson Jr.

The third season’s record was turned in by the Greenshoe – Lady Riviera trotting gelding Lionheart Hanover, who won for the eighth time on the fair circuit for Tony and Linda Schadel, here in 2:02, defeating Mr Hooper, who entered the race with eight “A” wins including six in a row.

The faster freshman filly trot was the 2:02.1 victory by the International Moni – Nightlife Hanover filly H Moni Winner, who has now captured four of her last five starts for driver Aaron Johnston, trainer Dana Kahrig, and owner Joseph Burkholder. Among the vanquished was season’s leader Classy Cocktail, who could not raise her fair victory total over eight with a third, but did get the consolation of being the first “A” fair horse to clinch the seasonal lead in the pointstandings, earning her a cooler at the annual Fair Banquet over the winner.

The babies turned in some impressive win margins – in thirteen races, nine were won by four lengths or more, and three of them by ten lengths or more.

And then the rain came before Saturday’s racing. The track was rated “sloppy,” and the three-year-olds often went a second or two slower than the two-year-olds, while the reverse is usual.

The fastest mile at this Gratz meet came from Always Bet On Me, a Betting Line gelding capturing his fourth of his last five starts, here in 2:00 for Team Neal – driver Eric, trainer Randal, and the partnership of Eric and Neal Racing Stable LLC.

Another Betting Line offspring, the filly Gingertree Carilin, is undefeated in three fair starts after a 2:01.2 mile for driver Aaron Johnston and trainer Sam Beegle, the latter co-owner with Ginger Tree Ventures LLC, Knollview Stable 2, and Reber & B Stable.

2023 Fair Championship winner Showboat Hanover was second.

Another 2023 Fair Champion, Little Town Road, tied two-year-old Lionheart Hanover for fastest trotter of the meet honors when the Fordham Road miss won in 2:02 for driver-trainer-owner Roger Hammer.

The Cantab Hall gelding Hall Of Flame opened Saturday’s card with a 2:02.4 win, his fifth in “A” company, overcoming the trailing post seven for driver-trainer Aaron Johnston and the ownership of wife Jennifer and Brian Taylor.

Aaron Johnston won driving honors for Gratz I, with six winners just ahead of Todd Schadel’s five. These two tied with Sam Beegle having three trainees win to split that sectional honor.

Gratz will conduct its Fair meet next Sunday and Monday (September 15-16), with Bloomsburg’s racing the following Friday and Saturday (September 20-21). The top pointwinners will then meet on $200,000 Fair 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