PROSPECT PA – The freshman Well Said gelding Venier Hanover was again the star of the show during harness racing action at The Big Butler Fair in this northwest Pennsylvania city. The baby sensation won on Thursday in 2:00.4, obliterating the former divisional track record, set by Skylite's Falcon in 2012, by 2 3/5 seconds, and coming within 2/5 of a second of the all-age track record, which was first set by the legendary Audie K 25 years and two days before, and then tied by Star Of Terror one year and two days ago.
Venier Hanover is now 4-3-1-0 in his career; the second came to the talented Marvalous Falcon at Hughesville last week, when Venier got away poorly from the second tier and had to make a big move just to get into the race. Venier again had a trailer spot at Butler, but he had a little bit more as he and Marvalous Falcon dueled in a 29.1 last quarter before Marvalous Artist took a misstep and had to settle for second. "Smilin'" Dave Brickell was as usual in the sulky behind Venier Hanover – and you'd be smiling too if you, along with Mitchell York, were the co-owner of this apparent double season's recordholder (1:54f at The Meadows and 1:58h at Dayton, the latter time within a tick of their all-age mark).
The biggest winner during the two days of action (freshmen Thursday, sophomores Friday) was driver Chris Shaw, who paraded back a winner no fewer than nine times during the two cards, five of them for brother/trainer Jason (Jason's son Mason was owner or co-owner of all five). The Shaws showed an early mastery over the recently-introduced "A"/"B" double division Sire Stakes format in the three-year-old filly pace, winning the "A" event with the Delmarvalous miss Gemalous, the 2016 Fair Championship winner, in 2:05.1, and then bringing back Keystone Nikki, who set a 1:59.3 divisional track record at Dayton but, because she was fourth at Hughesville, was eligible to drop to the "B" class this week, and took a division of that event – in 2:04.1.
Shawn Johnston, the 2017 Boots Dunn awardwinner for most promising youngster on the PA fair circuit, had five driving wins during the two-day session, two each for trainers Gary Johnston and LaDarrius Whitaker (the latter 3 for 3 at Butler), and the fifth with the Rich Gillock trainee The Book Of Life, with whom he won the three-year-old colt pace "A" section in 2:01.1 (over a "slow +3"-rated track). The Book Of Life has now taken two straight after starting his career 1 for 22.
The nine-bagger by Chris Shaw vaulted him to the top of the fair drivers standings by a 15-13 margin over Roger Hammer (who had but a single triumph at Butler); Jason Shaw got closer in the trainers standings, now only 13-10 behind Hammer.
The next stop on the Pennsylvania fair circuit is a two-day event at Gratz, one of the fastest ovals on the tour, with freshmen going at noon Saturday (July 8) and then sophomores at the same time Sunday (July 9).
Publicity Office, Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen's Association