HUGHESVILLE, PA – The second stop on the 2017 Pennsylvania fair circuit was made at the Lycoming County Fair in this city in the central part of the state, a 2-day Sire Stakes event on Saturday and Sunday. The track was modified in the last few months, and though this weekend's times were not spectacular, the "workout given to the track" will get it "tighter" for when the county fair meet comes to town.
The best race on both days was the first race, possibly not coincidentally featuring "A"-level pacing colts on both cards. On Sunday Venier Hanover, the freshman who was the talk of the circuit after his 1:58 mile at Dayton last week, tasted defeated at the hooves of Marvalous Falcon, but both babies gave superior performances.
The King of the Pennsylvania Fairs, Roger Hammer, got away quickly from post three with his homebred Delmarvalous gelding Marvalous Falcon, with Venier Hanover burdened with a second tier starting slot and driver Dave Brickell having him outside and underway from sixth place.
By the 29.3 quarter. Hammer rated the half to 1:02.2, with Venier Hanover by then alongside and even slightly ahead at times, but Marvalous Falcon then threw a 28.1 third quarter (the odd-numbered quarters were the faster almost all weekend at Hughesville) to assert himself, with his game challenger staying within four lengths of the 2:01.4 winner.
Marvalous Falcon, himself already a Q1:55.3f performer and with a maternal pedigree sporting countless PA county fair stars, is a Hammer breeder / owner/ trainer/ driver production.
The fastest mile of the meet came from these babies' three-year-old counterparts to open the racing weekend, with the Bettor's Delight gelding The Book Of Life garnering only his second lifetime victory after stopping the timer in 2:01.2 ahead of circuit familiars like Cruiserwillwin (2016 Fair Championship winner) and Artist's Ruffles. However, The Book Of Life's other win was in 1:55.2 at Philly, showing that the youngster had speed, and he was able to maximize his talents on this day for driver Shawn Johnston, trainer Rich Gillock, and owner Harry Locke.
Though Venier Hanover may have suffered his first defeat, his stablemate in the Dave Brickell barn, Camera Lady, continued her love affair with Keystone State fairgrounds winners circles by taking a 2:04.3 decision. The Dragon Again filly, trained and driven by Brickell and owned by him in partnership with Mitchell York, was 2016's winningest two-year-old in North America with 15 triumphs, 14 of them on the local fair circuit, and this year's she's two-for-two over the twicearounds.
Another double fair winner in 2017 is the Great George Two gelding Gee Wizz George, who went the meet's fastest trotting time, 2:05. "George" was 13 lengths off the pace at the quarter, but he steadily rallied into a very fast pace to win nicely for driver Brady Brown, trainer Jean Rastetter, and owner Maryann Rastetter.
Roger Hammer sent six charges to Victory Lane for the second straight week to already establish a big lead in the fair trainer and driver standings. One of those wins was a dead-heat victory with trotter Toolbox Tuesday, finishing even with Irish Valentine, whose driver Chris Shaw (6 wins) and trainer/brother Jason (5 victories) are second to Hammer in the early stats.
The PA fair circuit now heads back out west for two days of competition at The Big Butler Fair on Thursday and Friday. The starting gate will be in motion at 10 a.m. on both days, with two-year-olds Thursday and three-year-olds Friday.
From the Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen's Association