Washington, PA --- Trainer Steve Schoeffel and driver Brady Brown — the master and his protégé — concluded their successful Pennsylvania Fairs season by notching a pair of fairs championships Saturday (Oct 10) at The Meadows Racetrack & Casino.
The Meadows hosted all eight fairs finals, each worth $25,000, to cap its current meeting. Following a break of about three weeks, the track will stage its reopening weekend with a 12:55 p.m. card Friday, Oct. 30, and an 11:25 a.m. program the following day. Those cards will complement The Meadows simulcast of the Thoroughbred Breeders Cup.
Schoeffel, a veteran of about 30 years at the fairs and raceways, has turned over many of his drives to the 22-year-old Brown, with outstanding results. Brown ranked fourth in fairs wins this season and Schoeffel fourth in training victories. On Saturday, they triumphed with Royaltyhasarrived (3cp) and Piano Rose (3ft).
Also shining was Eric Ledford, who never had driven in a Pennsylvania Fairs race in his career, but he may want to consider joining the circuit regularly. He collected wins with Worthy Jackie (2fp) Wagon Master (2cp).
“I’ve driven in fairs, tons of them, in Illinois and Ohio,” he said. “It was always fun.”
Might he consider more activity on the PA circuit?
“In the finals, maybe,” he said with a smile.
A recap of the championships:
3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pacers — Royaltyhasarrived
The Western Terror-Her Mattjesty gelding already was a 15-time winner — including a streak of 10 straight — this year, so his victory hardly was surprising. He retook for Brown past the quarter and scored in 1:54.4, 3-1/4 lengths better than John Paul. RN Nate finished third.
“He was in the stallion series last year but hurt himself,” Schoeffel said of his $15,000 yearling acquisition. “So I didn’t stake him anywhere but the fairs. I wanted to keep it easy on him and not have him chasing horses. It worked out perfect.”
Virginia Schoeffel, Kathy Schoeffel and Michael Munn campaign Royaltyhasarrived.
2-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trotters — Major Matter
With his recent victory in a Keystone Classic split, Major Matter appeared to lay over the field. That’s the way the race unfolded, as the Explosive-Matter-Tahiti Springs gelding grabbed the lead early and drew off to prevail by five lengths over Keystone Blade. OMG Hanover earned show.
“He was very good tonight,” said winning driver Rick Beinhauer, who bred and owns Major Matter with Regina Beinhauer. “He was a little sore his last start, so we had to take care of that. He’s a handy little horse and drives like a Cadillac — quick as a cat out of the gate.”
3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trotters — Simeon
As Major Matter, Simeon boasted raceway and stakes victories, and he was just as dominant, prevailing on the front end in 1:58 for trainer/driver David Wade. The pocket-sitting Winborne Hanover, last year’s freshman fairs champ, was a length back in second, while Silver Sierra rallied for show.