Rookies Battle All Over In PASS
Racing on the Pennsylvania Fair Circuit split into two venues, as horsemen were forced to make a choice with stake races for freshmen carded at both Indiana (Indiana County) and Wattsburg (Erie County).
In Indiana, two near-$6,000 divisions of the PA Sire Stake two-year-old colt trot opened the eight-race card, and Meadowbranch Jack, trained and reined by Todd Schadel, won in hand with a 2:07.3 performance. Hans Enggren owns the SJs Caviar gelding. In the second division, MMs Yankee, by Malabar Millennium, scored in 2:08 for trainer/driver Bill Daugherty and owners Jack and Sharon Claypoole.
Two $5,900 groups of filly trotters were up next in Sire Stake action, and the Enggren/Schadel combination won again, this time with Meadowbranch Jill. The Cantab Hall filly covered her mile in 2:12. In the second split, Songonbroadway (Broadway Hall) picked up a 2:08.1 victory for driver Timmy Offutt. Anne McDonald LLC owns the filly, while Joe Offutt trains.
In the first $6,144 division of the two-year-old colt pace, Sharkteen overcame a second-tier start to earn his first career win, timed in 2:09. Bob Key owns the Four Starzzz Shark colt, while Rich Gillock picked up the training win. Wayne Long was in the bike. In the second division, NF Drum Roll brought Todd Schadel his third win of the day as both a trainer and driver. Schadel co-owns the Real Artist colt with Roger Hammer. The winning time was 2:04.3.
The day ended at Indiana with two $6,150 divisions of the PASS freshman filly pace. Real Dixie, trained and driven by Bobby Rougeaux, went wire-to-wire in the first group, pacing in 2:04.3. Brocious Racing Stable owns the Real Artist filly. In the second division, Roger Hammer and Frank Dettore's Paints Hall was a winner for catch-driver Chris Shaw in 2:05.3. Paints Hall is a daughter of Blissfull Hall.
At Wattsburg, DVC Itsanattitude opened the card with a win in the Quaker Stake for freshman pacers. Owned, trained and driven by David Brickell, the Magical Mike filly paced in 2:10.
In the lone Quaker Stake for trotters, Quantum Roulette, a Cantab Hall filly, won in 2:15 for the Dunn Stable, trainer Boots Dunn and driver Roger Hammer.
Three divisions of the PASS freshman colt trot were up next, and the first group was led to the wire by Redder Than Red. The Dunn/Hammer combination teamed for the victory. Redder Than Red, by SJs Caviar, won in 2:07.1.
In the second division, Ibanez (Wonder Dancer) scored in 2:07.2 for driver Winston Lineweaver. Eileen Lineweaver trains and co-owns with Ellen Warren.
Up next was a division of the filly trot, and the winner’s circle scene turned out to be a combination of the previous two races, as Barefoot Brook won for driver Winston Lineweaver and trainer Boots Dunn. The daughter of Cantab Hall trotted in 2:08.2, a new track record for freshman trotting fillies.
The other filly trotting division was captured by Lima Blue, trained and reined by Marty Wollam. The Cantab Hall filly won in 2:10.4.
The final colt trot was up next, and Mulligan Bi, owned, trained and reined by James McIlmurray, won in 2:10.4. Mulligan Bi is by Andover Hall.
The day's richest events, two $6,000 splits of the PASS filly pace, were swept by Roger Hammer. Nuclearccino (Nuclear Breeze) paced in 2:07, while stablemate Shootoutthelights (Dragon Again) won in 2:07.4.
Two groups of frosh colt pacers ended the day, and it was once aga