Pennsylvania fair racing gets underway

PROSPECT PA – The 2026 Pennsylvania fair racing season, featuring top state-sired two- and three-year-olds in the summerlong Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes, began this Wednesday and Thursday (July 1 and 2) at the Big Butler Fair in this westcentral Pennsylvania borough.

The high heat playing havoc with the racing in much of North America caused the races to be pushed up from a scheduled 1 p.m. post time to 11 a.m. on both days. (There was still one effect of the heat felt – but more on that later.)

The very first race of the 2026 season almost caused an alteration in the Butler record books. The International Moni – By A Nose Hanover freshman trotting filly By A Long Shot crossed the wire first in 2:06, which was just a fifth off the Butler divisional track record set by Love Being Lucky ten years ago. The PA Fairs leading horseman the last few years, Todd Schadel, drove and trains By A Long Shot, and co-owns her with wife Christine.

That mile was the fastest baby trot, male or female. Two pacers, one of each sex, had 2:04 victories to share freshman speed honors: the Papi Rob Hanover – Ideal Appeal filly Unreal Appeal Sgt, co-owned by driver Tony and trainer-wife Linda Schadel, and Lucas Hanover, a Stay Hungry – Latte Lady gelding who is part of “the other” Team Schadel, with trainer-driver Todd Schadel, also co-owner with Christine.

Speed in the first race was a repeat theme Thursday, as the first 2:00 mile of the 2026 fair season was recorded, with the Captaintreacherous sophomore pacing gelding Odds On Favorite winning in exactly 2:00. Mike Wilder drove the speedy sophomore for trainer / father-in-law Dan Altmeyer and owner Steven McCoy.

But remember we mentioned “heat” being a factor at Butler, and it was.

Not a problem for humans.

Not a problem for the trotters and pacers.

But the heat wreaked havoc with another kind of “horsepower” – the engine of the starting gate, which was overcome by the torrid conditions, ending the three-year-old competition after only two races. (The purses of the remaining races will be shared equally among all scheduled starters.)

Todd Schadel won the other race on Thursday after taking three on Wednesday, putting him at the top of the fair driving and training standings right out of the gate in 2026.

The Fair Circuit moves on to the Lycoming County Fair in Hughesville (near Williamsport of Little League World Series fame) for racing next Wednesday (July 8) and Thursday (July 9), starting at 4 p.m. both days.

(Wednesday’s forecast high in Hughesville is 80^o;; for Thursday it is 85^o).

From the PFHHA, MSOA and PHHA partnership