Talk All Day paces to Gratz track record

Talk All Day looked like she could pace all day as the sophomore daughter of Western Hanover recorded the fastest mile in the history of racing at the Gratz (Pennsylvania) fair, 1:56.1, during Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action on Sunday.

Trainer-driver Dave Wade (yes, he of trotting fame a la SJ’s Photo, etc.) moved his sidewheeling filly right out to the lead and posted splits of :28.1, :58.2, and 1:27.2 en route to the historic mile, which knocked a tick off the old mark set by Shu Hanover and local hero Todd Schadel in 2004. Unraced at two, Talk All Day now has five wins in nine starts, including three on the PA fair circuit, for the Sweet And Sassy Stable.

Schadel made a valiant effort to reclaim the record in the last event with another 3-year-old pacing filly, Soiree, but after fractions of :28.2, :57.2 and 1:26.1 the Real Artist filly could only follow up with a :30.2 kicker and just missed. Nevertheless, it was a top effort for a filly with only one other career victory for the Horse Around Stable.

The third division of the sophomore filly pace went to Makerbark, a Dragon Again filly who is the only winner at all four PA fair circuit stops so far (with a 1:52.4 p/m Sire win at Pocono thrown in between). This daughter of Dragon Again now has 10 lifetime wins and earnings of over $70,000 for owner-trainer-driver Roger Hammer.

FINISHING LINES – Steve Schoeffel had a driving triple on Sunday at Gratz, while Wade and Hammer had doubles …Wade’s second win was exactly 10 seconds slower than Talk All Day’s, but was nonetheless impressive, as the 3-year-old trotting colt Bettis made a miscue on the first turn, was as much as 20 lengths behind early, yet gradually made up ground to be along late and run his fair Sire Stakes tally to 4-3-1-0…$85,007 was raced for in the two days of action Saturday and Sunday, the result of a funding stream from slot gaming going into the Sire Stakes this year…You can watch some of the exciting action from the Pennsylvania fair circuit at www.youtube.com/phrc08. (PASS)

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