July 26, 1999

Harness racing out of the gates at the fair

By John Montgomery
Staff Writer

What a way to open the three-day harness racing schedule at the Seneca County Fair.

Don Pfiester drove Cinder Lane Magic to victory in record time in the 3-year-old colt pace second division while Melanie Williams, a recent addition to the Tiffin community, guided Noteztobe Princess to that horse's first-ever win in the final race of the night.

Pfiester and Cinder Lane Magic picked up their record-setting win in the fourth race of the night, cutting a second off the 1:59 time set by Ryan Stahl at the 1994 fair.

Russell Swartz drove Ian to second, followed by Don Burks and Matt's Noble Star, Ty Loy and Sand My Bootineer, Stahl and Game Gregory, and Ty Bates and R Mighty Sam were sixth.

Williams may not have driven a record time, but picking up a win was the perfect end to the evening for her.

"It's always a thrill to get a win, regardless of its the first or the last (race) or whatever," said Williams, one the premier female drivers in Ohio. "It's always a thrill to get a win and get your picture taken, whether you're going for $100 or you're going for $100,000. It's always a thrill."

That win came in the third division pacer race among horses who had never won and had yet to top the $1,500 mark in career earnings.

For a while, it looked like Loy and Sand My Squeeze would take capture the last win of the night. But Sand My Squeeze broke stride on the backstretch of the last lap and Matt Kendall edged into the lead with Judith Priest.

But Williams came flying off the last turn, shot ahead and got the win in 2:05 1/5 with a 2-year-old filly she's only been training since last fall.

Kendall and Judith Priest were second, followed by Calvin Hollar and One Road Ata Time, Loy and Sand My Finger and Greg Bateson and Hey Girlfriend.

Racing action continues at the fairgrounds today and wraps up Tuesday, with the first race on each day starting at 7 p.m.

RACE RESULTS

3-Year-Old Colt, 1st Div., Pace: 1. Look K Round (Greg Bateson) 2:02; 2. Doodlefinkel (Ryan Stahl); 3. Cam's Pride (Calvin Hollar); 4. Tell Who (Dan Corfman); 5. Pretty Barefoot (Everett Nead); 6. Gypsydoubleagle (Matt Kendall).

3-Year-Old Filly, 1st Div., Trot: 1. Dyna Kat (Gerrald Burris) 2:05 1/5; 2. Showtime Begonia (Jim Lewis); 3. Victory Bell (Ron Steck); 4. Stardust Miaka (Lauren Lingrel); 5. Jay El Ziggy (Dan Burks); 6. Wine N Spirits (Wade Burger).

2-Year-Old Colt, 1st Div., Trot: 1. Pay Out (Russell Swartz) 2:09 1/5; 2. Howdy Arnie (Ty Bates); 3. Can He Trot (Ed Green Jr.); 4. Nat's First Addition (John Konesky III); 5. Son Of Edna (Jim Larabee); 6. US Adonno (Roy Brown).

3-Year-Old Colt, 2nd Div., Pace: 1. Cinder Lane Magic (Don Pfiester) 1:58, Seneca County Fair track record; 2. Ian (Swartz); 3. Matt's Noble Star (Burks); 4. Sand My Bootineer (Ty Loy); 5. Game Gregory (Stahl); 6. R Mighty Sam (Ty Bates).

2-Year-Old Colt, 2nd Div., Trot: 1. Pathfinder Mac (George Conklin) 2:15 1/5; 2. Miety Sharp (Bill Stander); 3. Neon Rainbow (Konesky); 4. Lark's Chill (Corfman); 5. Wyoming Willis (Melanie Williams); 6. R Big Score (Greene).

3-Year-Old, 2nd Div., Trot: 1. Sand Dream (Loy) 2:07; 2. Flasky Girl (Burris); 3. Pure Stride (Nick Crosta); 4. R Mighty Val (Greene); 5. Fran's Pride (Darrell Whitaker; 6. Solar Sweetness (Kendall).

3-Year-Old Colt, 3rd Div., Pace: 1. Slick K Sam (Bateson) 2:02; 2. Game Albert (Ken Fortney); 3. V Anna's Noble (Wyatt Irvine); 4. RKS Cruise Control (Pfiester); 5. Cheech (Charles Little). Lightin Louie (Herb LeVan) scratched.

2-Year-Old Colt, 3rd Div., Trot: 1. Sweet Inquirer (Kendall) 2:11; 2. Debs Winning Bud (Pat Brown); 3. GW Score (Burger); 4. Cinder Lane Strike (Konesky); 5. Tiger Man (Bates).

Non-Winners $1,500 Lifetime, 1st Div., Pace: 1. Breakaway Sahbra (Mark Roth) 2:05; 2. Princeorpauper (Kendall); 3. Jet City Woman (Michael Rardon); 4. Marylee Way (Williams); 5. Aubries Attitude (Leland Abbott Jr.).

Non-Winners $1,500 Lifetime, 2nd Div., Pace: 1. Spencer Grattan (Stahl) 2:04; 2. Falcon Dancer (Pfiester); 3. Fantastic Sue (Steck); 4. Expensive Flyer (Roth); 5. Ever Hope (Williams).

Non-Winners $1,500 Lifetime, 3rd Div., Pace: 1. Noteztobe Princess (Williams) 2:05. 1/5; 2. Judith Priest (Kendall); 3. One Road Ata Time (Hollar); 4. Sand My Squeeze (Loy); 5. Hey Girlfriend (Bateson).