Wednesday, July 26, 2000

Republic driver's track record make fast start

By John Montgomery
Sports Writer

Harness racing fans didn't have long to wait for excitement Tuesday at the Seneca County Fair.

Some fans were still settling into their seats when Republic's Ryan Stahl and Pocket O' Dreams jumped to the front in the very first race and ran away from the pack for a victory and a track record for pacers.

Stahl and Pocket O' Dreams cruised to the win in 1:56 2/5, breaking the mark of 1:58 set last year.

It was a record the 22-year-old Stahl said he'd wanted to set this year.

"I wanted to go for the record tonight because it was the John Davidson Memorial. He's the guy I won my first drive with," said Stahl, who set a Seneca County Fair track record of 1:59 for pacers as a 16-year-old. "I drove all of his horses and he was a hell of a nice guy.

"I'd rather have just raced her easy and win and saved her a little bit, but I wanted the record back since it was John's Memorial," he said.

Although he picked up the glory for setting a new track pace record, Stahl credited Pocket O' Dreams and great conditions for what happened.

"She's a one of a kind, she's definitely the greatest thing I ever sat behind. I knew she could go there, just from training her here all the time," he said. "The conditions were great, the track was good, it was a good, warm night. I figured she could go in what she did."

That first race, the first division 3-year-old filly pace, was Stahl's only win of the night, but he also finished second in another and came in third in four others while adding a fifth in another race.

"I thought I had three or four other ones that could have won, but it just didn't work out," Stahl said. "But, overall, they all raced pretty well, so I'm happy."

While Stahl was held to one victory Tuesday, three other drivers each picked up a pair of victories.

Wyatt Irvine guided V Anna Seven Three to the victory lane by taking the second division 3-year-old filly pace in 2:01 2/5 before driving Lady Messinger to a thrilling win in the last race of the night, the free for all trot, in 2:01 1/5. That time was just 1/5 of a second off the track record for trotters set in 1994.

Russell Swartz of Upper Sandusky took the first division 3-year-old colt trot with Trojan War in 2:03 2/5 and claimed the fourth division 3-year-old colt trot with G W Score in 2:09 1/5. He also added a pair of seconds and two fifths.

Doug Rideout rounded out the double winners. He and Towner's Lassie took the third division 3-year-old filly pace in 2:02 while he and Sharp Response captured the first division free for all pace in 2:00.

Other winners included Dale Edwards and Red Blaze in the second division 3-year-old colt trot in 2:09 4/5, James Larrabee and Son of Edna in the third division 3-year-old colt trot, Barbara Lewis and Simply Noble in the fourth division 3-year-old filly pace, Mike Roche and Action Mac in the first division maiden non-winner in 2:04 1/5, Rocco Vinci and Why Waste Time in the second division maiden non-winner in 2:10, Mike Jarvis and Answered Prayer in the second division free for all pace in 1:59 and Thomas Moore Jr. and Hay Ditto Ditto in the third division maiden non-winner in 2:07.