Hollenback takes four of 10 races

After winning the opening race Thursday at the Harrison County Fair, driving KB Magic Lady to victory, driver Mike Hollenback finished off his successful week by winning the feature race Friday in impressive fashion.
In the Elite three-year-old trot for colts, the Doug Hunt owned and trained Walk Like Kevin pulled away to a four-length victory in a speedy 2:05.8, the fastest trot time of the two-day meet. Hunt’s colt won the $3,600 feature sixth race with Hollenback in the sulky.
After winning just one race as a two-year-old, Walk Like Kevin has trotted to form in 2007. His win at the Harrison County Fair Friday improved his three-year-old mark to seven wins in 13 starts.
Walk Like Kevin broke a two-race win streak by Friskymover, which finished second under the guidance of Carrie Hollman. Bunkerhill Merv, also trained by Hunt, finished third.
For Hollenback, the feature win capped off a successful trip to Corydon. He tallied four wins and a second-place finish in eight starts earning him a stopwatch for the meet’s leading driver.
Ten races during hot and humid conditions made up the two-day fair meet.
The Harrison County harness races also welcomed the youngest female driver to guide a horse to a sub-2:00 finish and a former National Football League player.
Cassidy Melloy, 16, is from Albion, Ill., and drove in just one race over the weekend, but has made a name for herself on the fair circuit. The youngster finished fourth on DD Cam Ram in Friday’s second race.
Also, former NFL tight end Tony Kimbrough has taken up harness racing after his pro football career. He spent two season with the Denver Broncos after getting drafted in 1993. His family has been involved with horses, and when he realized he could win purse money for racing them, that is when he got hooked, he said.
Kimbrough drove in three races over the weekend, with his best finish coming Thursday with a third on Sp Muskoka No Two.
First race Thursday was a pace for two-year-old filly and colts going for a $2,000 purse. Sugar Land took to an early lead, but was passed by eventual winner KB Magic Lady.
It was KB Magic Lady’s third consecutive win and fifth out of her last six, winning in a quick 2:01.6. She was driven to victory by Hollenback. Owners of KB Magic Lady are Dan R. Routt and Van Wert, trained by Ames Adkins.
To Be Sweet crossed the line second and Sugar Land finished third. Sugar Land is owned by Fred Schroeder of Evansville and Charlie E. Conrad of Corydon. She was trained and driven by Charlie M. Conrad.
In Thursday’s second race, the hometown connections took home a win in a two-year-old pace. Just A Smirk is owned by David Brunck of Sellersburg and was trained and driven by Corydon’s Charlie M. Conrad. The two-year-old filly led gate to wire, edging out rival Sweet Treats, also trained by Charlie M. Conrad, by three lengths.
Sweet Treats is owned by Don and Charlie E. Conrad of Corydon and Fred Schroeder of Evansville. Sp Muskoka No Two finished third. Just A Smirk finished the mile in 2:03.
In race three, Hollenback drove V-Key’s Larry home in a personal best 2:10 in a three-year-old trot for colts. The gelding was trained by Ames Adkins and is owned by Hartley Farms in Erie, Mich.
Genesis Royal Flush finished second, and Charlie M. Conrad drove Northern Superstar to a third-place finish in the four-horse field.
Thursday’s final race on the card was pretty much a no-contest. Carrie Hollman chalked up a win for the ladies, driving Speedy Freckles to a monstrous 26-length win in 2:08.6. It was Speedy Freckles’ second consecutive victory. The three-year-old trotter is owned and trained by Sam Hedington of Claypool.
Deputy Sharon finished second, just a length ahead of Awesome Tina.
Friday’s first race featured the tightest finish of the meet. Ideal Becky broke a seven-race losing streak to finish a length ahead of Scooter Babe in 2:00.8.
Ideal Becky and Scooter Babe are both trained by Charlie M. Conrad. Conrad drove Ideal Becky to the win for owner Junior Dalyrumple of Oakland. Scooter Babe is owned by David Brunck of Sellersburg and was driven by Michael Neafus. Kikikake took third.
Charlie M. Conrad made it back-to-back wins Friday, driving A Sudden Twist across the line first in a three-year-old pace event. Fred Schroeder of Evansville and Charlie E. Conrad of Corydon own A Sudden Twist, which picked up her first win of the season in 1:59.8, the fastest time for pacers over the meet.
The third race Friday belonged to Montgomery Pride. Grouped with four maidens in a two-year-old colt trot, Montgomery Pride won his third race of the year in 2:14. Montgomery Pride is owned by lessee Carrie Hollman of Milan. and was trained and driven by Hollman as well.
Charlie Bob finished second, and Deputy Mason placed third.
Deputy Julianna, a promising two-year-old filly, won a trot by four lengths in 2:09.8. It was her fifth win in seven chances this year. Doug Siefert of Deputy. owns and trains the filly. She was driven to the gate-to-wire victory by Hollenback. Yourcomindown placed second, and Saving The Lady, driven by Charlie M. Conrad finished third.
In the fifth race, Hedington picked up his second win on Friday, guiding Drivherlikustolher to victory. Hedington drove the filly home in the two-year-old trot for owners Carrie Hollman and Amanda Hollman in 2:11.2.
Drivherlikustolher finished five lengths in front of Charm’n Barbie and third-place finisher Savage Flower.
The Fair circuit is running in Converse this week for the Miami County Fair and the finale will take place Aug. 16-18 at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis.
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