GOSHEN — When it came to the ninth race of the harness racing program Monday at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair, veteran driver Jay Cross had a little extra incentive to win.

The blanket sponsor was 2012 Fair Board President Jack Lengacher.

“When I heard Jack sponsored the blanket I really wanted to win it,” Cross said. “Jack, Maynard Miller (a driver from Shipshewana) and I went together on a mission trip to Juarez, Mexico, a couple of years ago. That is how I got to know Jack.”

Cross took home the blanket in the ninth race, driving Singletree Cyclops to a win in the Free For All Trot in a time of 2:05.

Monday was the second day of the three-day harness racing program at the Fair. Tuesday is Senior Citizens Day.

The scheduled post time on Monday of 11 a.m. was delayed until 12:30 p.m. due to rain showers in the morning.

“I thought we had a good chance of racing,” Cross said. “Delaying the start was the right thing to do. The track conditions were not bad when we started and for here they were good after a couple of races.”

Harness Racing Director Tim Graber, his assistant Brooke Harvell and Sanford Ropp made sure the track was ready to go.

“We have gotten some grant money from the state that has allowed us to upgrade some of our equipment so we are better ready to handle situations like this,” Graber said.

Cross also made it to the winner’s circle, driving Heavenly Way to a win in the fourth race in 2:02 2/5. It was the horse’s first career win in only its second start. Heavenly Way is owned by Wilbur and Diana Eash of Topeka.

“It’s always nice to get to the winner’s circle,” Cross said. “Both of the horses (Singletree Cyclops and Heavenly Way) raced well today.”

Cross, who also races at Hoosier Park in Anderson, lives in rural Middlebury.

Former Goshen resident Don Eash, who now owns a horse farm in Greenfield, was the day’s big winner with four victories. Eash guided Always Handi to first in the opening race in 2:05, Suzie Blue in the second race in 2:06, Got Goin Mel in the sixth in 2:05 1/5 and Astreo’s Love in the eighth in 2:04 1/5.

It was Suzie Blue’s third win in six career starts, Get Goin Mel’s third in six career starts and Astreo’s Love’s first win.

Mike Peterson, West Noble High School graduate won three races. He drove Maddy’s Fantasy to victory in the fifth race in 2:05 2/5, Justlikeithought in the 10th in 2:01 3/5 and Heartbreak Ridge in the 11th in 2:01.

Miller was also impressed with the way the crew got the track ready for racing.

“It was a little sluggish when we started but by the end of the day it was really good,” he said.

Miller has been racing at the fair since 1998. He also races at Hoosier Park and Indiana Downs in Shelbyville.

“It’s always nice to race here at a local venue,” Miller said. “Jay Cross got me interested in harness racing. I went to the track with him a couple of times and then told him I needed to buy a horse.”

“Maynard is a big help to me,” Cross said. “When I am busy racing he helps out by warming up my horses.”

Veteran driver Harley Yoder was joined on the track Tuesday by his son Dewayne. The younger Yoder, a 1975 Goshen High School graduate, had a second-place finish in the eighth race with Ima Fancy King. Ima Fancy King is owned by Lavon Nisley of Goshen.



Harness Racing Summary

Race 1 (2-year-old Filly Pace 1st Division) — 1, Always Handi (Don Eash); 2, Brooklyn’s Z Tam (Jay Cross); 3, Lastladystanding (Greg Bateson); 4, Skyway Model (Doug Ridout); 5, Third Little Pig (Brandon Bates); 6, Special Barbara (Dewayne Yoder); 7, Dancing In Deavor (Mike Peterson). Winning Time: 2:05. Purse: $3,000.

Race 2 (2-year-old Filly Pace 2nd Division) — 1, Suzie Blue (Don Eash); 2, Allie’s Princess (Mike Peterson); 3, Koko Kinlee (Brandon Bates); 4, GM’s Best Ann (Jay Cross); 5, Single Me Out (Doug Rideout); 6, Ineedyoutonite (Chad Willamson). Winning Time: 2:06. Purse: $3,000.

Race 3 (2-year-old Filly Pace 3rd Division) — 1, Playa Del Rylee (Brandon Bates); 2, Skyway Glitter (Doug Rideout); 3, Black Palone (Zachary Miller); 4, J-S Miss Terra (Mike Peterson); 5, Pappa’s Weedie (Chad Clark). Winning Time: 2:06 3/5. Purse: $3,000.

Race 4 (2-year-old Filly Pace 4th Division — 1, Heavenly Way (Jay Cross); 2, ER Monica (Don Eash); 3, Scootnsiren (Zachary Miller); 4, Aunt Eddie (Brandon Bates); 5, Pearl River (Doug Rideout); 6, Bourbonette (Christopher Bell); 7, Lota Wind (Mike Peterson). Winning Time: 2:02 2/5. Purse: $3,000.

Race 5 (2-year-old Filly Pace 5th Division) — 1, Maddy’s Fantasy (Mike Peterson); 2, Diamond’s Princess (Don Eash); 3, C B Sadie (Brandon Bates); 4, Skyway Glamour (Greg Bateson); 5, Endeavors Classic (Robert Morrow II); 6, TMT Finn (Jay Cross); 7, Lorabella (Doug Rideout). Winning Time: 2:05 2/5. Purse: $3,000.

Race 6 (2-year-old Colt Pace 1st Division) — 1, Get Goin Mel (Don Eash); 2, JS McFlash (Mike Peterson); 3, Jimmy Chitwood (Brandon Bates); 4, Ice Scoop (Chad Clark); 5, Virgil (Matt Rheinheimer); 6, Spinning The Wheel (Doug Rideout). Winning Time: 2:05 1/5. Purse: $3,000.

Race 7 (2-year-old Colt Pace 2nd Division) — 1, Straight N Lean (Brandon Bates); 2, Rebel At Heart (Mike Peterson); 3, Dojea Maidscaptor (Matt Rheinheimer); 4, ER Zach Attack (Don Eash: 5, Chipchompinchampin (Jay Cross); 6, Bout Time (Chad Clark); 7, Don’t Jack Around (Doug Rideout). Winning Time: 2:04. Purse: $3,000.

Race 8 (2-year-old Colt Pace 3rd Division) — 1, Astreo’s Love (Don Eash); 2, Ima Fancy King (Dewayne Yoder); 3, Gear’s Muscle Man (Mike Peterson); 4, Lord Barley (Christopher Bell); 5, See Ya Later Dude (Doug Rideout); 6, Dojea Lanes Captor (Matt Rheinheimer); 7, Allie’s Shooter (Brandon Bates). Winning Time: 2:04 1/5. Purse: $3,000.

Race 9 (Free For All Trot Indiana Owned Sired or Bred) — 1, Singletree Cyclops (Jay Cross); 2, Gotupnleft (Milo Owen); 3, Master Solutions (Larry Rheinheimer); 4, Partridge Hanover (Matt Rheinheimer); 5, Hoosier Concept (Harley Yoder); 6, Hank’s Pleasure (Chad Clark). Winning Time: 2:05. Purse: $1,500.

Race 10 (Free For All Pace Indiana Owned Sired or Bred 1st Division) — 1, Justlikeithought (Mike Peterson); 2, Amy Jo’s Angel (Chad Clark); 3, Ideal Sneakers (Albert Scholz); 4, Sweetlittleheart (Justin Kiger); 5, Midnight Sun (Mike Peterson); 6, Cut Above The Best (Matt Rheinheimer). Winning Time: 2:01 3/5. Purse: $1,125.

Race 11 (Free For All Pace Indiana Owned Sired or Bred 2nd Division) — 1, Heartbreak Ridge (Mike Peterson; 2, Papa Jack (Brandon Bates); 3, Jackson’s Ztam (Albert Scholz); 4, Rainy Day Q (John Kieninger Jr.); 5, Lifelooksgood (Albert Scholz); 6, Monarosa (Matt Rheinheimer). Winning time: 2:01. Purse: $1,125.