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Getting
ready for harness horse racing at the Great Darke County Fair,
two workers were hanging up framed
photos in honor of the legendary
Gene Riegle. The inaugural Gene Riegle Memorial will be contested on
the final
Friday night session of racing. CNO Photo by George Starks
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Darke
County Fair gearing up for Riegle Memorial
By George Starks
GREENVILLE- Make no mistake about it.
When Gene Riegle passed away last fall, Darke County lost a legend and
the harness horse racing world lost one of its best.
In honor of the man who built a dynasty, the Darke County Fair racing
program will see the first Gene Riegle Memorial on Friday night, August
24.
On that night, the first 1,000 fans to buy a race program, will receive
a bobble head of the famed horseman.
Under the grandstands, on the concrete wall, will hang framed photos of
Riegle and his horses, including the 1993 winner of the Little Brown
Jug, Life Sign.
"When Gene passed last fall, some of his great colts went on to be
great sires," said racing director Tim Harless. "Even though Gene is
gone, his legacy races everyday at a track somewhere. He produced a lot
of great race mares that went on to be brood mares. So he's got mommies
and daddies all over. No one will ever condition and train so many
great horses like he did ever again."
During the spring matinee, a decent crowd came out to watch the young
colts.
Now, it's time to crank it up.
"With the Partial Futurity’s, Signature Series and the Colts Stakes,
these are big money races. This is not like the spring races," Harless
pointed out. "These are the money races and it will culminate with the
Gene Riegle Memorial. You're looking at a $10,000 purse on that race so
it's a big money race. These horses are the best of the best. The
bottom line here is you better get out of the way because everyone is
trying to get a paycheck."
So what will separate the Riegle Memorial from the rest of the races?
"If this is the only race people come to see, they are going to see a
race with a lot of movement," Harless exclaimed. "When you get horses
that are evenly matched, they're not going to battle the whole time.
They are going to take a seat and follow and there will be constant
movement. It's been said that whoever is first to move on the half is
usually the winner. In this race, there will be a lot less of what is
called Indian style racing where one will just be content to follow the
other."
Harless said that Riegle was a humble man and if he were still living
he would be asking, "What’s all the fuss about?"
Harless said admission to all racing nights will be free and encourages
all to come out and enjoy a night at the races.
The 2012 Speed Schedule is as follows:
SPEED PROGRAM
Estimated Purse
FRIDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 17, 2012 - POST TIME 7:00 P.M. EDST
#1 Pace - 3 Year Old Colt - OCRA Stake - Early Closer
..................................................Added $ 1,508
#2 Trot - 2 Year Old Colt - OCRA Stake - Early
Closer....................................................Added $ 1,508
#3 Trot - 3 Year Old Filly - OCRA Stake - Early Closer
....................................................Added $ 1,508
#4 Pace - 2 Year Old Filly - OCRA Stake - Early Closer
..................................................Added $ 1,508
#5 Pace - Non-Winners $500 in 2012 (AE: NW $100 per start w/ 1 start in
’12) - Overnight ..............$ 800
#6 Pace - Winners of $1,000 but not $5,000 in 2012 (AE: $5,000 Claimers
AE: NW $1,000 since 7/18/12 w/ 1 start in ’12) -
Overnight........................................$ 800
#7 Trot - Terry Thomas Memorial - - Late Closer
........................................$ 3,000
#8 Pace - Half Mile Dash - Overnight
............................................................................................$
800
SATURDAY AFTERNOON, AUGUST 18, 2012 - POST TIME 1:00 P.M. EDST
#9 Trot - 2 Year Olds (AE: Maidens AE: 3YOs NW $2,000 LT) - Overnight
................................$ 800
#10 Trot - Non-Winners $1,500 in 2012 (AE: NW $5,000 LT AE: NW 2 Races
LT) - Overnight ......$ 800
#11 Pace - Maiden (AE: 2YOs) - Overnight
...................................................................................$
800
#12 Pace - Non-Winners $1,500 Lifetime - Overnight
...................................................................$ 800
#13 Pace - $2,500 Claimer - Overnight
.........................................................................................$
800
#14 Pace - Winners over $5000 Lifetime - Overnight
....................................................................$
1,000
SATURDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 18, 2012 - POST TIME 7:00 P.M. EDST
#15 Trot - 3 Year Old Colt - OCRA Stake - Early
Closer....................................................Added $ 1,508
#16 Pace - 2 Year Old Colt - OCRA Stake - Early Closer
..................................................Added $ 1,508
#17 Pace - 3 Year Old Filly - OCRA Stake - Early Closer
..................................................Added $ 1,508
#18 Trot - 2 Year Old Filly - OCRA Stake - Early Closer
....................................................Added $ 1,508
#19 Pace - Rhys Bowman Memorial - - Late Closer
....................................$ 3,000
#20 Pace - Non-Winners $2,000 Lifetime (AE: $3,000 Claimers AE: NW $500
since 7/19/12 w/ 1 start in ’12 - W/O $5,000 in ‘12 N/E) - Overnight
.........................$ 800
#21 Pace - Non-Winners $3,000 in 2012 (AE: $4,000 Claimers AE: NW 2
Races LT) - Overnight..$ 800
#22 Darke County Gentlemans Driving Club -
Closed..................................................................$
800
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, AUGUST 23, 2012 - POST TIME 1:00 P.M. EDST
#23 Darke County Owned or Trained Invite - Overnight
...............................................................$ 800
#24 Trot - Maidens (AE: 2YOs AE: 3YOs NW $2,000 Lifetime) -
Overnight..................................$ 800
#25 Pace - Maidens (AE: 2YOs) - Overnight
.................................................................................$
800
#26 Pace - Non-Winners $1,000 Lifetime -
Overnight.....................................................................$
800
#27 Pace - $3,000 Claimer - Overnight
.........................................................................................$
800
#28 Pace - Winners over $5000 Lifetime - Overnight
....................................................................$
1,000
THURSDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 23, 2011 - POST TIME 7:00 P.M. EDST
#29 Trot - 2 Year Old Parshall Futurity - Early Closer
............................................................Est. $12,000
#30 Pace - 3 Year Old Parshall Futurity - Early
Closer...........................................................Est. $
7,500
#31 Pace - Non-Winners $500 since 7/24/12 w 1 start in ’12 (W/O $5,000
in ‘12 N/E) - Overnight...$ 800
#32 Pace - Non-Winners $150 per start in 2012 w/ 1 start in ‘12 -
Overnight...............................$ 800
#33 Darke County Gentlemans Driving Club -
Closed..................................................................$
800
#34 Pace - Non-Winners 2 Races in 2012 (AE: NW $4,000 LT) - Overnight
.....................................$ 800
#35 Trot - Non-Winners $750 Lifetime -
Overnight........................................................................$
800
#36 Pace - Non-Winners $750 Lifetime - Overnight
......................................................................$
800
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, AUGUST 24, 2012 - POST TIME 1:00 P.M. EDST
#37 Trot - C.K.G. Billings Amateur Trot -
Closed...........................................................................$
2,000
#38 Trot - Non-Winners $5,000 in 2012 (AE: $3,000 Claimers) -
Overnight......................................$ 800
#39 Pace - Non-Winners $1,500 Lifetime - Overnight
...................................................................$ 800
#40 Pace - Non-Winners $3,000 in 2012 -
Overnight...................................................................$
800
#41 Pace - $2,500 Claimer - Overnight
.........................................................................................$
800
#42 Darke County Owned or Trained Invite - Overnight
...............................................................$ 800
#43 Mid-American Harness Drivers Club -
Closed........................................................................$
800
FRIDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 24, 2012 - POST TIME 7:00 P.M. EDST
#44 Pace - 2 Year Old Parshall Futurity - Early
Closer...........................................................Est.
$10,500
#45 Trot - 3 Year Old Parshall Futurity - Early Closer
............................................................Est. $ 8,000
#46 Trot - Free For All - Overnight
.................................................................................................$
1,200
#47 Pace - Marvin Godown Memorial - Free For All - Overnight
..................................................$ 1,200
#48 Pace - Non-Winners $2,500 Lifetime - Overnight
...................................................................$ 800
#49 Pace - Half Mile Dash - Overnight
............................................................................................$
800
#50 - Pace - Winners of $1,000 but Non-Winners $5,000 in 2012 (AE:
$5,000 Claimers
AE: NW $1,000 since 7/25/12 w/ 1 start in ’12) - Overnight
...................................................$ 800
#51 - Pace - Gene Riegle Memorial Open - No more than 8 starters - One
Heat Only
Top Money Winners in 2012 have preference - No Trainers Entries -
Overnight...........Est. $10,000
#52 Ladies Night - Female Drivers Only - Closed
.........................................................................$
1,000
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A
young Gene Riegle is pictured with one of his best in Three Diamonds.
On the night of the memorial race,
the first 1,000 people to buy a race
program will receive a Riegle bobble head. Submitted.
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