The Downeast faithful invaded the Skowhegan State Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 13 and Wednesday, Aug. 14 with four $26,000-plus divisions of three-year-old pacers going postward under the lights in the Maine Sire Stakes. 

Seeking and capturing her fifth consecutive stakes victory on Wednesday was Fred Ward Jr.’s Gowestyounggrace, who hasn’t seen another horse’s heels since the month of June.

Regular driver Dave Ingraham wasted no time getting to the top in their division for sophomore distaffs. Setting comfortable fractions of :30.2, 1:01.1 and 1:32, the handy daughter of Western Maverick was seemingly on autopilot when she threw in a :28 final quarter to cruise home unabated in two minutes flat. Pembroke Red (Heath Campbell) finished second and My Sweet Revenge (Kevin Switzer Jr.) was third.

Also bred and owned by Ward Jr. and his wife Sharon, Gowestyounggrace earned her sixth win of the season from 10 starts and 11th victory overall, lifting her earnings to $131,404. She paid $2.20 to win.

In Wednesday’s second three-year-old pacing filly division, 7-1 longshot Mrs Foxy Roxy went a big mile and scored a big upset over 1-5 favourite Whos Perfect.

Walter Case Jr. left swiftly with Mrs Foxy Roxy and set a demanding :28.3 opening panel, forcing Whos Perfect (Heath Campbell) to expend considerable energy to take command past that swift first quarter. However, Case and Mrs Foxy Roxy tipped right back out past the :58.4 half and continued applying constant pressure to the favourite. Through the 1:28.3 third panel, track announcer Mike Sweeney proclaimed that the pair were "whiskers apart and matching strides." Down the lane, Mrs Foxy Roxy continued to advance and prevailed by a measured length over Whos Perfect in 1:58.1. Animore Sass (Andy Harrington) finished third.

Trained by Bob Marston for owners Bill McElvain Jr., Diane Dunn and Brad Veilleux, the daughter of Deuce Seelster paid $16 to win and recorded her second victory in the Maine Sire Stakes this year. She was bred by Kristina and Gary Hall.

On Tuesday, both Maine Sire Stakes divisions for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings were captured by trainer Marc Tardif.

The early, non-wagering event was a wire-to-wire tour for Two Fold Cold (pictured above), who grabbed his sixth win in a row.  

Driven by Kevin Switzer Jr. and tripping the ‘Skow-Town’ timer in 1:57, the son of Deuce Seelster won easily by 2-1/2 lengths for owner/trainer Tardif.  He was bred by Gary and Kristina Hall and has amassed more than $100,000 in lifetime earnings while remaining undefeated this season. Hesjustadelight (Aaron Hall) finished second and Thru The Fire (Case) was third.

In the second sophomore pacing colt split, Wess Challenge was up to the task as he rolled through the fractions effortlessly for driver Walter Case Jr. and took his division in 1:59.3.

Trained by Tardif for owner Leighton Property and breeders Gary and Kristina Hall, the son of Deuce Seelster has won his last two out of three starts. He paid $4.20 to win. Justcallmebuck (Heath Campbell) finished second and Arts Flight (Harrington) was third.

As of Tuesday, a $3,500 USD base purse increase was authorized for all divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes. This raised each event’s purse structure to $18,500 USD, plus starting fees.

The Maine Sire Stakes continues into the weekend at the Skowhegan State Fair with the two-year-old pacing fillies on Friday, Aug. 16 and all four divisions of two- and three-year-old trotters on Saturday, Aug. 17.

(Maine Sire Stakes)