A true sign of summer is when the Maine Sire Stakes and harness racing in general makes its annual swing into the Pine Tree State’s agricultural fair circuit. On Sunday, Aug. 9, the region’s three-year-old filly pacers rolled into the historic Topsham Fair for a pair of stakes divisions of side-stepping action featuring the unbeaten local phenom, Snowonthepines.

Carded as two early, non-wagering races, the two divisions garnered ample attention despite the lack of betting as fans arrived early to see the filly that has never lost in 15 career outings. Regular driver Kevin Switzer Jr. handled the driving duties in her $21,124 split, with the daughter of Dudes The Man-Snow Cone A scoring from post six for trainer Marc Tardif.

Switzer Jr. left swiftly from the outermost post position and was met with some opposition for the front by Just Delightful (Ron Cushing), who stung the unbeaten one into a :28.3 opening panel before clearing. Those two horses had several lengths on the pack as they reduced the tempo and hit the half in :59.1, with Ekorus (Nick Graffam) sitting third.

More daylight separated the rest of the participants while heading into a 1:29.1 third station with Snowonthepines on top and trying pace away from her nemesis Just Delightful. Around the turn and down the stretch, Cushing pulled the pocket to engage the leader to no avail. Switzer Jr. asked for more and got it as the pacesetter rolled down to the wire in 1:58.2, winning by 3-3/4 lengths. Race Me Ireland (Andy Harrington) finished third.

Snowonthepines won all nine of her races at two and now has six wins this year for owner/breeder Leighton Property of Waterboro, Maine, putting her bankroll over $200,000.

In the other $21,124 division for three-year-old pacing fillies, Heymickeyyousofine enjoyed a gate-to-wire triumph for driver Heath Campbell, picking up her third lifetime victory.

Campbell hustled Heymickeyyousofine to the top and protected his pylon position as they sprinted through early fractions of :29.1 and 59.1. The first to pull was Shes A Firefly (Nick Graffam), who tracked alongside Dudelookslikeafily (Aaron Hall) in the pocket. Past the 1:29 third panel, Campbell let out a notch and Heymickeyyousofine responded by drawing off by five lengths to score in 1:58.3, a new lifetime best. Dudelookslikeafily finished second and Shes A Firefly was third.

Heymickeyyousofine, a son of Dudes The Man and Mickey Blu, is trained by Steven Vafiades and owned by Jason Vafiades of Freeport, Maine.

(With files from Maine Sire Stakes)