When the Pine Tree State-bred freshman pacing fillies arrived at First Tracks Cumberland on Saturday, July 18 for two divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes, fans may not have known that they were watching the formative starts of the state's next Standardbred stars. But that changed quickly when the first division hit the racetrack.
The $21,349 first division of two-year-old pacing fillies sprang from the gate in race nine with 4-5 favourite No Small Wonder (Kevin Switzer Jr.) sprinting out for an early lead in a snappy :29 opening panel. From that point, the daughter of State Treasurer-I Am Wonder Woman set a softer half in 1:01.2 with no outer flow threatening her dominance.
Down the backstretch, Feel The Fury (Aaron Hall) tipped first-over from third and got to within a length of the pacesetter into a 1:31.1 third stanza. Bettors Treasure (McGwire Sowers), who had the pocket for most of the mile, slingshot off the turn with the leaders. Switzer Jr. gave his filly her head as they rolled down the lane to score by two lengths in 2:00.2, a new lifetime best and seven ticks off the divisional track record. Feel The Fury finished second and Bettors Treasure finished third.
No Small Wonder is now two-for-two to start her career competing in Maine Sire Stakes for trainer Kevin Switzer Sr. and owners KDK Standardbreds of Cumberland, Maine, Kathleen Mofield of Bedford, Massachusetts and Anthony Sivik Jr. of Orono, Maine.
No Small Wonder returned $3.60 to win.
The second $21,103 division of the Maine Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies was captured by the maiden-breaking Wine For The Lady and the hot-handed Aaron Hall in 2:04.1.
Heath Campbell cut the mile with Siri, but Hall took advantage of the modest fractions (:31.4, 1:04.3 and 1:34.3) to come from off the pace with Wine For The Lady and pass the leader and first-over challenger Bad Bunny T (Switzer Jr.) in the lane for the win with by two lengths. The even-money favourite returned $4 to win.
Trained by Marc Tardif for owner Leighton Property of Waterboro, Maine, the homebred daughter of State Treasurer-Ladyofcastlebrook was a winner in her second career start.
Hall led all drivers on the 12-race program with five trips to the winner's circle.
Dave Ingraham steered Married Man ($3.80) to an easy 1:54.3 wire-to-wire victory in the $8,169 top overnight conditioned pace for trainer Bob Martson and owner Bob Kluchevitz of Blackstone, Massachusetts.
Racing resumes next week when First Tracks Cumberland will offer a three-day run from Friday, July 24 through Sunday, July 26 during the penultimate weekend of the meet with post time at 12:15 p.m. each race day. On Saturday, bettors will be able watch and wager on the entire card from The Meadows, featuring the 60th renewal of the Delvin Miller Adios Stakes. First post on that card from Pennsylvania will be 11:30 a.m.
(With files from Maine Sire Stakes)