Maine’s two-year-old trotters rolled into their first Sires Stakes event of the season on Saturday, July 6, with two $20,000-plus divisions opening the 12-race card at Cumberland Raceway.
The diagonally-gaited fillies were the first $21,666 group out of the gate with the usual growing pains associated with green trotters. Following a few miscues after the start, driver Ken Watson got Lady Lake Marty away from the gate cleanly and was on top by eight lengths into a swift 30-second opening panel. In a more subdued 1:02 half, the pair was on top by 12 and then eight lengths at the 1:34.1 third panel. That lead expired quickly when the pacesetting filly jumped it off while trotting into the final turn, allowing Pandemic Princess and Heath Campbell to roll through the apex and take command. Down the stretch, she strode to a 7-1/4-length score in 2:06.3. Favourite Katahdin Mistress (Wally Watson) finished second and Lady Lake Marty hung on for third.
Pandemic Princess paid $5.60 to win as the 9-5 second choice. The first-time winner, a daughter of Whataworkout out of Bibbidi Boo, is trained by Valerie Grondin for owner/breeder Lynn-Marie Plouffe.
The boys hopped into the fray next, vying for their share of the $21,956 Maine Sire Stakes purse. Ken Watson was the first to leave with Whatawonder, who cleared sharply and took the field into a moderate :31.2 first quarter. Iron Mike and Mark Athearn were gapping out in the pocket while heading to the 1:05 half, forcing Walter Case Jr. to go first-over with Libertys Wildcard. Through the paddock turn the second time, Libertys Wildcard jumped it off, prompting Wally Watson and 4-5 favourite Katahdin Victor to move first-over into a 1:36 swifter third panel. With Iron Mike on his inside, Katahdin Victor grabbed second position, as the leader, Whatawonder, was on top by eight by the head of the stretch. No further changes in the marching orders were realized as the pacesetter sailed home in 2:07.1. Katahdin Victor finished 7-3/4 lengths behind in second and Iron Mike was third.
Whatawonder paid $11.80 to win at odds of 9-2. The Whataworkout-Molly McGuire gelding is trained by Lisa Watson for owner-breeder Barbara Lawson.
Maine's favourite octogenarian was at it again this week, scoring another victory with N Expense in the Maine Amateur Driver Club (MADC) race. Eighty-six-year-old Bob Nadeau made a three-wide move down the backside to win by three lengths in 1:59.1. As the owner, trainer and driver, Nadeau recorded his second such triumph with N Expense in the last month, but this time the winner paid a whopping $34.60. The MADC is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham, Maine.
Racing resumes on Friday, July 12 as the First Tracks Cumberland meet continues with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend through Aug. 3.
(With files from First Tracks Cumberland; Photo of Whatawonder winning on July 6)