The Maine Sire Stakes closed out the week of racing at the historic Skowhegan State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 18 with four $26,000-plus divisions of two and three-year-old trotters rolling down the lively midway before and during the afternoon pari-mutuel card.
Freshman trotter Whatawonder extended his unbeaten streak and increased his career win total to six as the gelding continued to dominate his division, having never laid eyes on the back of a helmet.
Driven by Ken Watson for trainer Lisa Watson, the son of Whataworkout stepped out to the front where he likes to be and made every call a winning one. Dashing away from the field to win by 9-1/2 lengths in 2:06.2, the time was a new lifetime best for the talented trotter.
Owned and bred by Barbara Lawson, Whatawonder made quick work of the $26,751 Maine-bred early non-wagering event for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
Just Foolin (Heath Campbell) finished second and Iron Mike (Mark Athearn) was third.
In the $26,689 sophomore male trotting division, Chipper Dale also continued his winning ways, picking up his fourth win in a row.
Chipper Dale's regular reinsman Drew Campbell took a seat behind his brother Heath Campbell, who was driving Pembroke Will. Both trotters hail from the Valerie Grondin stable and were heads apart entering the home stretch where Chipper Dale tipped to the outside and posted a :29.1 last quarter to prevail by 2-1/2 lengths in 2:02.4. Pembroke Will finished second and Carrabassett (Mark Athearn) was third.
Owned and bred by Lynn-Marie Plouffe, the Shake It Off Lindy gelding Chipper Dale earned his 11th lifetime victory, which pushed his lifetime earnings to $142,155.
The three-year-old trotting fillies completed the early card with $26,997 up for grabs.
Current divisional point leader Pembroke Breeze (Heath Campbell) was the first to leave and got stretched out heading into the opening panel. However, while setting the pace through the third quarter, she jumped off stride, which allowed My Saving Grace to inherit the lead and coast home an easy winner in 2:07.1.
Guided to a 3-1/2 length victory by Mark Athearn for trainer Gretchen Athearn and owner Margaret Thyng, the daughter of Shake It Off Lindy picked up her second win of the season after a string of five third-place finishes and now has seven victories lifetime. She was bred in Maine by Leighton Property and is second in her divisional point standings.
Bernies Legacy (Dave Ingraham) finished second and Pembroke Breeze held on for third.
The final $27,179 Maine Sire Stakes for two-year-old trotting fillies was on the betting card and Barbella broke her maiden as a longshot winner in 2:05.4.
With five of the seven entrants making breaks before or after the wings folded, the two fillies left trotting were Barbella with Bruce Ranger, who grabbed the lead, and Little Shot with Ivan Davies, who tracked her cover closely. With the rest of the field scattered, Ranger set perfectly rated fractions and Barbella sailed home a two-length winner at 12-1. Little Shot finished secondand Blizzards Fury (Kevin Switzer Jr.) was third.
Trained by Ken Anderson for owner Bob Zakian, the daughter of Whataworkout was bred by the late Mike Andrew. She paid $26.40 to win.
On Friday, Aug. 16, another filly earned her first career win in the lone $26,707 division of the Maine Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies. Owned, bred and trained by Marc Tardif, Whisper Of Luck had ample luck and sufficient skill to pull off a mild upset in her seventh career attempt.
Driven by Kevin Switzer Jr., the daughter of Artistic Fella got shuffled to the back of the bus at the start with 4-5 favourite Nick Graffam and Chasing Dudes setting the fractions in the freshman filly fracas. With Leanne Marie (Mike Cushing) first-up and Glorilla (Ron Cushing) second-over heading to the 1:02 half, Whisper Of Luck seemingly had nowhere to go.
However, as Glorilla gapped her cover around the five-eighths turn, Switzer tipped his filly out to chase the live cover at three-quarters in 1:31.4. Rolling three-wide around the final turn, the 4-1 third choice Whisper Of Luck had the speed and the momentum to track down the leaders and score by three parts of a length in 2:02.3. Glorilla finished a fast-closing second and Chasing Dudes held on to be third.
The Maine Sire Stakes takes a brief hiatus and returns for a long stand at the Windsor Fair beginning on Sunday, Aug. 25 with the three-year-old male pacers and followed on Monday, Aug. 26 by their sophomore filly counterparts. The two-year-old colt pacers race on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
(With files from Maine Sire Stakes)