Six $23,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for two- and three-year old trotters rolled around the Windsor Fair oval on Friday, Aug. 29 kicking off the long weekend of Pine Tree State harness racing on the popular agricultural fair circuit.
In the $24,099 Maine Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings, which was the only division on the wagering card, the Windsor faithful witnessed the formerly unbeaten sophomore, Libertys Wildcard, return to his winning ways.
Driver Kevin Switzer Jr. took the son of Noble Venture off the gate and settled into fifth position after slight even-money favourite Whatawonder (Ken Watson) jumped it off before the start. With the race unfolding differently than expected, Heath Campbell urged Just Foolin (4-1) out for an early lead, followed by Katahdin Victor (Wally Watson) who settled into the garden seat.
Taking the field through opening fractions of :30.1 and 1:02, Just Foolin had things pretty much his own way until Libertys Wildcard came calling at the 1:32.4 third panel.
Down the lane the pair engaged in a relatively short, but hard fought battle to the wire with Libertys Wildcard getting up in the final strides to prevail by a nose in 2:03.1.
Trained by Marc Tardif for owner Leighton Property, Libertys Wildcard notched his seventh win in eight seasonal starts and pushed his lifetime bankroll to $125,199. He paid $4.30 to win and was bred by Jerry Stratton Jr.
Katahdin Victor (Wally Watson) finished third.
With the other five divisions on the early, non-wagering card, fans watched Ivan Davies capture the $23,574 division for three-year-old trotting fillies with Little Shot in 2:07. Owned and bred by Dr. Douglass Hutchins with Paul Kinnear, the daughter of Noble Venture grabbed her third win of the season, and second consecutive wire-to-wire victory.
Twisted Fate (Mike Cushing) finished second by 2-1/4 lengths; Pandemic Princess (Heath Campbell) was third.
In the other $23,575 sophomore filly trot Barbella continued her divisional dominance for driver Bruce Ranger and trainer Ken Anderson. The daughter of Whataworkout picked up her third straight win, covering the circuit in 2:05.
Owned by Robert Zakian, she was bred by the late Mike Andrew. Race Me Bombshell (Drew Campbell) finished second by 2-1/4 lengths; Katahdin Mistress (Wally Watson) was third.
Once again, freshmen fillies also enjoyed their two divisions on the afternoon card, with Our Last Quote breaking her maiden for driver Steve Wilson.
When the gate sprung in the first $23,269 division Kevin Switzer Jr. left swiftly with Legendofthe Valley and led the field around the first turn and into the backstretch. Steve Wilson wasted little time tipping Our Last Quote out from the pocket to assume command before the opening panel. From that point the duo made every call a winning one as they covered the mile in 2:09 which was the first lifetime win and a new time badge for the daughter of Cantab Fashion.
Trained by Charlene Cushing for owners/breeders R. DiPompo Jr. and Michael Graham, Our Last Quote scored her first win in five seasonal starts. The two-year-old filly already had four second-place finishes under her belly band.
Nobella (Ken Watson) finished second; Legendofthe Valley was third.
In the other $23,269 frosh filly division, Pembroke Lady (pictured above) prevailed by a comfortable 3-1/4 length margin in 2:05.4 for driver Heath Campbell and trainer Valerie Grondin. The daughter of Pembroke Slugger has advanced her unbeaten streak to six straight victories for owner Brenda Varney and was bred in Maine by the late William Varney.
Roseapple Ave (Wally Watson) finished second; Hayden (Gary Hall) was third.
In the $23,460 freshmen male trot Wilder N Idy’s five-race unbeaten streak came to end when the son of To The Hilt made an uncharacteristic miscue behind the gate and relinquished command to the formerly winless High Fashion Hank.
Driver Nick Graffam steered High Fashion Hank to his maiden-breaking wire-to-wire victory in 2:09. The son of Cantab Fashion is co-owned (with Paul Lusky), bred and trained by Mike Graffam. The win was the rookie's first in five lifetime outings.
Trottingfortreasure (Switzer Jr.) finished second; Wilder N Ivy (Mark Athearn) rebounded to be third.
The Maine Sire Stakes continues at the Windsor Fair with the two-year-old filly pacers on Saturday, Aug. 30, followed by the three-year-old filly pacers on Sunday, Aug. 31 and finally the two-year-old colt pacers to close out the long weekend on Monday (Sept. 1).
Memories come flooding when champions revisit the scenes of past glory. Fans and participants alike are often times caught off guard as remembrances of past triumphs, tucked fondly in the recesses of legend, come clearly back into focus.
And sometimes, on special occasions, those memories, like languor regained, allow greatness to be revisited.
Such was the case with Western Stepp and Drew Campbell on Friday.
The now 12-year-old Maine-bred daughter of Western Maverick and former Maine Sire Stakes champion, French Stepp, returned to the scene of one of her greatest triumphs on Friday, gliding gate-to-wire to secure the 63rd victory of her career, in harness to her regular driver, Drew Campbell.
The victory was particularly emotional for Campbell as he recalled a day, nine years ago, when he and Western Stepp first basked in the Windsor Fair winners' circle.
“She was a great Maine-bred,” Campbell remarked, “As a two-and-three year old she won the finals. And nine years ago, on this track, she broke - and still holds - the state record for three-year-olds: 1:54.3. It was a stakes race, it was a big mile for a three-year-old back then.
“Some of the big races - the state record, her two-and-three year old stakes championships at Scarborough Downs - you never forget those ones. She’s been through everything, she’s been over more tracks … she’s a pro.”
Respect is something that must be earned, and the respect that Campbell holds for Western Stepp has been forged by a partnership that has stood the test of time. And while their place in posterity is already assured, one can only wonder what magic this partnership still holds in store.
(with files from Maine Sire Stakes and Windsor Fair)