Another tornado of trotting bloodstock was spotted along the I-95 corridor as every division of Maine-bred trotters spun into the Topsham Fair on Wednesday, Aug. 6, with six splits of the Maine Sire Stakes for the two and three-year-old diagonally -gaited groups.
In the $16,460 three-year-old male trot, 4-5 favourite Libertys Wildcard and driver Kevin Switzer Jr. made no attempts to hide from the storm. The seasonally undefeated son of Noble Venture and Race Me Liberty went right to the top from pylon position and continued to display his divisional dominance with a 2-1/4-length score in 2:05.1. Katahdin Victory (Wally Watson) finished second and Just Foolin (Heath Campbell) was third.
Trained by Marc Tardif for owner Leighton Property, Libertys Wildcard earned his sixth consecutive victory. He was bred by Jerry Stratton Jr.. Libertys Wildcard paid $3.60.
In the $16,249 division of the Maine Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies that was held on the pari-mutuel card, Barbella bounced back from her uncharacteristic miscue from last week to further cement her standing atop the leaderboard.
Scoring from the outside post five, driver Bruce Ranger employed a European-style overland trip to secure the victory. Sitting on the outside through the entire last half, the daughter of Whataworkout-Knella Bella inched up closer and closer to the lead to prevail by a head in 2:04.3. Race Me Bombshell (Drew Campbell) finished second and Lady Lake Marty (Wally Watson) was third.
Trained by Ken Anderson for owner Robert Zakian Barbella has won half of her eight starts this season. She was bred by the late Mike Andrew. Barbella paid $4.60 to win.
In the other $15,935 division for sophomore trotting fillies, which was held before the wagering card, Pandemic Princess and driver Heath Campbell overcame a miscue behind the gate to rally and win by 4-1/2 lengths in 2:05. Katahdin Mistress (Wally Watson) finished second and Little Shot (Ivan Davies) was third.
Trained by Valerie Grondin for owner/breeder Lynn-Marie Plouffe, the daughter of Whataworkout-Bibbido Boo has made six sophomore starts and picked up her third win of the season despite her continuous gait challenges.
The juvenile Pine Tree State-bred trotters were also featured at Topsham’s full day of racing, with all divisions of freshman trotters going postward before and during the wagering card.
While some punters have been overheard exclaiming, ‘betting on two-year-old trotting fillies is like playing Russian roulette with money,’ the toteboard appeared to be very confident in one particular entrant in the $15,874 Maine Sire Stakes for two-year-old trotting fillies.
Coronation Moon was sent off at 3-5 as the public’s choice for trainer/driver Ivan Davies. When the wings folded the daughter of Cantab Fashion-Rhonwen had put seven lengths between her and the rest of the field before they hit the quarter pole. Although she kept her would-be challengers well in check, Coronation Moon rolled to a 5-3/4-length victory in a pedestrian 2:11.3.
Owned and co-bred by Owen Davies with Catherine Davies, Coronation Moon picked up her second win in three lifetime outings. She returned $3.40 for the accomplishment.
The other $15,874 division for freshman trotting fillies went to undefeated Pembroke Lady, who danced to a new lifetime best in 2:06.3 and secured her fourth consecutive stakes victory. Our Last Quote (Steve Wilson) finished second and Nobella (Ken Watson) was third in this non-wagering event.
Driven by Heath Campbell for trainer Valerie Grondin and owner Brenda Varney, the daughter of Pembroke Slugger out of Pembroke Mystery was bred in Maine by the late Bill Varney.
Speaking of four-in-a-row winners, Wilder N Idy continued to govern with authority in his $15,821 freshman colt division, winning by 5-3/4 lengths in 2:07.2. Guss Workout (Heath Campbell) finished second and Trottinfortreasure (Switzer Jr.) was third.
Driven in this non-betting race by Mark Athearn for trainer Gretchen Athearn and owner Patrick Leavitt, the undefeated son of Cantab Fashion out of Wild Pine Princess was bred by the late Mike Andrew.
Trainer Autym Sowers held the hot hand on an idyllic mid-summer afternoon at the Topsham Fair, sending four of her charges to frolic around the mid-coast Maine fairground and returning home with three top tallies to add to her stable’s state-wide leading skein.
Miss U Big Mike ($9) got the party started after settling in third during the early going with driver Bruce Ranger handling the lines. Just prior to the half, Ranger maneuvered his charge into his favoured first-over assault position, gaining the lead around the final bend and then powering through the lane to post the 3-3/4-length margin in a 1:59.3 mile. The win marked the 39th career score for the 10-year-old son of Hes Gorgeous-Ready To Rumba who is owned by Mo Coo Inc.
“I’ve known this horse over the years and today’s race set up perfectly for him,” remarked Ranger. “The racing in Maine these days is so competitive that you just need to take advantage of whatever they give you. He raced good today.”
Shes A Sassy Beach ($7.20) was next to the trenches, scoring her second win-in-a-row through a determined 1:59.2 front-end romp, which featured a competition deterring :59.2 back-half. The win was the 29th lifetime for the seven-year-old daughter of Sunshine Beach-Lady Marina who is owned by trainer Sowers.
“She likes the front end, got the lead quick and then she did the rest,” said driver Shawn Thayer. “Autym and McGwire do a fine job with their horses. It was a privilege to drive her today.”
Driver Kevin Switzer Jr delivered the triple for Sowers, just as he completed yet another driving triple for himself, rallying Smartys Filly ($11.60) from last to first over the course of the final half-mile, to notch her 23rd career win. The nine-year-old Pet Rock-Smartygirl made won in 2:00.3 for McGwire and Autym Sowers.
“The early fractions were quick so I figured we’d have a shot late -- and we did,” Switzer. “She got pretty brave when clearance opened up.”
With three sessions completed at the Topsham Fair meeting, Kevin Switzer Jr. remains top dog at the fairground oval boasting three consecutive driving triples to amass his meet-leading nine top tallies. Heath Campbell, his closest rival, remains within close contact with six scores to his credit, with an opportunity to advance as Switzer abandons the fairground circuit to compete at Plainridge Racecourse on Thursday.
Racing resumes at the Topsham Fair with a 10-race program beginning at 3 p.m. on Thursday. The program will feature two splits of Maine Sire Stakes action for three-year-old colt pacers with the first division to be contested as a non-wagering event scheduled to start at 2:45 p.m.
(With files from Maine Sire Stakes and Topsham Fair)