Scarborough, ME — A large and enthusiastic crowd packed the stands on a picture perfect day at Scarborough Downs on Saturday (July 13) as a determined group of big league pacers converged on the raceway to do battle in the $25,000 renewal of the Mid-Summer Classic.

Bettors Fire N scores an epic victory in the $25,000 Mid-Summer Classic at Scarborough Downs. Derek Davis photo.

The field was headed by Bettors Fire N, the morning line favorite, who was bidding to add the Mid-Summer Classic title to his win in The Dirigo Pace earlier this season, thus laying claim to the laurels from both of Scarborough’s 2019 premier invitational pacing events. A sturdy, steadied, assemblage of warrior steeds however, were determined to stand in his way.

The opening salvo was fired just as soon as the starter released the field when Zack Lee and driver Dan Deslandes gunned off the car in search of their customary front line assault. That maneuver was countered though as Stormyweatherahead and Kevin Switzer Jr. took full advantage of an unexpectedly wide open rail to launch their own campaign toward an early advantage, while heavily favored Bettors Fire N and driver Ron Cushing complicated matters as they joined the early fracas in a three wide flanking move.

The hard charging trio reached the quarter pole with the timer announcing a sizzling :26.3 opening clocking. Bettors Fire N, hard used to the top, then got a bit of a breather while piking to the half in :56.2 with Stormyweatherahead breathing right down Cushing’s neck.

Drew Campbell then pulled Quick Shot to engage the pacesetter as the field rambled past the five-eighths-mile marker while the persistent pressure brought the tandem to the three-quarter station timed in a brisk 1:25.1. The pair then raced in lockstep to the head of the lane.

Down the stretch they thundered and as they turned for home, Stormyweatherahead engineered a sneak attack up the pylons to form a three-wide cavalry charge to the wire. Despite his well executed battle plan, Bettors Fire N soon found himself flanked on either side by ferocious combatants. When the dust had settled and the battle done, it was Bettors Fire N claiming the major spoils by a scant three-quarters of a length over Quick Shot who just nosed out Stormyweatherahead for the place, as the timer documented the epic, proclaiming a stellar 1:54 final clocking.

The win marked the 50th career victory lap for Bettors Fire N, an 11-year-old son of Bettor’s Delight-Sparks A Flyin who is trained by Heidi Gibbs for the ownership tandem of Kevin Sywyk, Ron Cushing and Frank Ranaldi.

He is next expected to link up with forces in the northern Maine theater, to contest supremacy in Bangor Raceway’s Paul Bunyan Pace on July 19.

Next up on the Scarborough Downs invitational scene will be the $25,000 Joseph Ricci Memorial Trot slated to be contested at the seaside oval on Saturday (Aug. 24).

Live harness racing is featured three days a week at Scarborough Downs with 4:30 pm (EDT) twilight cards slated for Thursdays and Saturdays while the popular Sunday matinees go to post at 1:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.ScarboroughDowns.com or visit our Facebook page.