Bangor, ME — Justcallmebuck showed fans of the Maine Sire Stakes that he is one to watch in the division for 3-year-old male pacers, scoring in 1:57.4 on Wednesday (June 12) at historic Bass Park.

Two $16,416 divisions of the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes went postward in the opening two races on the afternoon card, premiering what looks like another exciting season of Pine Tree State-sired harness racing.

Justcallmebuck held off a late charging Wes’s Challenge to grab the fastest Maine Sire Stakes of the day. Holli Niles photo.

As the wings folded in the opener Aaron Hall blasted Whats For Suppaah out to the lead to protect his pylon position, with Wes’s Challenge (Walter Case Jr.) and Justcallmebuck (Heath Campbell) charging hard from their respective outside post positions and settling in behind the pacesetter. Campbell and Justcallmebuck had nary a moment’s rest in the three hole as they were back out and rolling to the top and setting a snappy :28.3 opening tempo.

The first to the outer flow was Arts Flight (Kevin Switzer Jr.) who kept the developing colt’s attention through a :59.1 half. Case had Wes’s Challenge poised to pounce second over as the field moved down the backstretch and into the 1:28.3 third panel, with Hall maintaining a strong hold on Whats For Suppaah who was locked in the pocket.

Case swung Wes’s Challenge three wide around the final turn to challenge for the lead and appeared to have caught the pacesetter. However, Campbell shook the lines at Justcallmebuck and the 3-year-old son of Deuce Seelster responded to hold the would-be spoiler at bay.

The final time of 1:57.4 was a new lifetime mark for the homebred property of Kristina Hall, prevailing by a half-length. Wes’s Challenge finished second; Whats For Suppah was third.

Trained by Gary Hall, the winner paid $3.20 for the second victory in his career.

In the second $16,416 division of 3-year-old Maine-bred male pacers, the Tardif Taskforce entry prevailed, despite the most accomplished part of the prohibitive betting choice, Two Fold Cold, being scratched sick.

Hesjustadelight (Ron Cushing), last year’s freshman champion, took the field to the opening quarter in a smooth :29.1, with the field of five strung out by well over 10 lengths. As the single file passed the stands for the first time Kevin Switzer Jr. moved Ella V Fella from the back of the pack to range up toward the leaders, passing the half in :59.4.

Ella V Fella caught the leader going down the backstretch and those two began their own race, scampering swiftly away from the rest of the pack. With Hesjustadelight on the inside, and Ella V Fella on the outside, the stubborn pair exchanged strides until the 1:28.4 third panel where the aggressor waved goodbye and paced away from the former leader and gained command through the final turn.

Scoring by three lengths, the 3-year-old son of Artistic Fella shaved a tick off his lifetime mark by stopping the timer in 1:58.1. Hesjustadelight finished second; CBF Windy Fella (Dave Ingraham) was third.

Ella V Fella, the 1-5 favorite, was bred and is owned and trained by Marc Tardif, paying $2.40 to win his third consecutive outing.

Maine Sire Stake action resumes on Saturday (June 15) as First Tracks Cumberland hosts two $16,196 divisions for 3-year-old pacing fillies, which are slated as races one and three on the regular card. First post is 3:15 p.m.

For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, go to their new website.