Windsor, ME — Fred Ward’s Gowestyounggrace continued her dominance of the 3-year-old pacing filly division of the Maine Sire Stakes with a 2:00.1 win on Monday (Aug. 26) at the Windsor Fair.
Unbeaten in her last six starts, Gowestyoungrace scored a wire-to-wire victory in her $19,321 event for the sophomore distaffers with regular driver Dave Ingraham at the controls. Leaving from post four, the daughter of Western Maverick shot to the front in a :29.3 opening panel. From there, she was able to get a quick breather into a 1:01.1 half. While second choice Who’s Perfect (Aaron Hall) was tight in the pocket, Heath Campbell pulled Pembroke Red first-over heading into the 1:31.1 third stanza. With that challenge diminishing, Gowestyounggrace kicked into another gear and scooted home in :29 to win. Who’s Perfect finished second; Animore Sass (Andy Harrington) was third.
Gowestyounggrace scored her 12th lifetime win for trainer Fred Ward Jr., who shares ownership with Sharon Ward. The homebred now has $120,845 in career earnings, and she paid $2.80 to win.
In the other $19,322 division, Bob Marston’s Mrs Foxy Roxy ($5.20) picked up her second win in a row in the Maine Sire Stakes.
Scoring from post six in rein to Walter Case Jr., the daughter of Deuce Seelster shot out to the lead in a swift :29.3 first quarter. With the field stretched out, Mrs Foxy Roxy set a softer 1:01.2 half with Emma Rozze (Heath Campbell) sitting comfortably in the garden spot.
Second choice Ghost Of You (Kevin Switzer Jr.) tipped off the cones at the five-eighths marker and began her advance to the challenge the leader. The field hit the three-quarters in 1:31.3 and with the outer flow now at her wheel, Mrs Foxy Roxy increased her tempo. With Emma Rozze locked in the box and Ghost Of You charging on the outside, it was a three-horse battle down to the wire. Mrs Foxy Roxy held on to win by a half-length in 2:01.1. Emma Rozze finished second; Ghost Of You was third.
The filly scored her seventh lifetime victory for trainer Bob Marston and owners Bill McElvain Jr., Diane Dunn and Brad Veilleux, pushing her career total to $76,827. She was bred by Kristina and Gary Hall.
The Maine Sire Stakes continues at the Windsor Fair with 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers on Tuesday (Aug. 27), followed by freshmen filly pacers on Friday (Aug. 30) and all four divisions of trotters on Saturday (Aug. 31).
For more information about the Maine Sire Stakes, visit the Maine Sire Stakes website.