Windsor, ME – 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 (Aug. 29) at the Windsor Fair.
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 winner’s circle.
“She was a great Maine-bred,” Campbell remarked. “As a 2-andt 3-year old she won the finals. And nine years ago, on this track, she broke – and still holds – the state record for 3-year-olds. 1:54.3; it was a stakes race; it was a big mile for a 3-year-old back then.
“Some of the big races – the state record, her 2-and 3-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.
Windsor’s nine-day race meet continues on Saturday (Aug. 30) with a 1 p.m. post time and will continue on a daily basis through Labor Day.
Saturday’s card will feature the $15,000 renewal of the Windsor Fair Invitational where a field of six top pacers will challenge the 1:51.2 state and track record set by co-held by J Js Jet (Drew Campbell) and Givenupdreaming (Jason Bartlett).
Two Fold Cold (David Ingraham) has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite as the Maine bred bids to add the Windsor invitational title to victories already earned in First Track Cumberland’s Pine Tree Invitational and Skowhegan State Fair’s Hight Invitational.
He will be tested by Tenzing Bromac N (Ron Cushing), who finished second in the Pine Tree Invitational, hometown hero, Alex Having Fun (Drew Campbell), who is fresh off establishing a new, all-age track record of 1:53 at First Tracks Cumberland, and Warrawee Yale ((Kevin Switzer, Jr), who recently took a new lifetime mark of 1:50 at Plainridge Racecourse.
The Windsor Fair Invitational has been carded as race 10 on Saturday’s 11-race program.
Windsor’s co-marquee $10,000 T.R. Dillon Logging Open Trot, will be held on the Labor Day Monday (Sept. 1) program.
For those not able to come to the track, wagering on the Windsor Fair will be available on most major wagering platforms including Hollywood Races at www.hollywoodraces.com as well as at all state of Maine off track betting parlors.
The video for Windsor’s races will be live-streamed on the Windsor Fair’s Facebook page under the “Featured” tab, and the live audio of Windsor’s cards will be available along the online radio network of Mix Maine Media at The Mix 107.9 FM, True Country 93.5 FM, and THE Score 1160 AM as well as online at www.mixmaine.com.