Topsham, ME – The Pine Tree State’s sizeable group of 2- and 3-year-old trotters found their Topsham Fair stop on Wednesday (August 12) much to their liking. Among the group of diagonally gaited Standardbreds is the current sophomore distaff leader, Hayden, who has won five of her six seasonal outings, as well as freshmen colt U Know I Know who is now a perfect four-for-four on his season.
All four $15,000 divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes were held before the regular card at Topsham, starting with the 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings at 12 noon.
Driver Heath Campbell sent his charge Gus’s Workout out to the top with Wilder N Idy (Mark Athearn) dropping in the pocket as the pair left the other participants well behind in a :31.4 opening panel.
There were no changes as Campbell set a 1:03.1 half, however, as the pacesetters passed the third station in 1:34.1 Athearn had tipped Wilder N Idy to the outside to challenge the leader.
By the head of the stretch the aggressor was just a half-length behind the point man. Down the stretch they fought until the wire, where Wilder N Idy had gotten up in the final strides to prevail by a quarter length in 2:03 over Gus’s Workout.
Trained by Gretchen Athearn for owner Patricia Leavitt, the son of To The Hilt picked up his fourth win of the season. Bred by the late Mike Andrew, he now has 12 wins lifetime with $144,118 earned.
Trottinfortreasure (Aaron Hall) finished third.
In the second $14,681 early Maine Sire Stake for 2-year-old trotting fillies it was all Princess Caledonia (Gary Hall) who led every step of the way to win easily in 2:05 by 2-1/2 lengths.
Co-owned, trained and driven by Gary Hall, the daughter of To The Hilt picked up her third seasonal win. Also owned by James Kelly Jr., Betsey Kelley and Kristina Hall, she was bred by Anita Anastosopoulos.
Cape Cod Friday (Dave Ingraham) stayed close to the action and finished second; stable mate Mikella Belle was third.
In the third $15,136 division it was filly sensation Hayden who continued to show her classmates that she is the sharpest kid in school.
Trainer-driver Gary Hall found himself stretched out to the :31 opening panel by the inside- positioned Race Me Boomer and Andy Harrington. The daughter of Cantab Fashion was parked to that taxing opening panel, but ultimately took command and sprinted away by a 2-3/4 length margin at the 1:01.1 midway point. Our Last Quote (Mike Cushing) pulled out from third behind the pocket sitting Race Me Boomer as the field hit the more modest 1:32.2 third station.
With a nice breather under her girth, Hayden trotted home by a measured length to score in 2:02.4 over the Topsham stone dust.
Owned and bred by Stephen Hall, it was the fifth seasonal victory for Hayden and her seventh lifetime, as she increased her bankroll to $85,471.
Race Me Boomer finished second; Our Last Quote was third.
The final Maine Sire Stake on the card was the $15,035 dash for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings, which was another wire-to-wire rout for the Watson’s U Know I Know.
Ken Watson steered the son of Whataworkout to his fourth consecutive record-lowering win in 2:05.1, prevailing by 3-1/4 lengths over Pembroke Zagursky (Heath Campbell).
Trained by Lisa Watson for owner-breeder Barbara Lawson, the unbeaten divisional star now has $30,244 on his card in just four seasonal outings.
Stable mate Race Me Bruno (Wally Watson) finished third.
Looking ahead, the fair racing continues at Topsham with the 2-year-old filly pacers on Thursday (August 13), and concludes with the 2-year-old male pacers on Saturday (Aug. 15). The following week the harness racing action moves north to Skowhegan and kicks off on Tuesday (Aug. 18) with the 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers.
For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow them on Facebook @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website: MaineSireStakes.com