by Michael Sweeney, for Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME — The 3-year-old filly pacing division of the Maine Sire Stakes program anchored the Scarborough Downs card on a picture perfect mid-summer afternoon and quite fittingly, Pembroke Perfect continued to flaunt her winning ways on Sunday (July 30). The prolific filly grabbed the lion’s share of the $10,017 stakes purse as the daughter of Western-Maverick-Perfect Launch scored her fourth seasonal win from four seasonal starts, in the first of two state-bred events for sophomore fillies.

Derek Davis photo

Persephonie springsto her first win of the season.

Driver Heath Campbell confidently guided the streaking filly to an early lead and then never once twitched a muscle en route to an in-hand glide to the finish line, while the Valerie Grondin trainee posted her fourth consecutive charted line to feature only the number one at each and every pole.

The imposing filly, owned by the tandem of William Varney and Lynn-Marie Plouffe, tripped the tele-timer in a fleet 1:58.1.

Arabella (N. Graffam) closely stalked the pacesetter throughout the mile to earn the bridesmaid share while Dual Pat’s Bug Bug (M. Athearn) hit the board for the first time in 2017 by finishing third.

Like the birth of spring, Persephonie burst upon the scene in the second $10,016 stakes split, securing her first win of the season through a determined front-end strategy. The daughter of Baran Biltmore-Dynamite Donna who previously had been matched up against either the undefeated Pembroke Perfect or the undefeated Meadows Rosebud in all 2017 stakes starts, took full advantage of Sunday’s hidden class relief to the secure the 2:00 score, with driver Heath Campbell claiming his second stakes win of the afternoon.

Persephonie is owned and trained by Kevin Switzer.

CBF Sunshine (E. Davis Jr.) tracked throughout the mile to secure the runner-up placing while Poocham Princess (G. Mosher) rallied for the show.

Maine Sire Stakes action returns to Scarborough Downs on Saturday (Aug. 5) afternoon as the 2-year-old trotting divisions take center stage.

Scarborough Downs is pleased to present twilight harness racing cards on a Thursday and Saturday schedule at 4:30 PM (EDT) with the Sunday matinee heading to post at 1:30 p.m.

For more information, visit www.ScarboroughDowns.com or visit our Facebook page.