by Susan Higgins and Mike Sweeney, for Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME — With old man winter breathing down our necks, plans are in full force to cap off the successful 2013 meeting at Scarborough Downs this weekend (Dec. 21 and 22).

Full cards are planned for both Saturday and Sunday with a post time of 12:05 p.m. Saturday’s program will feature the presentation of year-end awards.

Claimer of the Year honors, at various levels, will go to: Sassy Sarah, Personnel Space, Bonus Miles, Kit Kat Du Ruisseau, In Tony’s Honor, Rodeo Du Ruisseau, Bold Fresh and Fox Valley Spencer.

Suzanne Christensen’s Grandma Finn will receive the coveted Distaff Pacer of the Year award; owner Paul Cloney will be accepting Trotter of the Year award for his Waterloo Willie; and Paul Richardson’s Haverford Hanover will be presented with the top honors of Pacer of the Year.

On the human side of the equation, it has long been a foregone conclusion that Drew Campbell would reclaim leading driver status this season with 153 wins heading into the weekend, 47 more than his closest competitor, while trainer Randy Bickmore will garner his umpteenth consecutive Trainer of the Year award based upon his 84 top tallies.

The up-and-coming awards will go to a couple of popular selections, with Adam Gray receiving the Freeman Parker Award for up-and-coming driver, and David McClellan being presented with the Loring Norton Award for up-and-coming trainer.

Sunday’s closing day festivities will feature the seventh annual Standardbred Retirement Ceremony, co-sponsored by the Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization of Maine, where ten 14-year-olds will parade triumphantly one final time before hanging up their racing bridles and transitioning to new careers.

This year’s honorees include: Art By Keene, BigBadVooDooDaddy, Gold Ball, Lazer Zone, Rare Glory, Simply Made, The Power ofWealth, Urbane, VW Bug and Woodmere Fulatrix.

These noble animals have delighted us at the races year after year and now that their athletic careers have come to conclusion, it’s only fitting that they be sent off to retirement in the grandest manner. Standardbred race horses are a versatile and sturdy stock and these ten have bright futures and many years left ahead of them. We send them off to their new careers with appreciation for past accomplishments and anticipation of great things to come.

A commemorative program will be available for patrons that includes pictures and write-ups of each horse with their retirement plans. The ceremony is slated to take place after race six.