by Mike Sweeney, publicity director, Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME — The most enthusiastic crowd in decades gathered at Scarborough Downs on Sunday (Oct. 16) to witness the crowning of the 3-year-old Maine Sire Stakes champions. More than $380,000 in purse money was on the line and the fans were hanging from the rafters as the call to post was first sounded.

From this reporter’s perspective, the day was an unquestionable success. I have worked at Scarborough Downs since the early 1980s, I’ve witnessed the heyday of harness racing in Southern Maine, and the atmosphere at the old facility was reminiscent of that heyday. The racing was outstanding, the crowds were cheering, and the handle was the highest since the mid-1990s.

Derek Davis photo

Iza Bella was a 2:02.4 winner for driver/trainer Ivan Davies.

Iza Bella capped off a brilliant stakes career by adding the 3-year-old filly trotting championship to the freshman crown that she won last season, claiming her 15th career victory from only 23 lifetime starts. Owned by Michael Andrew of Gorham, Maine, the daughter of Boy Band grabbed the lion’s share of the $85,059 purse offering, with driver/trainer Ivan Davies calling the shots in a 2:02.4 mile. Stonehollow Goblin (Kevin Switzer) was second, while Road Show Star (Greg Bowden) overcame a driver’s objection to remain third.

“I started the year with 14 Maine-breds in training, and ended up with only three,” said Andrew. “It looks easy when you get a winner like this one, but it’s a long road to the finals.”

Michael Newman photo

Cyber Cast won the colt trotting division with a mile in 2:02.

Matching Iza Bella’s prolific performance, Cyber Cast capped an equally brilliant stakes career on Sunday, winning the $85,059 colt trotting division in 2:02 and claiming his 16th career victory from 25 lifetime starts. Owned by the highly-esteemed consortium of Thomas Dillon and Walter Hight, the son of Current Cast was driven to victory by Mark Athearn for veteran-trainer Donald Richards. Serious Kid (Ruel Goodblood, Jr.) was second and Katahdin Raymond (Scott McKenzie) was third.

“Donny is a very dedicated and hard-working individual and whatever success we’ve enjoyed in the business, a good portion of that has always depended on Don Richards,” said Thomas Dillion in the winner’s circle.

Co-owner Walter Hight remarked, “We’ve had two race in the Hambletonian and one make it to the Little Brown Jug, but it’s still so much more fun to race our horses here at home.”

Derek Davis photo

Thenor’easterbeast was a half length winner over Cool Fast Cash.

Continuing with the trend of expected favorites shining through, Thenor’easterbeast did not disappoint in the $85,204 colt pacing final. The son of Western Cyclone backed up last season’s freshman sire stakes championship with a hard-fought and well-engineered victory in 2:01.3 on Sunday with Gary Mosher sulky-sitting for trainer David Crochere. Cool Fast Cash (Kevin Switzer, Jr.) charged hard to secure the place while Rambling Jet (Jason Bartlett) was third.

The front-running Thenor’easterbeast overcame extreme adversity, getting collared up the backstretch by a hard-charging Western’s Ball (Ron Cushing). Seemingly puzzled at finding himself in the unaccustomed position of behind passed at that point in the mile, this colt dug down deep, reorganized himself, and began a three-wide assault at the top of the stretch, getting up in the final strides to claim the well-earned victory.

“I was so nervous, I thought my heart stopped four times,” said owner Jack Kelley of the East Pond Stables of Oakland, Maine. “Give credit to David Crochere for keeping this horse going through 12 races and the finals. It’s a great testament to his ability and determination.”

Michael Newman photo

CBF Fancy (#6) was a nose winner over Barbra Ann in the filly pace division.

In a major upset, CBF Fancy persevered in 1:58.4 in the tightest of photo finishes over heavily favored Barbra Ann in the $85,156 filly pace division. So tight was the margin of victory that the judges were forced to call for an enlargement of the photo finish print in order to determine the final outcome. The daughter of Western Cyclone, owned by Glenn Harris of Raynham, Mass., was trained by veteran conditioner Dana Childs and was driven to victory by Kevin Switzer, Jr. Barbra Ann (Jason Bartlett) was second and Pembroke Bow Bow (Drew Campbell) was third.

“I got him this time,” said Switzer, in response to a query as to how it felt to beat his father’s horse, Barbra Ann, at the wire. “I want to thank my wife and son, they’ve been very supportive of me over the last couple of years and are a major part of my success.”

With the future of Maine harness racing dependent upon the passage of Question 2 on Maine’s November ballot, voters need to look no further than Sunday’s pageantry and outstanding performances at Scarborough Downs to be reminded of what once was, and what could be again. Sunday’s card at Scarborough may well have marked the renaissance of harness racing in Southern Maine as the industry looks to the future with the creation of a brand new, state-of-the-art, five-eighths-mile racetrack, resort and racino in the neighboring city of Biddeford.