by Michael M. Sweeney, for Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME — Dining room reservations in the Downs Club Restaurant were at a premium on Sunday (September 9) as an overflow crowd packed the cavernous Scarborough Downs grandstand to witness the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stake 2-year-old finals.

Purses in excess of $213,000 were awarded on the star studded program which featured remarkable performances and infectious fan-generated excitement.

Speedy Cranberry got the stakes action started in the $46,976 Filly Trot final, mounting a stirring gate-to-wire performance with driver/trainer Shawn Gray at the controls. Owned by George Bullukian of Franklin, Mass., and Alicia Brown of Gardiner, Maine, the daughter of Speedy Lerom remained perfect for life as she effortlessly covered the Scarborough course to record her 10th consecutive victory.

“I’ll really take very little credit for developing this filly,” a humble Shawn Gray said following the race. “She’s always done everything we ever asked her to do and has been pretty easy to campaign this year.”

Barred from the wagering, Speedy Cranberry was a 12-1/4 length winner, timed in 2:07, over Cranmeadow Moxie and Race Me Bridget.

Up Tempo continued his late season supremacy in the boys’ division, claiming victory by an impressive eight length margin to master the $46,982 Colt Trot final for driver/trainer Gordon Corey.

“He got kicked in the field right after we qualified him in June and we lost a good month and a half getting him healed up,” said Gordon Corey. “He came back much better than we expected and obviously we feel great about winning the final today.”

Up Tempo, who is owned by Michael Andrew of Gorham, Maine, toured the oval timed in 2:08.4, besting Lucky Blue Moon and Cast Them Away to record his fourth win from five lifetime starts.

B N Naughty posted the biggest upset of the afternoon, while at the same time providing the best drama, as Joy and Wendel Duncan’s homebred son of Fred And Barney dueled tirelessly down the stretch with Pembroke Lu to post the half-length victory at 15-1 odds in the $47,143 Filly Pacing final.

“I tried to leave with her today but she made a brief break behind the gate,” driver Gary Mosher said in a winner’s circle interview. “If we had been able to leave, we would have dropped down into the two-hole and might have gotten trapped in behind the faltering speed. It’s funny how things work out, but getting away toward the back of the pack worked out just fine today.”

The official top three of B N Naughty, Pembroke Lu and Whoville keyed a $1,744.60 trifecta payout — the largest ticket of the afternoon.

Maineiac Matt capped a brilliant freshman campaign by capturing the $47,060 Colt Pacing crown. Part of the powerhouse Mike Graffam stable entry with Terrys Star Dragon, Maineiac Matt out-dueled Pembroke Blitz and his stablemate down the length of the storied Scarborough stretch to earn his sixth winner’s circle session from seven lifetime starts.

“We anticipated a contentious early pace,” said winning catch-driver David Ingraham. “And this colt can rally with the best. Mike Graffam has done a fantastic job with him.”

Maineiac Matt, who is owned by the team of William and Timothy Arnold and Richard Shaw, was timed in 1:59.1.

Stakes action will return to the Downs on October 14 as the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stake 3-year-old finals will take center stage.

Scarborough Downs will conclude its summer meet with a 12:05 p.m. (EDT) performance on Tuesday, September 11.

Live harness racing will return to the seaside oval with a Columbus Day program on Monday, October 8, with the fall schedule featuring 12 race cards every Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at 12:05 p.m.