by Norinne “Nonni” Hilchey Daly

Bangor, ME — The University of Maine Standardbred retraining program has as its motto: “After the Finish Line, They are NOT Finished!” and four UMares proved that at Bangor Historic Track and Raceway during Fourth of July activities.

Jessica Wilson photo

The card for the day kicked off with a performance by the University of Maine Standardbred Drill Team.

Track patrons were treated to four 2-year-old colt pacer stakes races, one race in which the University’s horse, Pembroke White Out, competed; a race featuring the “Young Gun” drivers; and the card for the day kicked off with a performance by the University of Maine Standardbred Drill Team.

These horses, also used for reproductive research and for breeding, are retrained for pleasure work and sold to good homes when their training is completed. Like all Standardbreds, they love having a job and these four girls seemed to know they were back on a track to entertain the racing patrons and they did their job well.

The horses are Just Whinnie, Petite Parfait, Dorunbluefortunate, and Lacy Asset — and all the riders are UMaine undergraduate or graduate students involved in the equine program. The team does performances around the state and are always well received, especially at the tracks where patrons realize how good it is to see that these horses have a life after the finish line.