Skowhegan, ME – James Doucette led a trio of drivers who scored twin wins at the Skowhegan State Fair on Monday (Aug. 17), joining fellow teamsters Nick Graffam and McGwire Sowers in making repeat visits to the winner’s circle in front of the 208-year-old agricultural exhibition’s voluminous stands.
Doucette, a 26-year-old in the midst of his second year of driving, scored his two wins in consecutive fashion, taking both halves of the mid-daily double, which returned $15.40 to his faithful backers.
Ahoy Hanover (1:58.2, $5.60) got the gimmick started with a gate-to-wire romp around the drizzle-dampened but good-rated oval, as Doucette expertly held a trio of challengers stacked across the raceway before sprinting clear to a 2-3/4-length margin at the wire.
The win was the first from 25 seasonal starts for the 5-year-old son of Captaintreacherous, owned and trained by Doucette himself.
Papa Clare (2:00, $8.80) then provided the power to complete Doucette’s double, as the Maritime invader dropped back fourth from the get-go, grabbed the second-over draft behind fellow New Brunswicker, Orrsterror (driven by Joey Mosher) at the half, before overcoming his cover by three-quarters of a length at the wire.
Trained by Robert Kitchen for owner Robert Wilson, the win was the second consecutive score for the 4-year-old son of All Bets Off who roared into Skowhegan fresh off a gate-to-wire conquest at Connell Park in Woodstock, N.B.
Racing next heads under the lights at the Skowhegan State Fair, with evening sessions scheduled on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (Aug. 18-20) with post time set for 7 p.m. (EDT).
The Skowhegan live video feed can be enjoyed online at the Maine Fair Harness Racing YouTube channel while wagering is available online on the Hollywood Races site at www.hollywoodraces.com.