by Michael Sweeney, for Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME — The Maine Sire Stakes program made its second consecutive appearance at Scarborough Downs on Friday (July 3) as the 3-year-old filly pacing division took center stage in twin splits contested for purses of $11,668 each.

Michael Newman photo

Eat Your Enemy won by open lengths while launching her sophomore Sire Stakes campaign for driver/trainer John Nason.

Everything old was new once again on Friday as Eat Your Enemy served bold notice that she was more than up to the task of defending her freshman Sire Stakes championship while winning at first asking to launch her 3-year-old season, taking a brand new lifetime speed record of 1:59.4 for driver/trainer John Nason.

The daughter of Western Maverick-Smooth As Ice sat the patient pocket trip before igniting the afterburners around the bend, sprinting clear to a handy 6-1/2 length lead at the wire, much to the delight of co-owners Carolyn Corso and Lynn-Marie Plouffe. Stella’s Big Girl (Heath Campbell) rallied for the runner-up share while Toast Of The Meadow (Kevin Switzer Jr.) parlayed an early front-running strategy for the show.

Cat Has A Kitten toyed with the competition in the other stakes split, building upon a promising lifetime best prep effort of 1:55.3 at Harrington Raceway to easily hold the competition at bay in a more leisurely 1:58 clocking on Friday.

Owned in tandem by Anthony Sivik Jr. and the KDK Standardbreds, the daughter of Western Cyclone-Lady Katie was making her first start from the Valerie Grondin stable after prepping for former trainer Kevin Switzer at Harrington. She was driven to victory for noted stakes teamster Heath Campbell. Analyze (Michael Graffam) was second while Daydreamer Jo (Gary Mosher) finished third.

Live racing is proudly featured at Scarborough Downs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (EDT). The Sunday matinee gets underway at 1:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.ScarboroughDowns.com or our Facebook page.