Topsham, ME – The Pine Tree State’s glamour boys division swung into Topsham Fair on Monday (Aug. 10) with the group’s top 3-year-old male pacers competing for bragging rights and purse money in a pair of $15,000-plus Maine Sire Stakes divisions before the pari-mutuel card.
In the first $15,209 early Maine Sire Stake race, driver Kevin Switzer Jr. was aboard Real Horrorshow and looking to avenge last week’s second-place finish.
Switzer Jr. wasted little time moving his charge through :29.3 and 1:00.2 early splits, while maintaining the lead over the pocket-sitting Nuh Uh (Andy Harrington). Heading to the half and through the 1:30.1 third station, Dude’s The Jet (Joey Mosher) was getting that good Maine air and had improved his position from fifth to second out on the rim.
However, down the lane Real Horrorshow kept his rivals at bay and ensured that he would capture the day, winning by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:58.4.
It was the fourth win of the season for Real Horrorshow, and the 13th of his career, boosting his lifetime earnings to $137,616.
Trained by the senior Kevin Switzer, who also co-owns with Kathleen Mofield and Anthony Sivik Jr., the son of Dude’s The Man was bred in Maine by Luke and Patricia Varnum.
Nuh Uh finished second; Ghost Ofdarkness (Aaron Hall) was third.
In the second $15,209 division for sophomore male pacers, another non-wagering event, the race belonged to Daytoremember, who last week provided the aforementioned Real Horrorshow his second loss of the season.
Today, the two divisional rivals drew into separate divisions, and driver Heath Campbell certainly drove his son of Dude’s The Man like he was the best. Leaving swiftly to take command, the duo proceeded to set speedy early fractions of :29.1 and 1:00 in the first half.
With Rebel’s Revenge (Aaron Hall) sitting in a tight pocket, driver Joey Mosher tipped Ghost Of Winter to the outside from fourth to start the outer flow into a 1:29.4 third panel.
Campbell had his charge poised and fractions to his liking as he was able to hold off the late charge of Rebel’s Revenge by a half-length in 1:58.4.
Daytoremember is owned, trained and was bred by Valerie Grondin, and picked up his fourth consecutive win, and fifth of the season. Daytoremember now leads Real Horrorshow by 25 points in the divisional standings.
Ghost Of Winter got up for third.
Looking ahead, Topsham hosts all of the Pine Tree State-bred 2- and 3-year-old trotters on Wednesday (Aug. 12), followed by the 2-year-old filly pacers on Thursday (Aug. 13).
For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow them on Facebook @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to MaineSireStakes.com.