by Michael Sweeney, for Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME — The Gretchen Athearn roster ran roughshod over Maine Sire Stakes competition at Scarborough Downs on Saturday (July 28) as the Cumberland Fairgrounds-based, family staffed outfit, sent three stakes winners down Victory Lane; two in the very same race.

Michael Newman photo

ShesAHarleyGirl(left) and DualPatWitchyWoman finish in a dead heat for the win in Maine SireStakes action at Scarborough Downs.

The dominant stable performance was highlighted by a dead heat finish in a $10,589 split of the sophomore filly trotting division, in which ShesAHarleyGirl (Matthew Athearn) doggedly tracked down her stablemate, DualPatWitchyWoman (Eddie Davis Jr.) at the wire, to stop the clock in 2:05; establishing brand new lifetime speed records for both.

ShesAHarleyGirl, a daughter of Noble Venture-Dynamic Kid is owned in partnership by Joan Harmon, Normand St. Clair and Gretchen Athearn. Not to be denied her fair share of winners circle glory, DualPatWitchyWoman, a daughter of Boy Band-Hs Hallsdeckedout is owned by the tandem of Linwood Higgins and Dual-Pats Farm.
American Flambé (Ron Cushing) finished third.

The Athearn stable magic worked equally well on both genders of Standardbreds on Saturday as Mouthpiece, another enrollee in the Athearn honors program, continued to state his case for prized student of his class in the 3-year-old colt division, which went post-ward for the purse of $10,657.

The son of Noble Venture-Beluga who is owned by William Phipps, threw in a strong rally bid en route to securing his fourth win of the season with driver Matthew Athearn guiding the gelding to a steady 2:00.3 clocking, effectively setting the table for the ultimate Gretchen Athearn hat trick.

Cinamatic Venture (Gary Mosher) charged hard late to gain the bridesmaid share while Pembroke Boss Man (Nick Graffam) overcame an early misstep to finish third best in the split.
Just to spread some of the success beyond the boundaries of the Athearn barn, earlier in the day, June Carter Cash continued to prove an unstoppable force in Maine Sire Stakes action as the push-button filly strode to her fifth win in a row while keeping her seasonal undefeated record intact, in a $10,589 non-betting split of the filly trotting ranks.

Driver Gary Mosher never felt pressure as he hustled the sophomore daughter of Current Cast-Celebrity Image confidently off the car, ultimately extending to a 13-length margin at the wire, timed in a career best 2:01.1.

une Carter Cast was trained to her 9th career victory by Hall of Fame conditioner Donald Richards for the perennially powerful partnership pair of Thomas Dillon and Walter Hight.
Sweet Amy O (John Beckwith) just got up at the wire to secure runner-up honors in the non-betting dash, while Sister Longwood (Heath Campbell) rode the pylons to third.

Scarborough Downs will proudly feature live harness racing throughout the summer season on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (EDT) with the popular Sunday matinees getting underway at 1:30 p.m.

For more information, visit www.ScarboroughDowns.com or visit our Facebook page.