by Michael Sweeney, for Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME — The 2-year-old trotting divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes program made their fourth and final appearance of the 2017 season at Scarborough Downs on Sunday (Aug. 20) with the freshman leaving town on a high note including one even etching his name on the wall of honor as a divisional track record holder.

Michael Newman photo

He’salilbitnoble equaled the track record of 2:02.3 on Sunday at Scarborough Downs.

He’salilbitnoble scored his fourth career win during the $10,272 colt division on Sunday, stopping the clock in a lifetime best 2:02.3 which equaled Scarborough’s divisional track record established in 2008 by another Maine-bred, Bad Boy Billy.

With all the colt’s wins featuring a front end trip, driver Mark Athearn promptly steered his charge onto the early lead. The dashing duo quickly benefited as four of the seven combatants rolled off stride before reaching the eighth pole, and the rest of the mile was mere child’s play for the son of Nobel Venture-Litany Hanover.

He’salilbitnoble is trained by Gretchen Athearn for owner William Phipps.

Cinamatic Venture (G. Mosher), one of the three trotters to not make a break finished second while Go Full Throttle (K. Ireland) benefited from a fault-free trip to grab third.

Team Athearn then doubled their stakes pleasure as another member of their roster, Wild Bandita took top honors in one of two $9,976 filly divisions on the program. Just as the front end seat worked magic for her track record holding stablemate, the strategy proved equally faultless for Wild Bandita as driver Mark Athearn cut the mile and navigated the course, in a lifetime best 2:06.1 clocking en route to securing the filly’s third career win.

The daughter of Boy Band-Wild Pine is trained by Gretchen Athearn for owner Michael Andrew.

American Flambé (M. Cushing) kept her perfect on-the-board ratio intact with a solid runner-up placing while June Carter Cast (G. Mosher) survived multiple breaks to finish third.

Pembroke Dancer continued her display dominance on Sunday, effortlessly securing her fifth consecutive victory in a lifetime best 2:05.2 clocking in the other filly division. Driver Heath Campbell confidently steered the CR Power Glide-Spring Laughter filly to the early lead and then commenced to toy with the field, ultimately with no one coming within two lengths of the pacesetter throughout the mile.

The remarkable filly, trained by Valerie Grondin for owner William Varney, claimed the lion’s share of the $9,977 purse, increasing her career bankroll to $29,872.

Sweet Amy O (J. Beckwith) finished second while Dualpatwitchywoman (M. Athearn) was third.

Scarborough Downs is pleased to present twilight harness racing cards on a Thursday and Saturday schedule at 4:30 p.m. (EDT) with the Sunday matinee heading to post at 1:30 p.m.

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