Bangor, ME – Maine biggest day in harness racing saw eight Maine State Breeders Stakes races with total purses of $628,574, get awarded to the best two-and three-year-olds, from the Pine Tree State. An early rain set the track condition up as good, for the exciting races that were to kickoff on Saturday (Oct. 16) at Hollywood Bangor Raceway.

The first Maine State Breeders Stakes event was a non-betting race that saw the Valerie Grondin trained Pembroke Faye go wire to wire with driver Heath Campbell guiding this two-year-old trotting filly by Pembroke Slugger in a win time of 2:06.1. This made win number three for the daughter of Pembroke Maiden and brought her yearly purse earnings to $56,995 as she had won the lion’s share of the $62,580 purse. Finishing second was another Grondin trainee Pembroke Booboo. Grondin had 11 entries on the day, and it is believed to be the most that any trainer has ever had in the history of the breeders’ program, on the day of the finals. The winner owner was Bill Varney of Bangor, Maine.

The three-year-old colt and gelding trotters racing for $94,117 went to the gate and as in the words of Yogi Berra it was like “déjà vu, all over again”. Pembroke Regal with Heath Campbell, went to the lead, like it had in the finals of the two-year-old event, and saw a six-length lead disappear when he went off stride, almost in the same spot, at the head of the stretch. Ivan Davies driving Wild Oats, the son of (Boy Band-Willing Wind) for owner Mike Andrew of Gorham, Maine, recorded the win in 2:02.1 and upped his yearly earnings to $89,430 with his fifth win in 2021. Ivan Davies also is the trainer for this promising gelding. Pembroke Regal had to settle for second.

The three-year-old fillies took center stage with $93,987 on the line and Heath Campbell made amends for the Grondin/Varney connections as he steered Pembroke Secret to a gate to wire performance covering the mile in 2:04. Another offspring of Pembroke Slugger, a stallion that never raced due to injury, saw another member of his first crop enter the winners’ circle. The dam is former stakes champion Bibbidi Boo. Pembroke Secret increased yearly earnings to $95,878 with 6 wins out of 13 starts. Not out of the top three all year with four place finishes and three for show. Season long nemesis to Pembroke Secret has been Emmajean Jellybean and she finished second in this year-long battle finale.

Call Me Maverick didn’t disappoint its heavy backers as Mike Stevenson again brought this son by Western Maverick out of Briefly, to the winners’ enclosure. The Upland Farms of Wilbraham, Massachusetts owned gelding pushed this years’ bankroll to $141,908, winning the $94,323 event, and has an opportunity to add much more as he will be racing in the Massachusetts Sire Stakes, being raced over the next couple of weeks. The win time over the good racing surface was 2:00, and there was a lot left in the tank. Call Me Maverick is the fastest three-year-old pacer in the history of Bangor Raceway after recording a 1:55.3 win in August. It was win number eleven in fourteen starts. Alison Hynes trains along with partner Gordon Corey.

With $62,872 being up for grabs, Warriorofthevalley, the son of Pembroke Slugger- Fox Valley Shannon, battled early with season long contender Katahdin Mark. The tussle to the quarter saw Katahdin Mark, jump it off, then come back, with a vengeance, trying to front the trot setter Warriorofthevalley. Driver Andy Harrington didn’t appear to be bothered by the competition and he let this promising two-year-old do his thing in an easy win in 2:06.3 in the Maine Breeders Stakes two-year-old colt and gelding event. Marc Tardif trains for owners Leighton Property of Waterboro, Maine. Season ending numbers for Warriorofthevalley are three wins with $57,148 in purses.

The Maine Breeders Stakes for two-year-old colt and gelding pacers with a purse of $63,160, saw multiple moves by driver Kevin Switzer, Jr. with Deal With It Roman. These tactical moves enabled the son of Western Maverick-Deal With Life, increase his earnings to $70,029, with the 2:00.2 victory in the biggest race of the geldings career. It was the second stakes win, of the day, for trainer Marc Tardif of Hollis Center, Maine and besides taking home his trainers’ percentage he also took home the owners share of the purse. Marc bred this nice two-year-old.

The last two stakes’ races of the day were, the “Graffam Show”. Trainer Mike Graffam, the sire of Nick Graffam, had his son Nick in the bike for the wire-to-wire performance by Wolverina. This daughter of (Cheyenne Hollywood-Terry I Fra) won handily by three and a quarter lengths in 2:02. Mike Graffam of Falmouth owns along with William Arnold of Lewiston and this duo saw purse earnings increase to $80,222 with the fifth season win in the $63,367 breeders’ race. Nick Graffam realized that front speed has been doing well, on the day, guided Justcallmecasey (Deuce Seelster-Justcallmerosie) to the front in the final stakes race of the day for three-year-old filly pacers battling for a purse of $94,408. Nick Graffam again won easily with a 2:00.4 triumph for Justcallmecasey who has now earned $89,304 for the 2021 season.

Owners Ben, Bill & Will Stable of Carmel, Maine experienced what a difference a year makes. Last year this filly was 0 for 5 with $7,626 earned. It was the second stakes training win of the day for Mike Graffam. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the excitement brought onto the face of Nick Graffams’ young nephew Evan, as with both wins he looked towards his family members and gave classic fist pumps.

The following were the Breeders Stakes winning breeders.
William Varney
William Varney/Lynn-Marie Plouffe
Michael Andrew
Upland Farm
Marc Tardif – two wins
Michael Graffam
Kristina Hall