Scarborough, ME — The horses of the Maine Sire Stakes program made their first local appearance of the 2019 season on Saturday (July 6) as the fillies and colts of the 3-year-old pacing divisions came to match strides at Scarborough Downs.

Two splits of each gender went to post on the sultry summer afternoon with total stakes purses of $39,329 doled out to the combatants.

Moonlightandroses was one of two Maine Sire Stakes winners for owner Clark Bustard on Saturday’s Scarborough Downs card. Michael Newman photo.

The girls were first to take to the raceway as Moonlightandroses powered through a determined front end journey to claim victory in the first $9,717 filly split. The daughter of Deuce Seelster-Guard The Rose served serious notice to the other ladies assembled that she remains fully determined and capable of defending her 2018 freshman Maine Sire Stakes crown as driver Heath Campbell steered the Valerie Grondin trainee to her second consecutive win in as many seasonal starts.

Owned by Clark Bustard, Moonlighandroses paced her mile in 2:01.1. Cominrightatyou (Ron Cushing) fell just 1-1/2 lengths back at the wire to settle for the place while Gailsgirl N Motion (Matthew Athearn) finished third.

The sultry afternoon transformed itself into a deluge event as the skies opened up while the field assembled for the second filly grouping of the day. The torrential downpour did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm espoused by the backers of Maydaymaverickhope though, as she rallied aggressively to secure her second consecutive Maine Sire Stakes score.

Guided by regular pilot Steven Wilson, the Charlene Cushing trainee survived a driver’s objection lodged by Mark Athearn, driver of the eventual second place finishing Justcallme Bets, who alleged that Maydaymaverickhope crossed over before the start. The judges disallowed the objection citing insufficient evidence for placings.

The daughter of Western Maverick-Summer Hope who is owned by Darrell Tibbetts, Maine paced her mile in 2:03.3 over a track which quickly became soggy while the race progressed. Justcallme Bets was second while Cranky (Russell Lanpher III) rode the pylons for a decent show dough effort.

The boys then took to a track which had been downgraded to muddy, as the first of twin splits of the sophomore colt division was contested for a purse of $9,947, and as streams formed in the infield, a pacer named Bait A Hook wasted precious little time casting for the lead with veteran teamster David Ingraham serving as the angler.

The son of Deuce Seelster-Josie Plumsted, holder of the 2018 Maine Sire Stakes freshman crown, piked twice around the oval to remain a perfect two-for-two on the current season, while delivering trainer Valerie Grondon and owner Clark Bustard their second sire stakes victory of the afternoon. Maverick Art (Bruce Ranger) settled for the bridesmaid share, finishing a scant three-quarters of a length back of the eventual winner while CBF Bantam (Gary Mosher) executed an extended rally maneuver to claim third place honors.

The second $9,948 colt division saw Lucksrealdeal rifled off the car by driver Matthew Athearn. Insisting on a front end journey, the duo gained an advantage which was never relinquished as the Marc Tardif trainee scored the first win of his sophomore season in a respectable 2:00 clocking, given the wet track condition. The son of Luckcamotion-Deal With Life is owned in tandem by the team of Marc Tardif and Leighton Property.

Victoria’s Maverick (Heath Campbell), coupled in the pari-mutuels due to common ownership, rallied strongly to finish a hard charging runner-up while Touch Of Character (Steven Wilson) finished third best.

Maine Sire Stakes racing returns to the Downs on Saturday (July 13), serving as the co-anchor featured attraction alongside the $25,000 Mid-Summer Classic, the biggest invitational pacing event on the Scarborough Downs calendar.

Live harness racing is featured three day a week at Scarborough Downs with 4:30 p.m. (EDT) twilight cards slated for Thursdays and Saturdays while the popular Sunday matinees go to post at 1:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.ScarboroughDowns.com or visit our Facebook page.