by Michael Sweeney, for Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME — In July of 1974 the impeachment hearings for President Richard Nixon held the nation’s concern as all eyes were focused on minute to minute live television coverage of the historic proceedings. Through weeks filled with tension though sports, as always, provided much needed relief from the pressing concerns of the day and America rejoiced as we watched Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert dance the night away as the reigning king and queen of Wimbledon.

Back stateside the sport of harness racing was perhaps at the peak of its popularity and big things were brewing in state of Maine circles as the fledgling Maine Sire Stakes program debuted on July 3 at Scarborough Downs.

Ed Szalajeski photo

No Peeking looks to defend her freshman pacing crown as she returns to stakes action Friday at Scarborough Downs. She will open at 3-1 odds on the morning line.

“There were stakes races in Maine back in the late 1800s and early part of the last century,” explained stakes historian Diann Perkins, “but the modern Maine Breeders Stakes program filled a void that had existed for decades.

“The Grand Circuit used to come to Maine back in the 1930s, but following the turmoil of World War II and then the closing of the Kite Track at Old Orchard Beach in 1950 interest started to wane. The renewal of the Sire Stakes program helped to reinvigorate the breeding industry in Maine.”

The first Maine Sire Stakes race in 1974 was won by a 2-year-old trotter named Marcon Caesar who was steered to victory in 2:24.4 by driver/trainer Dana Swett for a purse of $694 — surely an inauspicious beginning.

“We were just excited to have stakes racing back. It was a wide open program then because we let outside horses compete just to get it started. You could have brought Albatross up here,” Perkins joked. “But of course he never showed.”

The entire first season of Maine Stakes races were contested for less than $80,000 in total purses — a far cry from the 2009 purse structure which should exceed $1.7 million.

This coming Friday the 35th anniversary of the rebirth of Sire Stakes racing in Maine will be celebrated right where it began with twin divisions of 3-year-old pacers racing for purses of $10,454 each at Scarborough Downs.

“I don’t know if we ever could have imagined back in 1974 just how successful this program would become,” Perkins concluded. “We’ve certainly come a long way.”

Scarborough Downs proudly features live harness racing every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (EDT). The popular Sunday matinees feature a 1:30 p.m. post time.