Windsor, ME – All of Maine’s 2- and 3-year-old trotters worked their way over to the Windsor (ME) Fair on Tuesday (Sept. 1), resulting in some surprises and a new milestone for a prominent trainer-driver.
All four of $17,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes were held before the regular card at Windsor, with the highlight being the 3-year-old filly trot division where Gary Hall drove his star distaff Hayden to an easy victory and obtained career driving win number 1,500.
Active since 1977, Hall, a native of Dover, ME has over 10,300 driving starts and $2.7 in purse earnings. His best season was 40 years ago in 1986 where he enjoyed 164 trips to the winners circle.
Veteran trainer-driver Gary Hall took command early with a :30.1 opening panel, sending the daughter of Cantab Fashion to a swift 1:00.1 half. I Think I Can (John Nason) sat a loose pocket while Our Last Quote (Mike Cushing) moving first over into a 1:30.2 third panel.
But, no one was going to catch Hall’s fabulous filly as she increased her three-length lead down the stretch to score in 2:00.4, a new lifetime best, while prevailing by 5-1/2 lengths.
Owned and bred by Stephen Hall, it was the seventh seasonal victory for Hayden and her ninth lifetime, as she increased her bankroll to $102,956. She is currently unbeaten at age three.
Out Last Quote finished second, I Think I Can was third.
In the other battle for un-beatens, a $17,210 Maine Sire Stake dash for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings, it was yet another wire-to-wire rout of a fair track by the Watson’s U Know I Know.
Ken Watson steered the son of Whataworkout to his sixth consecutive win in a lifetime best 2:03.3, scoring by three lengths over stable mate Race Me Bruno (Wally Watson).
Trained by Lisa Watson for owner-breeder Barbara Lawson, the unbeaten divisional star now has $47,416 on his card in six lifetime starts.
Pembroke Zagursky (Heath Campbell) finished third.
Earlier in the card, driver Heath Campbell provided a mild upset when he steered Mikella Bella to victory in her $16,681 Maine Sire Stake for 2-year-old trotting fillies.
The daughter of To The Hilt got away second behind pacesetting stable mate and current divisional leader Princess Caledonia (Gary Hall) who made an uncharacteristic miscue in deep stretch. Campbell capitalized on the situation and helped Mikella Bella pick up her second lifetime victory in 2:10.2.
Co-owned and trained Gary Hall with partners James Kelly Jr., Betsey Kelley and Kristina Hall, she was bred in Maine by Anita Anastosopoulos.
Cape Cod Friday (Dave Ingraham) finished second; Princess Caledonia was third.
In the $17,008 Maine Sire Stake for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings, it looked like an instant replay of the last several weeks as driver Heath Campbell sent Gus’s Workout to the front with Trottingfortreasure (Kevin Switzer Jr.) ducking in the two hole.
Gus’s Workout set mild fractions of :32.1 and 1:05 to the half, with Trottingfortreasure first over and within striking distance into a swifter 1:35.2 (30.2) third panel. But that is where the threat ended as Campbell sent Gus’s Workout on a beeline for the wire and drew off by 3-1/2 lengths to win easily in 2:04.4.
Trained by Valerie Grondin to his third win of the season, the son of Whataworkout is owned and was bred by Lynn-Marie Plouffe. His lifetime earnings have reached $96,334.
Trottingfortreasure finished second, High Fashion Hank (John Beckwith) was third.
Looking ahead, the Maine Sire Stakes action resumes at Windsor Fair with the 2-year-old male pacers on Thursday (Sept. 3) and their female counterparts on Friday (Sept. 4). Then it’s back to the glamour boys who make their second appearance at Windsor on Sunday (Sept. 6), followed by the 3-year-old filly pacers who close out the meet on Labor Day Monday (Sept. 7).
For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow them on Facebook @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website: MaineSireStakes.com.