Windsor, ME – The Monsters of the Midway invaded Windsor Fair on Sunday (Aug. 30) with two $17,000 Pine Tree State-bred splits of 3-year-old male pacers vying for divisional supremacy at one of Maine’s historic agricultural fairs.
In the first $17,434 Maine Sire Stake race, which was held before the regular card, driver Aaron Hall and Rebel’s Revenge were parked by Tardif Taskforce stablemate Ghost Of Winter (driven by Joey Mosher) in a :28.4 first quarter.
The son of Deuce Seelster made every call a winning one from there, with softer middle splits of 1:00 and 1:31 before Hall gave his charge the cue around the final turn and the gelding responded with a :28.4 final quarter to hold off Ghost Of Winter by a neck in 1:59.4.
Owned and trained by Marc Tardif, it was the third win of the season for Rebel’s Revenge, who increased his career bankroll to $53,128. He was bred in Maine by Leighton Property.
Quint Asper (McGwire Sowers) finished third.
In the second $17,434 division for sophomore male pacers, another non-wagering event, it was a battle of the big shots as point leaders Daytoremember (Heath Campbell) and Real Horrorshow (Kevin Switzer Jr.) drew into the same division.
As is usually the case, Switzer Jr. sent Real Horrorshow right out to the front, where the son of Dude’s The Man likes to be. Daytoremember had post 5 and got away fourth in a :29.4 first quarter.
As Real Horrorshow carried the field to a 1:00.2 half, Campbell tipped Daytoremember to the outside, enjoying the cover of the Mosher-driven Dude’s The Jet. The field became stacked up at the 1:29.4 third stanza with three in and three out as the pacers tried to close in on the pacesetter.
At the head of the stretch Real Horrorshow was able to gain some separation, while Daytoremember swooped the fading horses and was now second and bearing down on the leader. With identical :28.3 final quarters under their belts, both horses showed solid pace, but it was Real Horrorshow who reigned supreme by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:58.2.
Grabbing his sixth win of the season, and 15th of his career, Real Horrorshow, increased his lifetime earnings to $154,937. Trained by the senior Kevin Switzer, who also co-owns with Kathleen Mofield and Anthony Sivik Jr., he was bred in Maine by Luke and Patricia Varnum.
With the victory, Real Horrorshow is now tied at 350 points with Daytoremember in their divisional point standings.
Silence Ofdarkness (Hall) was third.
Looking ahead, the harness racing action continues at Windsor Fair on Monday (Aug. 31) with the sophomore distaff pacers, followed by all the 2- and 3-year-old trotters on Tuesday (Sept. 1). The freshman sidesteppers hit town with the 2-year-old male pacers on Thursday (Sept. 3) and their female counterparts on Friday (Sept. 4).
For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow them on Facebook @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to MaineSireStakes.com.