by Cheri Stambaugh, for the Maryland Standardbred Race Fund

Berlin, MD — The Maryland Sire Stakes 3-year-old August series finals were held on Thursday (Aug. 27) at the Casino at Ocean Downs.

Helaine’s Firebird (Allie’s Western-Flannel Yankee) continued to dominate the pacing filly division, winning in 2:00.2 over rival Jodi’s Sweety (JK Outlaw-Queen Jodi) in the Ronald “Doc” Banning Memorial for owner Frank Chick and the trainer-driver combination of Cory Mumford and George Dennis. Tom and Linda Winebrener are the breeders.

The W.W. “Pete” Shaw Memorial for filly trotters produced a mild upset when driver Les Givens sent Wynnfield Sunset (Doggone Yankee-Wynnfield Molly) from the outside to the front out of the gate, besting the field by nine lengths at the wire. Local horseman Pam Polk owns and bred the filly. Trainer Les Givens was in the bike, stopping the clock in 2:01. Marshalinn (CR Renegade–Imp’s Flirt) was second.

In the trotting colts/geldings division, Doggone Slots (Doggone Yankee-Juanna Play Slots) went wire-to-wire in 2:00.3 for driver Roger Plante Jr. and trainer Thomas Morris Jr. in the Hubert Jackson Memorial. Tom and Gregg Morris co-own and bred Doggone Slots. Jay Boy (Tsunami-Russian Caviar) moved up to place.

The Charles Keller Memorial for pacing colts/geldings continued to be dominated by the Tom Cooke entry of Toms Tornado and Toms Typhoon, both homebreds by the stallion Cam’s Rocket. Toms Typhoon’s driver Roger Plante Jr. was content to sit in the pocket behind stablemate Toms Tornado until the backstretch, charging past the leader to win by 1-1/4 lengths at the wire in 1:55.3. Roger Hans trains both colts.