Skowhegan, ME — Fate has dealt a winning hand to Cold Decked this summer as the Dakota Jackson owned and trained Standardbred continues to run the table along the state of Maine fairground circuit. The 4-year-old son of Racing Hill extended his current winning streak to five on Thursday evening (Aug. 18) under the bright lights of the Skowhegan State Fair with driver Walter Case Jr. engineering the winning strategy.

Cold Decked extended his current winning streak to five on Thursday. Shelley Gilpatrick photo.

Ever the tactician, Case secured the strategic second-over position in what would prove to be a rollicking mile, before the eight-horse field even reached the quarter-mile marker. Grinding with live cover, the tandem drafted effectively before swooping three-wide around the final turn, charging home handily to secure the one-length margin timed in 1:58.2, all to the cheers of the enthusiastic fairground crowd.

Cold Decked appears to have rounded into lifetime peak mode just as the Maine fair circuit purse structure has also reached its apex. Racing for purses that have ranged from $3,800 for his first winning hand at the Union Fair, to Thursday’s $6,500 Skowhegan offering, the streaking steed now boasts earnings of $13,000 in his last five starts.

Not too shabby for a midwestern colt far from home.

Live harness racing continues on Friday afternoon at Skowhegan with post time slated for 1 p.m. (EDT). The weeklong meet concludes with a 1 p.m. performance on Saturday which features the $15,000 renewal of the Hight Memorial Invitational.