Skowhegan, ME – On a sultry Monday (Aug. 11) afternoon at the Skowhegan State Fair, the water truck worked yeomen’s duty to dampen the stone dust, the lemonade stand and beer garden provided much needed libation, and the grass on the infield baked a deeper shade of brown. And a 10-race harness racing program was contested before an enthusiastic, if somewhat clammy, crowd as the post-time temperature rose steadily into the 90s.
Hunch players found a profitable way to beat the heat though, hitting the jackpot early in the program when the aptly named When Urhot Urhot (2:00.1-$13) scorched to his second career victory over what has become his apparent favorite racing venue.
Sitting third along the pegs, driver/trainer Michael Cushing was content to track the early pace set by the 14-year-old Bali (Heath Campbell) as the field navigated the raceway like a caravan crossing the desert. Tripping out through the dusty lane, Cushing’s charge swelled up in the stretch, striving toward the oasis of the wire by the eventual winning margin of a head.
“It’s kind of poetic that he should win on a hot day like today,” Cushing remarked. “I’m sure many of those win bets were made on him because of his name. But he really does like racing at Skowhegan. His only other win came here last year and his co-owner, Robin Gray, who has worked with me forever, went to Skowhegan High School. So, I guess it’s sort of a reunion week when we bring him back to town.”
Monday’s win secured a spot in the final of the Behind The Gate late closing series for When Urhot Urhot. The final will be conducted at the Windsor Fair during the last week of August.
In other Skowhegan news, Kevin Switzer Jr. continued to scorch the oval, securing four driving wins on Monday’s card as he followed up on a five-win performance during Skowhegan’s opening card on Sunday. Switzer now boasts 19 top-tallies accumulated over the course of the seven most recent fairground sessions held in Maine.
Driver Michael Stevenson and trainer Marianna Monaco teamed up to work some fairground magic on Monday, scoring two wins and a runner-up placing from three afternoon starts. Their conquests, all contested in gallant gate-to-wire fashion, included Bare Bone (1:57.4-$4.20), who won for the third time this season; Premier Joy A (1:59.3-$7.20), who won for the 44th time in his career; and the 14-year-old veteran Archetto Hanover ($4.60 to place), who finished second (by a tantalizingly scant nose) for the 71st time in his career.
Racing action at Skowhegan will head under the lights on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with post time slated for 7 p.m. The fair will then close out its seven-day meeting with 1 p.m. sessions Friday and Saturday.
For those not able to come to the track, wagering on the Skowhegan Fair will be available on most major wagering platforms including Hollywood Races at www.hollywoodraces.com as well as at all state of Maine off-track betting parlors.
The video for Skowhegan’s races will be live-streamed on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@mainefairharnessracing and the live audio of Skowhegan’s cards will be available along the online radio network of Mix Maine Media at The Mix 107.9 FM, True Country 93.5 FM, and THE Score 1160 AM as well as online at www.mixmaine.com.