by Mike Sweeney, publicity director, Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME — Western Victory, in a sterling prep for his upcoming New York Sire Stakes engagements, blazed to a track record at Scarborough Downs on Saturday (May 28), completing the course in 1:55.3.

The 3-year-old son of Western Terror now holds bragging rights as the fastest colt of his age bracket to parade victorious at the Southern Maine harness venue.

Michael Newman photo

Driver Jimmy Hardy hustled Western Victory to the lead and never looked back as the 3-year-old colt set a new track record at Scarborough.

Driver/trainer Jimmy Hardy quickly hustled Western Victory to the lead and never looked back as the precocious sophomore extended further on to the lead with each and every stride, pacing a crystal back half of :57.3 en route to a 12 length margin of victory.

“He got a little lazy just past the half,” said Hardy. “He thought the race was over, but he went a strong second half for us. We talked about it earlier in the week and we all agreed that if he felt good, we’d take a shot and go for the record today.”

Western Victory’s performance supplanted the previous standard held by Katahdin Boy in 1:56, set last summer in a Maine Sire Stakes event.

Owned by Joel Wheeler of Pepperell, Mass., Western Victory now heads to the Empire State for an upcoming New York Sire Stakes engagement on June 9 at Monticello Raceway. Saturday’s speedy half-mile track record performance at Scarborough should certainly stand the colt in good stead as he heads west and hopefully to victory at the half-mile Catskill oval.