July 15, 2024 — by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes (Holli Niles photos)
BANGOR, ME – Four $15,000-plus divisions of Maine Sire Stakes visited historic Bass Park in Bangor for a trotting extravaganza, with each division represented by the Downeast faithful.
The action began just before the regular card with a $15,758 non-betting race for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
Pembroke Will (Heath Campbell-Valerie Grondin) took command as the son of Pembroke Slugger inherited pylon position due to the early miscue of Carrabassett (Mark Athern-Gretchen Athearn). Pembroke Will cut sensible fractions of 30.1 and 1:02 with stable mate Chipper Dale (Drew Campbell) tracking along closely in second, with the trailer Carrbassett catching the field by the half.
As the troika approached the 1:33.1 third panel Carrbassett had jumped again while the Campbell brothers began their battle to the finish. At the head of the stretch Chipper Dale had poked a head in front and continued to gain ground through lane and prevailed over Pembroke Will by half a length in 2:03.
Trained by Valerie Grondin for owner-breeder Lynn-Marie Plouffe, the son of Shake It Off Lindy picked up his second win of the season and eighth career victory.
Interestingly, all three of these gentlemen trotters had been tied in the points standings, having traded 1-2-3 finishes the last three weeks.
Fifteen minutes later, in the $15,983 sophomore filly trot, trainer Valerie Grondin was back in the winner’s circle with Pembroke Breeze. Driver Heath Campbell sent that 3-year-old daughter of Pembroke Slugger out to the front and never looked back. Setting evenly rated fractions of 30, 1:00.1 and 1:30 the trotting lass was seemingly on cruise control as she gained separation with every stanza.
At the wire Pembroke Breeze was on top by six and scored in a lifetime best of 2:00.1, taking two and a fifth seconds off of her previous mark. Owned and bred by Bill Varney, it was her third win in a row. She paid just $2.20 as the 1-9 favorite, and has now thrust herself well atop the divisional point standings.
Twisted Venture (Mike Cushing-Charlene Cushing) finished second; My Saving Grace (Mark Athearn-Gretchen Athearn) was third.
While Team Grondin swept the 3-year-old divisions, Team Watson dominated the freshmen sets.
Whatawonder proved he was no fluke as he performed his second wire-to-wire romp in as many weeks, taking the $16,378 Maine Sire Stakes for 2-year-old male trotters.
Dashing away from the car like a hoppled pacer, driver Ken Watson had Whatawonder on top by four before the first turn. From that point on the son of Whataworkout needed no additional instructions as he led the field unabated and cruised home in 2:06.4, improving his win record from the week before.
Trained by Lisa Watson for owner-breeder Barbara Lawson, he paid $4.60 to win.
Liberty’s Wildcard (Walter Case Jr.-Marc Tardif) finished second; Katahdin Victor (Wally Watson-Lisa Watson) was third.
The final $16,166 Maine Sire Stakes for freshman distaff trotters was another episode of the Watson power hour as they sent Katahdin Mistress out for her first big victory of the season.
As the gate sprung several breakers caused a reshuffling of the deck which allowed Kenny Watson to put Lady Lake Marty on the front end. Heading into a 33 second opening panel, Wally Watson shot like a rocket down the backstretch with Katahdin Mistress to wrest command from his brother. The daughter of Victor Blue Chip was sent down the road from that point and proceeded to making every call a winning one as she hit the timer in 2:08.1, a new lifetime mark.
Owned and bred by James Kelley Jr. and Betsey Kelley, she is trained by Lisa Watson and paid $7.80 to win.
Little Shot (Ivan Davies) finished second; Lady Lake Marty was third.
The Maine Sire Stakes continues this week at Bangor with two $16,000-plus divisions for 2-year-old male pacers on Wednesday (July 17), and then ships south to Cumberland on Saturday (July 20) for the 2-year-old filly pacers.
For more information about the Maine Sire Stakes and the updated point standings, go to their website: https://www.mainesirestakes.com and follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation
