September 3, 2024 — by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes
(Holli Niles photos)

WINDSOR, ME – Two $19,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old filly pacers closed out the harness racing at Windsor Fair on Labor Day Monday (September 2) where top filly Gowestyounggrace picked up her seventh straight victory.

Scoring from post two driver Dave Ingraham never had an anxious moment with the talented daughter of Western Maverick.  The pair set comfortable fractions of 29.4 and 1:00.3 while pacing effortlessly to the opening half through an eerily unique silence. 

The silence of the crowd and the announcer was not due to any technical malfunction, but as a tribute to the late Bill Ellis, the former track announcer for many of the Maine Fairs and president of the New England Chapter of the U.S. Harness Writers.  Mike Cushing proclaimed after the ‘silent half’ that Bill Ellis was perhaps “calling that race from up above.”

With Gowestyounggrace calling all the shots, and Mike Cushing back calling all the action, the rest of the field was feverishly trying to catch the 1-5 pacesetter.  Pocket-sitting Emma Rozze (Heath Campbell) was well-positioned at the 1:30.2 third panel with Ghost Of You (Kevin Switzer Jr.) moving first over.

As the field turned for home the top filly was asked for a little more and responded with a 28.3 final quarter to win by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:59.  Trained by Fred Ward Jr. who co-owns and bred with his wife Sharon Ward, it was the eighth seasonal victory and 13th overall for the career winner of $130,805.  She paid $2.40 to win the first division with a purse of $19,921.

Emma Rozze finished second; Who’s Perfect (Aaron Hall) was third.

The second $19,922 division witnessed My Sweet Revenge exacting retribution against her colleagues as she took matters into her own hands and scored from off the pace.

When the gate sprung Walter Case Jr. sent 4-5 favorite Mrs Foxy Roxy right to the top from post two and set a 29.4 first quarter, with Pembroke Red (Heath Campbell) giving chase in the pocket.  The field was in single file position as they passed the stands the first time and clocked 1:00.4 to the half. 

With Case looking for his third win in a row with the pacesetting bettor’s choice, he increased the tempo to a 1:30.1 with My Sweet Revenge now first over and challenging with stable mate Animore Sass (Andy Harrington) right behind them second up.

Round the turn they paced with My Sweet Revenge gaining ground with every stride to cause a mild upset and prevail by two lengths in 1:59.3.

Trained by Marc Tardif for owner Leighton Property, the daughter of Western Maverick took a new lifetime mark while winning her second race of the season.  She paid $5.80 to win, and was bred in Maine by Laurie Harding and Reginald Duguay.

Animore Sass was a fast closing second; Mrs Foxy Roxy hung on for third.

The Maine Sire Stakes returns to Bangor on Wednesday (Sept. 4) for the 2-year-old male pacers, continues Saturday (Sept. 7) for all four divisions of trotters and Sunday (Sept. 8) with the 2-year-old filly pacers.

For more information about the Maine Sire Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website:  https://www.mainesirestakes.com