WINGATE, N.C. — Former Maine pacing sire Sweet Dragon, 33, was laid to rest on Monday (Sept. 2) from the infirmities of old age at Olive Branch Farm in North Carolina.
A former leading Maine pacing sire Sweet Dragon p,2,1:54.4 ($232,392) was a multiple sub-1:53 sire and sired the winners of over $4.69 million in the Pine Tree State.
A half-brother to Hall of Fame broodmare Sweet Future, he was a son of Breeders Crown winner Dragon’s Lair, and was the first foal from the Nero mare Sweet Dahrlin p,3,1:55.4 ($169,163).
Olive Branch Farm owner-operator Chris Coyle stated, “He was special horse that I helped raise during my years at Walnridge Farm in New Jersey. I got to watch him finish 2nd in the 1993 Woodrow Wilson with Jim Doherty driving for trainer Polie Mallar and owner Dr. Binette. He went on to be a leading Maine pacing sire for many years under the management of Lynn-Marie Plouffe at her Dupuis Farm in Saco.”
SWEET DRAGON with (L. to R.) former trainer Polie Mallar, Chris Coyle, Mr. & Mrs. Pat Leavitt.
In 2012 he was adopted by Chris Coyle, his breeder Seth Rosenfeld, and trainer Polie Mallar and got to live a long, happy life at Olive Branch as a baby sitter to many yearling colts.
Coyle added, “We adopted him from the Standardbred Retirement Foundation of NJ, an organization that does a wonderful job placing horses in good homes lead by Judy Bokman.”
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
September 2, 2024 — by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes (Holli Niles photos)
WINDSOR, ME – The 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers highlighted the Labor Day weekend Maine Sire Stakes at Windsor Fair on Sunday (September 1) with a pair of $19,000-plus divisions where the top horse in the division continued his winning ways.
Two Fold Cold needs no introduction to the Downeast faithful as the Marc Tardif-trained son of Deuce Seelster has dominated the sophomore pacing ranks throughout the season. Sunday was no exception as the unbeaten gelding provided for a thrilling finish to extend his streak to seven sire stakes events and eight on the season.
Scoring from pylon position in the early $19,466 non-wagering race, driver Kevin Switzer Jr. floated away from the car and set comfortable fractions of 31.1 and 1:01.3 before increasing the tempo. While Justcallmebuck (Heath Campbell) was tracking closely in the pocket, the third panel was recorded in a swifter 1:31.2, which prompted the challenger to pop the deuce and advance uncovered on the outside and through the turn.
At the head of the stretch stablemate Arts Flight (Andy Harrington) was looking for racing room up the inside, while Justcallmebuck was bearing down on the leader in mid-stretch. Seemingly unconcerned, Switzer was hand driving his charge down to the wire for a photo finish.
When the dust settled, Two Fold Cold had done it again, prevailing by a neck margin in 2:00.3 over Justcallmebuck. Owned and trained by Marc Tardif, it was the star’s 12th lifetime victory, which raised his career earnings to $107,074. He was bred by Gary and Kristina Hall.
Arts Flight finished third.
In the other $19,691 division for 3-year-old male pacers, carded as race one at Windsor Fair, driver Walter Case Jr. left alertly with Wes’s Challenge while rebuffing the advancement of Hesjustadelight and Ron Cushing into a 28.3 opening panel.
While the co-favorites were 1-2 heading into the 1:00 softer half, Oakleypopsthedeuce (McGwire Sowers) brushes from fourth to challenge the leader first up and got to his throat latch before the 5/8’s pole.
Case spurned that encounter before reaching the 1:30 third panel, with Hesjustadelight locked in the box and Whats For Suppaah (Aaron Hall) blasting three wide on the outside around the final turn.
With Oakleypopsthedeuce fading Cushing found a seam with Hesjustadelight as they turned for home and charged down the lane to prevail in another thrilling photo finish. The margin for win was a head over Wes’s Challenge in 2:00.1.
Trained by Heidi Cushing for owners Ron Cushing, Lynn-Marie Plouffe (breeder), Anthony Romanelli & Joseph Romanelli, the son of Western Maverick picked up his second victory of the season. He paid $4.40 to win and increased his lifetime earnings to $115,984.
Whats For Suppaah finished third.
The Maine Sire Stakes concludes at Windsor Fair on Labor Day Monday (Sept. 2) with the sophomore filly pacers. The Maine-bred program returns to Bangor on Wednesday (Sept. 4) for the 2-year-old male pacers and then Saturday (Sept. 7) for all four divisions of trotters.
For more information about the Maine Sire Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website: https://www.mainesirestakes.com
September 1, 2024 — by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes (Holli Niles photos)
WINDSOR, ME – Freshmen trotting phenom Whatawonder has continued his wondrous run of dominance, taking his seventh consecutive victory on Saturday (Aug. 31) at Maine’s Windsor Fair.
In his $19,558 division of the Maine Sire Stakes for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings, the son of Whataworkout did what he always does, take the top and never look back. Driven to his wire-to-wire romp by Ken Watson, the talented gelding maintained a formidable lead throughout the mile and trotted home by four lengths in 2:03.4, a new lifetime best.
Trained by Lisa Watson for owner-breeder Barbara Lawson, it was Whatawonder’s sixth straight stakes victory. His lifetime earnings through seven career starts has now reached $52,059.
Liberty’s Wildcard (Kevin Switzer Jr.) finished second; stable mate Katahdin Victory (Wally Watson) was third in the first of three non-wagering events held before the regular card at Windsor.
$19,483 was on the line when four sophomore trotting fillies went postward in their division of the Maine Sire Stakes. With points leader Pembroke Breeze taking the week off, it was smooth sailing for My Saving Grace and Team Athearn as they enjoyed a coast-to-coast voyage around the Windsor oval.
Driver Mark Athearn had 3-1/2 lengths on the field when he tripped the timer in 2:06.2. Trained by Gretchen Athearn for owner Margaret Thyng, the daughter of Shake It Off Lindy picked up her third seasonal victory. She was bred in Maine by Leighton Property and now has $93,774 in career earnings.
A little shuffling of the deck occurred in the $19,483 3-year-old colt and gelding trot as the Valerie Grondin-trained Pembroke Will (Heath Campbell) prevailed from off the pace to grab his second win of the season.
Pacesetting Carrabassett (Mark Athearn) appeared to have things his own way while setting comfortable fractions of 31, 1:03.1 and 1:34.1 while maintaining a two-length margin.
However, the leader was engulfed by Team Grondin entrants at the head of the stretch as Chipper Dale and Drew Campbell, who were looking for their fifth straight win, looked Carrabassatt right in the eye. But, it was Heath Campbell and Pembroke Will that had the extra brush at the end to overtake both combatants and grab the victory in 2:05 by half a length.
Owned and bred by Bill Varney, the son of Pembroke Slugger increased his lifetime earnings to $106,504.
Carrabassett finished second; Chipper Dale was third.
The sole Maine Sire Stakes wagering event on the Saturday (Aug. 31) afternoon Windsor card saw seven 2-year-old trotting fillies vying for the $19,841 purse.
Little Shot (Ivan Davies) grabbed the point while 6-5 favorite Barbella (Bruce Ranger) protected the two-hole as Blizzard’s Fury (Switzer) charged out from post six but jumped it off in the turn.
Heading into the 31.4 opening panel, Blizzard’s Fury was back trotting and moving up first over from sixth and trying to play ‘catch up.’ By the 1:03.4 half-mile marker, Blizzard’s Fury was rolling swiftly and already alongside the pocket-sitting Barbella.
As the field moved down the backstretch the final time, Switzer and Blizzard’s Fury had gained a half-length advantage over the pacesetting Little Shot into a 1:36.1 third stanza. Around the turn Blizzard’s Fury had taken command and increased the tempo as Lady Lake Marty (Ken Watson) made a furious bid to catch the new leader.
The wire arrived just in time as Blizzard’s Fury held on to win by a quarter length in 2:07.1. Trained by Marc Tardif for owner-breeder Leighton Property, it was the second win in six starts for the daughter of Whataworkout. She paid $19.00 to win.
Barbella finished third.
The Maine Sire Stakes continues with the 3-year-old male pacers on Sunday (Sept. 1), and concludes at Windsor Fair on Labor Day Monday (Sept. 2) with the sophomore filly pacers. The Maine-bred program returns to Bangor on Wednesday (Sept. 4) for the 2-year-old male pacers.
For more information about the Maine Sire Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website: https://www.mainesirestakes.com
