August 31, 2025, by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes
(Joe Shaw photos)
WINDSOR, ME – A couple of $17,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 2-year old pacing fillies were part of the Windsor Fair festivities on Saturday (Aug. 30) with the unbeaten lass Snowonthepines retaining her unblemished record.
In the first $17,123 Maine Sire Stakes for freshmen filly sidesteppers, driver Kevin Switzer Jr. sent the daughter of Dude’s The Man right out to the front, and never looked back. Scoring from post four the top divisional star got every Mike Sweeney call as she breezed through early fractions of :29.3 and 1:01.1 with no pressure from the other participants.
Ekorus (Nick Graffam) sat tight on the pacesetter’s helmet through the first half, but failed to retain his position which forced Perfectly Lovely (Aaron Hall) to move first over into a 1:32.1 third panel. Turning for home Snowonthepines had a comfortable three length lead over the rest of the field, who were all trying to play catch up.
While Ekorus and Perfectly Lovely battled valiantly behind them, Switzer Jr. and Snowonthepines paced effortlessly across the wire in 2:02.1, still on top by a confident 2-1/4 lengths, to take her sixth straight victory.
Trained by Marc Tardif for owner/breeder Leighton Property, she paid $3.40 to win.
Ekorus finished second; Perfectly Lovely was third.
In the second $17,299 division for 2-year-old pacing fillies trainer Tardif and driver Switzer Jr. attempted a sweep of series by sending Dudelookslikeafily out to an early lead and took the field through the first split in :30.2.
McKenna Jeanne (Heath Campbell) was tracking along nicely in second with Just Delightful (Ron Cushing) sitting third. As the field passed the half in 1:01.3 McKenna Jeanne got a little headstrong and jumped off stride allowing first-time starter Just Delightful to inherit the pocket.
Heading into the 1:32 third panel Dudelookslikeafily saw her lead evaporate as Just Delightful challenged on the outside and ultimately overtook the pacesetter.
Blasting home, the daughter of Western Maverick won her first lifetime start in 2:03.1 by three lengths.
Trained by Heidi Cushing for owners R. Cushing, S. Downey and A.J. & J.J. Romanelli, she paid $5.40 to win. Just Delightful was bred in Maine by Lynne-Marie Plouffe.
Dudelookslikeafily hung on for second; Artistic Girl (Andy Harrington) was third.
The Maine Sire Stakes continues at the Windsor Fair with the 3-year-old filly pacers on Sunday (Aug. 31) and then the 2-year-old colt pacers to close out the long weekend on Monday (Sept. 1).
For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website: https://www.mainesirestakes.com
