September 4, 2025, by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes
(Hollianne Niles photos)

BANGOR, ME – Undefeated sophomore pacing phenom Massive Speed added another notch to his belt on Wednesday (Sept. 3) at Bangor Raceway, showing his heels to the field in his $17,000-plus division of the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

Presented before the regular card the $17,212 purse brought the son of Dude’s The Man back to the Queen City oval where his regular pilot Aaron Hall sent him to the front and never looked back.

Setting fractions of :28.3 and 58.3 to the opening panels, stable mate Dawn To Dark (Andy Harrington) stuck close to his helmet with Gracies Tough Guy (Dave Ingraham) the first horse to enter the outer flow.

As the field passed the third station in 1:28 Dave Ingraham had Gracies Tough Guy in lock step with the precocious pacesetter, however, the divisional dynamo had other ideas and stepped into another gear and pulled away from his stalkers.

Tripping the timer in 1:57, the effort shaved a tick off the gelding’s lifetime best, earning him a new time badge as he prevailed by 2-1/2 lengths.

Trained by Marc Tardif and owned by Leighton Property, it was Massive Speed’s ninth consecutive victory and 19th lifetime win.  His seasonal total now reads $62,239, with his lifetime earnings now at $196,769.  He was bred in Maine by Laurie Harding.

Dawn To Dark finished second; Gracies Tough Guy was third.

In the second $17,212 division John Nason sent Ridgecrest Dan out for an early lead from his pylon starting position, but was initially thwarted by Heath Campbell and This Dude’s Perfect who were the swiftest off the car. 

Once in command past the :29.3 opening panel Ridgecrest Dan enjoyed a two length advantage at the 1:01 midway point.  Cheatin Fate (Andy Harrington) applied pressure first over and was at the pacesetter’s throat latch as the field rolled past the third stanza in 1:30 flat.

Down the stretch This Dude’s Perfect found a swifter speed and passed the pacesetter to prevail in 1:59.2, a maiden-breaking effort.

Trained by Valerie Grondin for owner/breeder Lynn-Marie Plouffe who co-owns with Brenda Varney, the son of Dude’s The Man finally found the winner’s circle after 14 lifetime outings.

Ridgecrest Dan finished second; Cheatin Fate was third.

The Maine Sire Stakes continues at Bangor with the freshmen pacing fillies on Saturday (Sept. 6) and all the 2- and 3-year-old trotters on Sunday (Sept. 7).

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

September 2, 2025, by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes
(Joe Shaw photos)

WINDSOR, ME – Maine’s 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings made their second spin around the historic Windsor Fair oval on Labor Day Monday (Sept. 1) with the results exactly the same as the week before.

With the pair of $17,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for freshmen male sidesteppers closing out the extended stretch of harness racing at Windsor, all eyes were upon the unbeaten phenom Real Horrorshow in the first non-wagering event.

Vying for bragging rights and $17,123 in purse money, six boys lined up behind the Wes Brown starting gate en route to another successful performance by the Kevin Switzer Jr.-driven and Kevin Switzer Sr.-trained son of Dude’s The Man.  When the wings folded the swift youngster sped out to the top from post five, just like he has done seven times before, and reached the quarter in :29.3.

Daytoremember (Heath Campbell) sat in a close pocket with Nuh Uh (Aaron Hall) tracking along in third as the field hit the half in 1:00.3.

As the pacesetter, who has never seen the back of a helmet, and his tracker put some separation on the rest of the field, Real Horrorshow had Daytoremember looking over his shoulder as they reached the third panel in 1:30.2.  On the outside while rounding the turn Heath Campbell and his charge were as close to the undefeated Real Horrowshow as any other horse has ever been, chasing him down to the wire in 1:58.4.

Owned by KDK Standardbreds, Kathleen Mofield and Anthony Sivik Jr., it was a new lifetime mark for the seven-time winner.  Prevailing by a measured half of a length, and increasing his bankroll to $48,842, he was bred in Maine by Luke and Patricia Varnum. 

Nuh Uh finished third.

In the second $17,124 division Wowzah Clousah was sent to the top from his pylon-hugging starting position by regular driver Mike Cushing, spurning a potential overtake by the fast-leaving Dude’s The Jet and Switzer Jr.

Cushing took the field past the opening panel in :29.2 with Ghost Of Winter (Andy Harrington) first over and providing cover for Itsjustmoney (Aaron Hall) into a 1:00.4 midway point.

Down the backstretch the second time Ghost Of Winter had reached the pacesetter’s throat latch and was applying significant pressure before going off stride and relinquishing any further advancement. 

Past the 1:30.1 third stanza and into the turn, with Itsjustmoney floating on the outside, Switzer Jr. pushed Dude’s The Jet out through a negligible seam to daylight and rolled past Wowzah Clousah to capture the victory in 2:00.4 by three parts of a length.

Trained by Marc Tardif for owners Leighton Property and Victoria Leighton, it was the colt’s second straight victory.  He was bred in Maine by Fred Decker.

Deuces Red (Dave Ingraham) rallied to be third.

The Maine Sire Stakes reconvenes with the sophomore pacing colts and geldings as the series transitions to Bangor on Wednesday (Sept. 3), followed by the freshmen pacing fillies on Saturday (Sept. 6) and all the 2- and 3-year-old trotters on Sunday (Sept. 7).

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

September 1, 2025, by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes
(Joe Shaw photos)

WINDSOR, ME – For the second time this season Windsor Fair hosted two $17,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies.  The encore performances on Sunday (Aug. 31) pitted several of the division’s leading competitors against one another, with each trying to make their own case for class supremacy. 

During the first $17,202 division for sophomore pacing distaffs the Maine faithful witnessed their 4/5 favorite Lysiun scoot out to an early lead, towing the pack through a :29.3 opening panel.  The daughter of Dude’s The Man, making her second start back after a month-long hiatus, had put three lengths between her and the pocket-sitting Chasing Dudes and Nick Graffam.

By the :59.3 midway marker Lysiun appeared to be well in command, with the pocket sitter filling in the gap through the third-quarter in 1:29.4.  Graffam tipped Chasing Dudes (3/2) to the outside around the final turn to engage the pacesetter who made an unsettling break while rounding the seven-eighths marker.

Chasing Dudes went on to win in 2:00.2 by 2-1/2 lengths having avoided the fracas around the final turn.  Trained and co-owned by Mike Graffam, who shares ownership with breeder Bob Marston, it was the filly’s second straight victory and fourth of the season.  Her lifetime earnings have now eclipsed $154,000, and she paid $5.00 to win.

Dudes Pretty Chick (4-1, Heath Campbell) finished second; Lysiun held on for third.

In the second $17,201 division the leading point earning filly in the division, Leanne Marie (9/5), was given her head and she responded by pacing right to the top for driver Mike Cushing.  Post time favorite Glorilla (4/5, Aaron Hall) ducked in the two hole with Whisper Of Luck (5-1, Andy Harrington) sitting third past the :30 second opening panel.

There was no movement through the 1:01.1 half-mile point, with Leanne Marie enjoying a comfortable 1-1/2 length advantage.  While heading to the 1:31 third panel Aaron Hall tipped Glorilla, who is came into the race on a three-race win streak, but then jumped off stride while engaging the leader around the final turn.

With Glorilla out of the picture the pocket-inheriting Whisper Of Luck made a hard charge on the outside, and Ruff Dude’s Jena (28-1, Dave Ingraham) snuck up the inside to make it a three-horse photo finish at the wire.

Leanne Marie did prevail by a tight half of a length in 2:01.  Trained by Charlene ‘Sherry’ Cushing who co-owns and bred with Pamela Smith and Jane DiPompo, the daughter of Artistic Fella picked up her fifth win of the season and pushed her sophomore bankroll to $48,188.  She paid $5.60 to win.

Whisper Of Luck finished second; Ruff Dude’s Jena was third.

The Maine Sire Stakes concludes at the Windsor Fair with the 2-year-old colt pacers on Monday (Sept. 1), the final day of Labor Day weekend.  Sophomore pacing colts and gelding head back to Bangor on Wednesday (Sept. 3).

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