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
