August 21, 2026, by Chris Tully, for Maine Sire Stakes
(Joe Shaw photos)
SKOWHEGAN, ME – Maine’s growing family of 2- and 3-year-old trotters found their way to the Skowhegan State Fair on Thursday (August 20), with all the usual suspects up to their same tricks.
Three of the four $17,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes were held before the regular card at Skowhegan, starting with the 2-year-old trotting fillies at 6 pm.
In that first, early Maine Sire Stake it was another easy victory for Princess Caledonia (Gary Hall) who led every step of the way to win handily in 2:07.1 by 1-1/2 lengths, padding her account to $36,966.
Co-owned, trained and driven by Gary Hall, the daughter of To The Hilt picked up her fourth seasonal win. Also owned by James Kelly Jr., Betsey Kelley and Kristina Hall, she was bred by Anita Anastosopoulos.
Cape Cod Friday (Dave Ingraham) stayed close to the action and finished second; stable mate Mikella Belle was third.
In the second $17,008 Maine Sire Stake for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings, once again it was driver Heath Campbell who sent Gus’s Workout to the front with Trottingfortreasure (Kevin Switzer Jr.) ducking in the two hole. Wilder N Idy (Mark Athearn) got away third as they hit the opening panel in a :31.1 in the fading twilight sun.
Gus’s Workout seemed pretty comfortable on the engine as Campbell rolled his charge to a 1:01.4 half. As has been his practice, when the pacesetters passed the third station in 1:32 Athearn had tipped Wilder N Idy to the outside to advance his position.
When the field hit the head of the stretch Wilder N Idy had improved to second with Gus’s Workout going offstride. Down the lane Wilder N Idy had the momentum and clear sailing to the wire, scoring in 2:01.3 and holding off the late charge of Trottinfortreasure by a quarter length.
Trained by Gretchen Athearn for owner Patricia Leavitt, the son of To The Hilt picked up his fifth win of the season. Bred by the late Mike Andrew, he now has 13 wins lifetime with $152,622 earned.
Gus’s Workout finished third.
In the third, early $17,135 Maine Sire Stake dash for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings, it was another typical wire-to-wire tour of the facility for the Watson’s U Know I Know.
Ken Watson steered the son of Whataworkout to his fifth consecutive win in a lifetime best-equaling 2:05.1, prevailing by 5-1/2 lengths over Pembroke Zagursky (Heath Campbell).
Trained by Lisa Watson for owner-breeder Barbara Lawson, the unbeaten divisional star now has $38,811 on his card in five lifetime starts.
Stable mate Race Me Bruno (Wally Watson) finished third.
In the final $17,261 division, raced as the opener on the pari-mutuel card, once again it was filly sensation Hayden who been virtually unstoppable since mid-July.
Trainer-driver Gary Hall controlled the tempo early with a :31.1 opening panel, sending the daughter of Cantab Fashion to a steady 1:02.1 half. Our Last Quote (Mike Cushing) was poised in the garden seat, while Race Me Boomer (Andy Harrington) tipped first over into a 1:33.4 third panel.
With the outer flow fading and Hall giving his star filly her head, the duo trotted home in :29.2 to a half-length victory over the pocket-sitting Out Last Quote in 2:03.1.
Owned and bred by Stephen Hall, it was the sixth seasonal victory for Hayden and her eighth lifetime, as she increased her bankroll to $94,101. She returned $3.00 on a two-dollar win ticket.
Race Me Boomer finished third.
Looking ahead, the harness racing action continues at Skowhegan over the weekend as the “State Fair” moves to matinee cards. The freshmen sidesteppers close out the week-long meet with the 2-year-old pacing fillies on Friday (Aug. 21) and their male counterparts on Saturday (Aug. 22).
For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow them on Facebook @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website: MaineSireStakes.com
