September 24, 2026, by Chris Tully, for Maine Sire Stakes
(Joe Shaw photo)
FARMINGTON, ME – With the Maine Sire Stakes back on the Pine Tree State’s famed fair circuit all four divisions of 2- and 3-year-old trotters found their way to the Farmington Fair on Wednesday (September 23) for five $16,000-plus divisions of the diagonally gaited set.
The only $17,035 pari-mutuel race for freshmen male trotters witnessed Heath Campbell send Pembroke Zagursky right to the top while 2-5 favorite U Know I Know (Ken Watson) made a break at the start.
Campbell arrived at the first station in :29.4 with a six length advantage, while Come On Charlie (Mark Athearn) was making up ground to close the pocket gap by the time they hit the half in 1:01.3.
Back on stride U Know I Know was out and rolling first over in third when the pacesetter hit the third panel in 1:31.4. At that point Campbell sent his charge on a faster path to the finish, posting a :30 final quarter and winning by 10-1/2 open lengths.
It was the second straight score for the son of Pembroke Slugger who took a new 2:01.4 record and returned $5.40.
Trained by Valerie Grondin for owner Brenda Varney, he was bred in Maine by the late Bill Varney.
U Know I Know rallied for second; Race Me Bruno was third.
A pair of $16,000-plus non-wagering events for 3-year-old trotting fillies resulted in wire-to-wire efforts for both Out Last Quote (Steve Wilson-Charlene Cushing) who picked up her second consecutive win and a new record in 2:01.2, and Hayden (Gary Hall) who found redemption after an uncharacteristic miscue in her last outing to stroll home a winner in 2:05.1.
In the $16,783 Maine Sire Stake for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings, Wilder N Idy (Mark Athearn-Gretchen Athearn) got back to his winning ways, nearly equaling his lifetime mark with a 2:00.3 triumph.
For 2-year-old trotting fillies in the $16,681 dash Princess Caledonia rolled from pillar to post in 2:05 for trainer-driver Gary Hall.
Looking ahead, the Maine Sire Stakes action continues at Farmington with the 2-year-old filly pacers on Jug Day Thursday (Sept. 24), followed by their male counterparts on Friday (Sept. 25). Then the series transitions to the Cumberland Fair with the sophomores racing Sept. 29 through Oct. 2 and then the lucrative Freshman Finals slated for Saturday, October 3.
For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow them on Facebook @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website: MaineSireStakes.com
