Riders of the Storm

Rides of the Storm:

Click here for pictures from the Paddock

SCARBOROUGH, ME 7-18-2008: During the finish stretch of Race 5 Friday night the sky grew dark as a front approached. The font was very clear and try as I might I was not lucky enough to get an image with breaking ligtening bolts. Doug Gray is driving Tyler Trouble.

(Picture to the left) Here you are seeing the view looking toward the Paddock, with Kim Ireland on Kerogen, and the storm is very pronounced. It appears that the area just past Scarborough Downs is getting hammered with strong microbursts.

The Scarborough Downs judges made the call that all horses warming up were to return to the paddock, and wait out the storm that appeared would be unleashing its might shortly. Here (Right) you see Jerry Watson on Mighty Dragon N taking the advice and returning.

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Cool shade of Blue

KDK Lemondrop Kid driven by Kevin Switzer at Bangor Raceways July 6th.

Terry Star Dragon, driven by Michael Graffam

Driven July 6th at Bangor Raceways. The Rest of the article!

Record Breaker Up Temp

Up Tempo lowers track record at Scarborough Downs:

7-17-2008: Scarborough, Maine – Track records continue to fall as the year-long speed show blazes forward at Scarborough Downs -- for the fourth time already this season track historians have been set to the task of rewriting the record books.

Up Tempo, a 3-year-old star of the Maine Standardbred Breeders’ Stakes trotting program left a deep impression on the assembled fan base on Thursday (July 17) as he lined up behind the Scarborough starting gate to contest a $10,107 stakes division. He set sail early off the car to forge dazzling fractions of 29.2 – 59.3 – 1:30.1 en route stopping the tele-timer in a breath-catching 2:00-4/5th, thereby setting a brand new career speed standard and claiming his 3rd consecutive victory in MSBS competition.

Up Temp now becomes the fastest winner on the trot in the history of the Maine Breeders’ Stakes program, erasing Ichiban’s long-held previous mark of 2:01.1 recorded back in 1999.

He also obliterated the Scarborough Downs track record for 3-year-old geldings of 2:04.3 which had been held since 1997 by ImAGingerBreadMan and driver Dominic Watson.

Up Tempo, a son of Boy Band, one of Maine’s newest trotting stallions, is proudly owned by Michael Andrew of Gorham, Maine and is trained and driven by state of Maine colt specialist Gordon Corey.

“His mother, A Virtue, was a great mare and has produced well” owner Michael Andrew said “ She produced the 2006 Three–year-old Maine Stakes champion Forward Momentum, but I think the Boy Band blood has made her get even faster.”

“He likes to race” Andrew continued “He doesn’t like other horses to beat him. So far so good but we’d sure like to repeat a mile like this during the finals in October.”

The Maine Standardbred Breeders’ Stakes continue throughout the summer season at various venues in the state of Maine and culminate with finals during “Super Stakes Weekend” on October 11 and 12 at Scarborough Downs.

Stakes action returns to the Downs on Saturday (July 19) as the MSBS 2-year-old colt pacers make their 2008 debut with three divisions racing for nearly $28,000 in purse money.
Scarborough Downs proudly features live harness racing every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening at 4:15 pm (EDT). The popular Sunday matinees feature a 1:30 pm post time. .


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Christmas in July: (not really but thank you Drew)

This is a picture from Scarborough Downs of Drew Campbell when Santa Clause paid him a visit in the winners circle. I had all I could do to not laugh, when Santa asked Drew if he had been naughty or nice. The answer, I am a lot nicer now that I have the check from this win. Drew was very happy to have the visit from Santa, and even though the weather was grim (rain and fog) it made the day a little better for all.

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Mildred Williams Womens Driving Series - You Go Girl

Maine Harness Race Driver Stacey Lord will be driving in two legs of the Mildred Williams Driving Challenge at Saratoga New York’s Saratoga Raceways on Saturday July 19th.

Stacey Lord of Sebago Maine will be driving pacer Ms-Ayse Bluegrass (from the 6th hole) in the first race and pacer Pocket Vance N (from the rail position or the one hole).

The Mildred Williams Driving Challenge started by Ottawa horsewoman Ann Curran, the Mildred Williams International Women’s Driving Series is designed to promote the sport of harness racing toward the un-sung hero’s of the sport, the women. This series provides young women with the opportunity to participate and honor a female pioneer of harness racing Mildred Williams.

After Saratoga Raceways the series invades New England with Maine’s Scarborough Downs on July 27th, New Hampshires Rockingham Park on August 3nd, before moving to Massachusetts’s Plainridge Racecourse on August 4th.

The three finals are held at Harrah’s Chester Racetrack November 5th, Dover Downs November 6th and Rosecroft Raceways November 7th, the current leaders (as of July 6ths points standing) are Ann Karin Larsen 82 Points (15 races), Elisabeth Jansen with 60 Points, Anne Marie Turenne 59 points, and Kelly Case (Maine’s Walter Case Jr’s sister) with 55 Points.

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Kevin Switzer Jr. bagged his first grand slam at Scarborough Downs on Saturday July 12th. Winning on Son Of Arturo, Do It All, Arden's Heritage, and Prince Rama N.

"Kevie's had three-win days before but never a four-bagger." said proud mother Patricia Switzer.

"His father (Kevin Switzer) has kidded him about it telling him he hasn't stepped up to the next level yet. It was kind of ironic that it was the old man he nosed out to get that fourth win under his belt. They'll have plenty to talk about on the way back home tonight."

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Saturday CKG Billings Series coverage

With the results of the C.K.G. Billings Amateur contests on Saturday, July 12 it was sort of "the rich get richer" as both regional point leaders, Steve "You're Never Too" Oldford (Midwest) and Todd "the Downeaster" Whitney (East) were each
victorious in their respective regional events.

In all, three Midwest Region Billings races were contested at Raceway Park on July 12 while that same day, two events of the "Grand Circuit of Amateur Driving" were raced at Scarborough Downs in the Eastern region.

At Raceway Park Oldford scored an easy three length triumph with his recent purchase Eng Amer Bobby with a solid 2:01 effort in the last of the three Midwest regional events.

Oldford took command after the half and coasted home an easy winner over Absolute Resolve and driver "Trader Bud" Hatfield. Third place went to Callico Cat and driver "Tar Heel Tom" Williams, last years Billings point champion who was driving in the series for the first time there at Raceway Park.

Also making his Billings seasonal debut was Kelly "Sky" Walker and he made it a winning one guiding his own Dream of Pearls to a 2:01 victory over No Mon No Fun with Mike "the Vet" Caston at the controls.

After stalking Caston's trotter to the three quarters Walker moved Eng-Amer Bobby to the lead on the final turn and finished a two-length winner ove No Mon No Fun. Bob "the Lumberman" Troyer took home the show dough with Candacraigh.

But Troyer also got his picture taken that night after he reined Ima Spur to a gate to wire 2:01:3 victory over ABS Speedy Hall and driver "Tiny Tim' Miller in the other Billings division. "Lawbook Larry" Farley hustled Prime Number home for the show dough after the trotter made a break before the start.

Meanwhile at Scarborough Downs "The Downeaster" rushed Texas TNT for the lead from the eight-hole but Vladimir "Butch" Melnichenko, driving Best Way, carried Whitney's trotter nearly to the half way point before he yielded command.

Once on top, and despite being parked to the half, Texas TNT strolled home a length winner in a time of 2:04 over Chapri, with Scott "the Driving Doctor" Woogen at the reins. Melnichenko's, Best Way faded but held on for third money.

The other Scarborough Downs split saw George "the Brooklyn Cowboy" Casale score a short head victory with Earl Vic Dol in a 2:03 clocking when they held off a last charge by Dua Don N and driver "Fast Phillipe" Trudeau. Whitney guided the Malabar Touch home third best in that contest.

It marked the first seasonal Billings triumph for Casale and the 25th of his amateur career.

On Sunday, July 13 two eastern region Billings races will be contested at Bangor Raceway in Bangor, Maine.

John Manzi, Billings Publicist

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