If you are planning an afternoon at the races at one of Maine’s final agricultural fairs or extended race meets, there’s a whole bunch to choose from over the Labor Day weekend.
Harness racing is scheduled at Windsor Fair, Scarborough Downs and Blue Hill Fair. The annual Springfield Fair also operates this weekend with no harness racing.
On Friday’s 10-race program at Windsor, three divisions of the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies will head to post in the weekly lucrative summer series competition. One division is programmed as a non-wagering event, to be raced after the second race, and carries a $2,583 purse. The other two divisions will be raced as wagering events ($2,583 and $2,743) in the first and seventh races. Post time is 3 p.m.
On Saturday at Windsor, the feature of the 10-race program will be the final two divisions of the MSBS 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings, being contested over the mile distance. The non-bettor goes for $2,445 while the second stakes division is programmed as the first race, a betting event for $2,605. Windsor hosted the other 2- and 3-year-old pacing and trotting divisions earlier this week. The 2-year-old finals are scheduled at Scarborough Downs on Sept. 12.
Windsor’s 10-dash Sunday program will feature the $4,280 Arthur B. McGee Memorial Final. Two winners from last week’s elimination heats return for the final and have drawn the third and seventh positions. Sinn Fein, who won his elimination heat in 1:58.2 last week with Glen Deletetsky, will return and Walter Case Jr. is scheduled to drive Fein from the three hole.
Another heat winner is Lindwood Cyclone, who was ushered into the winner’s circle by Donny Richards in 1:59.2. Cyclone returns with Leigh Fitch handling the driving chores from the seventh hole. Rounding out the field in order of position are: Moving Story, Hopper Wellwood, Untold Riches, Wally G, Joann’s First and Shrewed Dude.
Windsor’s Sunday program also features a $3,500 preferred trot (fifth race) and a $3,500 preferred pace (ninth race). One of Maine’s best-known trotters, Indianapolis (lifetime 1:55.1) returns for the preferred trot and is scheduled to be driven by Case from the sixth position. The remainder of the field, from the rail out, are: All Time Yankee, Mighty Curt, Corky’s Boy, Joie Windswept, Jericho and Hy Tymes Lobelia.
The ninth race, a preferred pace, features a swift field of eight entries who have all raced in under two minutes this year. From the rail position out, they include: Deeper In Dept (1:58), Jigtime Rambo (1:59), Philip Down (1:58.1), Beasley Avenue (1:57.1), Dovers Kojak (1:56.4), Nice Try (1:52.3), Fast Fritz (1:57.3) and Maewood (1:58). Post time for Saturday and Sunday is 1:30 p.m.
On Monday, Windsor will race the final program of its nine-day fair and race meet. The feature event on Labor Day will be the $5,000 John Loiko Memorial, an invitational pace. Post time is 1 p.m.
SCARBOROUGH DOWNS has reinstituted the President’s Pace for its three-day Labor Day weekend racing program. The pacing classic returns to the half-mile track on Sunday after a two-year absence. The seaside racing oval will host a field of eight outstanding, championship pacers competing for the winner’s share of the $35,000 purse.
Among the entries will be the latest record-breaker from Freehold Raceway in New Jersey, Hot Rod Falcon, a 4-year-old who took the New Jersey invitational pace at Freehold in a speedy 1:52.3, smashing all records to date for the half-mile distance. A very busy Walter Case Jr. is scheduled to drive the invitational pacer.
Other entries in the Scarborough classic are: Reactor Lobell, a top pacer from Montreal with a mark of 1:52.1 and lifetime earnings exceeding $300,000; Big Rube, a 4-year-old stallion, shipping in from The Meadowlands with a mark of 1:52.3 and earnings of $104,000 with Ron Pierce, winning driver of this year’s Hambletonian and the 1990 President’s Pace winner with Prince Ebony.
Also: Arcane Hanover, a 1:52.3 lifetime mark and earnings of more than $600,000; White Land Trouble, a top pacer at Freehold with a 1:53.1 lifetime mark and more than $558,000 in earnings; Center Strip, a Foxboro superstar with a best winning time of 1:53.2 and more than $474,000 in earnings.
Post time at Scarborough is 1:30 p.m. on both Sunday and Monday.
BLUE HILL FAIR goes full tilt this weekend, beginning Thursday night and continuing through Labor Day. For pure enjoyment at a country fair, make the annual agricultural exhibition at Blue Hill a must over the late-summer holiday weekend. Non-parimutuel harness racing will be held on two days during the fair. Nate Churchill returns to Maine from Florida to man the announcer’s perch over the race track with his bullhorn, starting the races and calling the action around the half-mile oval. Post times are 1:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Monday. There are no races on Sunday.
SPRINGFIELD FAIR also holds its annual agricultural exhibition over the Labor Day weekend. The fair opens Friday afternoon and continues through Monday. There is no horse racing at Springfield Fair.
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