Scarborough set for Standardbred Stakes 3-year-old finals

Scarborough Downs will showcase the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes 3-year-old finals on Sunday with three stakes divisions competiting for a total of $79,392 in purse money.

During the past two weeks with stops at Cumberland and Fryeburg, little happened to alter Sunday’s final standings, although there were some surprises.

After 14-weeks of competition on racetracks from Presque Isle to Scarborough, the Maine Sire Stakes Program has completed the 1995 season, except for Sunday’s finals. And the early leaders pretty much remain as today’s MSBS leaders.

The stakes horses that have accumulated high point standings have done so with steady, winning performances in the series for Maine-bred horses. The point totals determine who will be eligible for the eight positions in the MSBS final, but it is “the luck of the draw” that determines who will get what position along the starting gate in the lucrative final.

In the two colt divisions at Cumberland, there were a couple of surprises as Race Me Hot Shot and Kevin Switzer won their first MSBS race in the record-setting time of 1 minute, 58.4 seconds. In the second division, True Mood and Mike Cushing garnered his third stakes win in 2:01.4. Divisional leader, Bold Bluff, jumped at the beginning of the mile and spoiled his perfect 16-for-16 record by finishing fourth.

At Fryeburg, the colt divisions, Bold Bluff and driver Leigh Fitch redeemed by winning from fifth in 2:03.2 on an off track and in the second division, Race Me Hot Shot made it back-to-back wins in 2:04. Bold Bluff leads his division in total point accumulation (558) heading into the final.

In the filly division at Cumberland, Lydia and Doug Gray paced to a 2:06.3 winning mile, her fifth MSBS win. She sits second in total point accumulations headed toward the finals with 291. In the second filly division, Potato With An E and Eddie Davis Jr., copped their MSBS win in 2:04.

At Fryeburg, in the filly division, Lona and Doug Gray made it their seventh MSBS win in 2:05.1 with JB Valentine and Butch MacKenzie, from the rail position, winning the second division in 2:04.2. It was Valentine’s second MSBS win.

At Cumberland, the first MSBS trotting division was won by CM Cheval with Leigh Fitch driving in 2:05. It was Cheval’s sixth MSBS win and Cheval sits second in the total point standings with 420. In the second trotting division, Cribbage made it his first MSBS win in 2:09.2.

At Fryeburg, the weather was wet but Upsala Kestrel, the dominating 3-year-old MSBS trotter this season, and Gary Mosher made it his 11th series win in 2:09.1. The second division was won by CM Cheval in 2:11.2. Kestrel sets first in total points heading into Sunday’s final with 550.

The lineup listed for Sunday’s three divisional MSBS finals include, division, purse, position drawn in finals race, horse’s name and total point standings:

Three-year-old colts, $26,487 – 1. Lindons Home Alone (214); 2. Gone Fission (243); 3. Bold Bluff (558); 4. Mowers Malady (163); 5. True Mood (208); 6. Race Me G-Man (235); 7. Race Me Hot Shot (154); 8. Atom’s Surprise (274); AE-1. Stephson (123).

Three-year-old fillies, $26,512 – 1. Potato With An E (236); 2. Anita Horn (242); R-Acheybreakyheart (221); 4. Flying Money (216.5); 5. Lona (388); 6. Lydia (291); 7. Jan’s Tootsie (239); 8. Dawn’s Nite Mare (216.5); AE-1 Gramps Lil Bridget (111); and AE-2 JB Valentine (102).

Three-year-old trotters, $26,393 – 1. Sweet Sugar Daddy (139); 2. CM Cheval (420); 3. Jim’s Delite (232); Cribbage (211); 5. Newengland Justice (167); 6. Upsala Kestrel (550); 7. Spring Starlight (239); 8. JJD’s Starburst (93); AE-1 GM’s Hope (89).

Scarborough’s Sunday post time is 1 p.m.