Three tracks feature racing during holiday weekend

The squeeze is on this weekend for race horses.

Annually, Labor Day weekend places the biggest strain on Maine’s horse population. Not only are there harness races at Scarborough Downs’ extended meet, but also at two of Maine’s racing agricultural fair meets over the three days. It’s a problem that puts an extra strain on the Maine race horse supply above that of any other time of the year.

Both Windsor Fair and Scarborough Downs are planning to race 15 dashes on Monday if the horses are available. In addition to this extra day of racing for both Scarborough and Windsor, Blue Hill Fair will race for two days during the annual Blue Hill Fair.

So, if your horse can walk or fly, it will be “in the go” somewhere at a Maine track this weekend.

Blue Hill Fair, one of the best of Maine’s smaller fairs, will race (non-parimutuel) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. on Monday in conjunction with its annual agricultural exhibition. Blue Hill seems to field enough horses for its two-day racing program.

“We really have quite a few horses this year and we ought to have some good racing on Saturday and Monday,” said Dwight Webber, Blue Hill’s race secretary.

Windsor’s Sunday program features a $3,000 trot and the $4,700 Arthur McGee Memorial Final. Post times are: 3 p.m. Friday; 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; and 1 p.m. Monday.

Scarborough Downs schedule calls for racing at: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 1:30 p.m. Sunday; and 2 p.m. Monday.

And don’t forget Springfield Fair which is in full swing this weekend, beginning at 3 p.m. Friday and ending at 4 p.m. Monday.

Windsor Fair is host to the last week of competition for the 2-year-old divisions of Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes before the finals are raced on Sunday, Sept. 8, at Scarborough Downs.

On Tuesday at Windsor, the 2-year-old colt divisions raced, each division for a $5,477 purse. In the betting race, Twine Twister and John Nason won by a length in 2:01.3 over TJ’s Flyer and Leigh Fitch. In last week’s 2-year-old colt action at Scarborough Downs, Y and Eddie Davis Jr. won in 2:03, with Twine Twister and Nason finishing second.

In Windsor’s non-betting 2-year-old colt race, Guadalajara Harry and Mike Cushing won in 2:00.1, a convincing 11 lengths better than second-place finisher Black Jack Bunny and Walter Case Jr. At Scarborough last week, Gaelic Ian and Doug Gray won in 2:05.2 over second-place finisher Guadalajara Harry.

In the current point standings (through Aug. 24) of the 2-year-old pacing colt division, Twine Twister is first and Gaelic Ian is second.

On Wednesday at Windsor, the 2-year-old trotters and fillies each raced in one division with Frankenstarr and Gary Hall gathering the win in 2:06.3. It’s her third MSBS win. Bonnie Onyx and Billy Childs finished second. Last week at Scarborough, Race Me Lynn-Marie and Kevin Switzer won in 2:10.3 ahead of Inching My Way and Richard Cluff, just the way they stand in the current point standings at first and second.

In Wednesday’s 2-year-old MSBS filly division, Sue’s Data and Doug Gray won over Somerset Awsumtail and Bob Sumner in 2:01.4 for the filly’s second stakes win. Last week at Scarborough, Sue’s Data had her first stakes win as she crossed the finish line in 2:04.1 followed by Nite Nite Lee and Leigh Fitch.

In the current point standings, Nite Nite Lee is first with 276 points and Winsong China is second. The 3-year-old trotters, colts and fillies divisions will be featured in Windsor’s Thursday, Friday and Saturday racing programs.

PACING BITS: No harness racing at Maine fairs next week. The next scheduled harness racing, other than at Scarborough Downs, is extended meet racing at Farmington Fair on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 7, 8. Then back to fair racing at Farmington every day from Sunday, Sept. 15 through Saturday, Sept. 21.