Sophomores ready for $324,426 Maine Breeders Stakes Finals

CUMBERLAND, ME – Maine’s harness racing three-year-olds will make one last appearance in the Maine Breeders Stakes on Saturday (Oct. 15) for the highly anticipated ‘MSBS’ finals, which carry a recently increased purse structure of $324,426.

With three of the rich events being raced on the card, Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway management has decided to push the post time to 6 pm for the popular event.  The program also includes a $20,000 Fred Nichols Memorial Invitational Pace.

Programmed as race two the $81,172 MSBS 3-year-old filly pace is perhaps the deepest division and includes Wolverina (Cheyenne Hollywood) the seemingly unstoppable filly.  Co-owned, trained and bred by Mike Graffam (with Bill Arnold) and driven by Nick Graffam, Wolverina has won 11 of 13 starts this year including a 1:53.2 romp at Plainridge a few weeks ago.  Scoring from post three she has been installed as the 6-5 favorite.

Another top filly in her own right, Pembroke Legacy (Baron Biltmore, Heath Campbell/Valerie Grondin) has nine wins in 14 seasonal outings and is a serious contender as well.  Although the draw (post 7, 7-2) was somewhat unkind she still has the speed and form to upset this bunch if things go her way.

The only stakes final off the card is the $81,161 MSBS 3-year-old filly trot, due to four of eight ‘Pembroke’ entrants being owned by Bill Varney and trained by Grondin.  The best of the bunch, Pembroke Honcho, drew post 8, and gets the services of Aaron Hall.

The leader of the division, Maplewood Slugger (Pembroke Slugger) for driver Andy Harrington and trainer John Nason, won her last start at Fryeburg, and a pair at Windsor, en route to $66,644 earned this season. Scoring from post five, the filly will be the one to beat in the non-wagering race being held after the third programmed race.

Race five is the 3-year-old colt and gelding pace final with seven lads vying for $81,079 in purses.  The newly appointed leader is Bandolito Blaze (Western Maverick) for Campbell/Grondin who was recently anointed following a triumph at Fryeburg.  Leaving from post five (8-5) with $55,712 earned this year, including four wins, the colt was also bred and is co-owned by Grondin.

Just inside ‘Blaze’ is Deal With It Roman (Western Maverick, Walter Case Jr./Marc Tardif) who has six wins in like company and has been installed at 3-1.  He has a seasonal bankroll of $52,998.  The other 3-1 choice is Ugotaearnyrstripes (Deuce Seelster, Dave Ingraham/Steve LaCasse) who scores from post three.  He made $47,715 this season and has three wins to his credit.

The race seven $81,014 MSBS 3-year-old colt and gelding trot is led by point leader Katahdin Mark (Noble Venture) and driver Gary Hall who drew post one.  With eight wins and three seconds in twelve starts, the colt rarely has an off day from an inside post position.  At even money, he is owned and was bred by James and Betsey Kelley.

The only horse to defeat ‘Mark’ in two of his last seven starts is Warriorofthevalley (Pembroke Slugger, Andy Harrington) /Marc Tardif) who leaves from the outside post seven.  He has not been worse than third in 10 of 11 stakes races this year for the Tardif Taskforce.  He is owned and bred by Leighton Property.

The Grondin Garrison sends Chamorro (Pembroke Slugger) into the fray from post four (7-2) and now gets the driving services of Drew Campbell.  Third in the point standings, he has been second or third in 9 of 12 starts but has yet to win a heat in 2022.  He was only beaten a length by ‘K’ Mark in his last start, despite being back seven at the third panel.

Race seven is sponsored by Blue Seal Feeds.

Post time at Bangor on Saturday (Oct. 15) is 6 pm.

For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to the Maine State website.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Chris Tully, for the Maine Breeders Stakes