Snowonthepines stays perfect

TOPSHAM, ME – Maine’s freshmen filly pacers closed out the Topsham Fair on Saturday (Aug. 9) with two $11,000-plus harness racing divisions held before the regular card.

In the first $11,623 division of the Maine Sire Stakes for 2-year-old pacing fillies, the unbeaten Snowonthepines (Dude’s The Man) continued her blizzard of authority in a seemingly effortless romp.

Driver Kevin Switzer Jr. took the filly off the gate and settled into third position as Nick Graffam sent She’s A Firefly out to an early lead with a :30.2 opening panel.  Heading into a leisurely 1:02.2 half, Dave Ingraham tipped Graceofspaces into the outer flow from fifth in an effort to improve his position.

Heading to the three-quarter pole Switzer pulled the right line and got to the flank of the pacesetter while they breezed through that marker in 1:33.1.  By the head of the stretch Snowonthepines had taken command and continued to gain separation on the rest of the field.

Tripping the timer in 2:03.2, the daughter of Dude’s The Man won her fourth consecutive stakes race by a comfortable 2-1/2 length margin.

Trained by Marc Tardif for owner/breeder Leighton Property, the aspiring star has earned $23,157 this season.

Perfectly Lovely (Aaron Hall) got up to be second; She’s A Firefly hung on for third.

In the second $11,799 division Nick Graffam went from nearly last to first to give his family’s homebred Ekorus her first lifetime victory.

When the wings folded Heymickeyyousofine (John Nason) must have thought it was the 1980’s and boogied right to the top.

‘Mickey’ set opening fractions of :30.3 and 1:02.2, with McKenna Jeanne (Heath Campbell) sitting in the pocket second.  It was not until the second circuit that the outer flow had developed with Dudelookslikeafily (Switzer Jr.) first over at the 1:33.4 and threatened with a short-lived lead.

While ‘Mikey’ and ‘Fily’ were busy having a dance-off on the front end, Graffam had swung Ekorus off the turn and swooped the field like Icarus flying up to the sun.  When the dust settled it was the daughter of Cheyenne Hollywood who had prevailed in 2:04.2, scoring by 2-1/4 lengths.

Trained, bred and co-owned by Mike Graffam (with partners Bill Arnold and Martha Holden) it was the first career victory for Ekorus.

McKenna Jeanne finished second; Dudelookslikeafily was third.

Right on schedule, the Maine Sire Stakes express makes its next stop on the fair circuit in Skowhegan, with the freshman pacing colts on Monday (Aug. 11) and sophomore filly pacers on Tuesday (Aug. 12).  The glamour boys (3 colt pace) division arrives on Thursday (Aug. 14), followed by all the 2- and 3-year old trotters on Friday (Aug. 15), and dispatches the week with these same 2-year-old filly pacers at Skowhegan on Saturday (Aug. 16).

For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website:  https://www.mainesirestakes.com

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes