Chasing Dudes pounces in Maine Sires Stakes

BANGOR, ME – The lone $19,671 harness racing division of the Maine Sire Stakes for 2-year-old pacing fillies went postward at Bangor Raceway on Sunday (September 8) with the top point earner adding to her lead.

When the wings folded driver Kevin Switzer Jr. sent the 1-5 favorite Whisper Of Luck right out to the lead, with 5-2 second choice Chasing Dudes (Dude’s The Man, Nick Graffam) protecting position.  Mike Cushing swung Leanne Marie swiftly from her outermost post six and ducked into the three-hole as the field moved down the backstretch toward the 30.4 opening quarter.

While the first half witnessed no movement heading into the softer 1:03.3 second stanza, Leanne Marie and Audry (Steve Wilson) charged down the backstretch to challenge the leaders on the outside.

By the time the field hit the 1:34.1 third panel, Leanne Marie was just a head behind the pacesetting favorite Whisper Of Luck.  Around the turn the first-over aggressor had a half-length advantage over the leader, with the pocket-sitting Chasing Dudes poised to pounce three-wide on the outside.

Three horses battled down the center of the racetrack, with the slingshot momentum of Chasing Dudes seizing the day with a surging 29.1 final quarter.  Prevailing by three parts of a length, the Mike Graffam-trained daughter of Dude’s The Man tripped the timer in 2:03.3.

Leanne Marie finished second; Whisper Of Luck was third.

CHASING DUDES REPLAY

Owned and bred by Bob Marston, it was the filly’s third win of the season, increasing her career earnings to $38,116.  She paid $7.20 to win.

The Maine Sire Stakes returns to Bangor on Wednesday (Sept. 11) for the 2-year-old male pacers.  The following week the series transitions over to the Farmington Fair for harness racing Monday (Sept. 16) through Friday (Sept. 20) with the all of the remaining divisions of 2- and 3-year-old Maine-bred events.

Four divisions of the $320,000-plus Freshmen Finals will be held at the Cumberland Fair on Saturday (Sept. 28).

For more information about the Maine Sire Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website.

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

by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes