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CUMBERLAND, ME – The cream of the crop of harness racing’s Maine-bred 3-year-old trotters will make one final appearance at the historic Fryeburg Fair on Thursday (Oct. 6) before heading to the rich $240,000-plus Maine Breeders Stakes (MSBS) sophomore finals on Oct. 15th at Bangor.
Quite a big deal in its own right, people come from far and wide to attend the ‘Blue Ribbon Classic’ Fryeburg Fair. As the folklore goes, “it was a chilly day in March of 1851 when a few local farmers and merchants got together and decided to show off their harvest, produce, cattle and wares to the community.”
Having grown exponentially, according to Fryeburg Fair Superintendent of History, Barbara Hill, it is the area’s “largest agricultural fair, second in New England in size only to Eastern States in Massachusetts.”
At present, the Fryeburg Fair encompasses 185 acres, has over 100 buildings, with the 8-day event hosting over 8,000 animals as well as a full week of harness racing.
In Maine-sired trotting action, sophomore male point leader Katahdin Mark (Noble Venture), to be driven by Gary Hall, will slug it out with runner-up Warriorofthevalley (Pembroke Slugger), the Marc Tardif trainee to be driven by Andy Harrington, in the $18,489 MSBS 3-year-old colt and gelding trot. Programmed as race three, the six entrants are all eligible for the $60,000-plus male 3yo trot final next week, but this event represents the last chance for this diagonally gaited set to get a solid tightener before the big money is on the line.
Katahdin Mark has drawn post six for his trainer/driver Gary Hall, and will look to add to his already impressive 7-for-11 seasonal stakes record. Owned and bred by James and Betsey Kelley, the son of Noble Venture has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite.
His current nemesis, Warriorofthevalley is part of a Leighton Property ownership entry (M/L 7-2) and scores from post two (HN 1). The son of Pembroke Slugger has not been worse than third in 10 of 11 stakes races this year.
The Valerie Grondin-trained Chamorro (Pembroke Slugger) has the outside post six (HN 5) for regular driver Heath Campbell. Third in the point standings, he has been second or third in 8 of 11, but has yet to win a heat in 2022. His is 5-1 on the morning line.
The distaff group goes before the regular card in the $18,286 MSBS 3-year-old filly trot, with home run leader Maplewood Slugger (Pembroke Slugger), to be handled by Andy Harrington for trainer John Nason, batting clean-up from post two.
The undisputed point leader in the group, Maplewood Slugger (Pembroke Slugger) is the home-bred property of Maxine Hadlock and has won her last two outings, putting her seasonal win total at six.
Trainer Valerie Grondin sends a solid one-two punch of Pembroke Honcho (Pembroke Slugger), driven by Aaron Hall from post three and Pembroke Faye (Pembroke Slugger), with Heath Campbell, leaving from post one, into the fray. Both are owned by Bill Varney. Each filly has a pair of victories and are in the top four in the point standings.
Rounding out this group is Show No Tears (CR Power Glide), to be driven by John Nason, who has finished on the board in seven of 11 seasonal outings. She is owned by Carolyn Corso and Diann Perkins and was bred by Lynn-Marie Plouffe.
Two $18,000-plus MSBS divisions for 3-year-old filly pacers race on the regular Fryeburg card on Friday (Oct. 7), with the glamour boys (3CP) coming in with one division on Saturday (Oct. 8).
For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to the Maine State website.
For complete non-wagering race entries, click here.
For complete pari-mutuel race entries, click here.
by Chris Tully, for the Maine Breeder Stakes
