Scarborough Downs Cancels December 28 Racing
12/23 - The Maine Harness Racing Commission approved Bangor Raceway's license for 2009, thus we have finalized 2009's racing dates. With Bangor's license approval, we have posted the 2009 Maine Sire Stakes Schedule.
Yonkers Raceway hands out Year End Honors
Scarborough Downs to honor retiring campaigners
12/21 - Single digit temperatures, high winds and the threat of blizzard conditions have conspired to KO the Sunday (December 21) harness racing card at Scarborough Downs as the residents of southern Maine brace for yet another onslaught of severe winter weather. "The storm is forecast to develop in intensity right around noon-time -- just as our performance was set to go to post" explained Scarborough spokeswoman Susan Higgins, "Our horseman and women would have been faced with deteriorating traveling conditions to and from the raceway and our concern for them and their equine passengers remain paramount." Live racing will resume at Scarborough Downs on Friday December 26 with first post slated for 12:30 p.m. (EST).
12/18 - William 'Zeke' Parker, Jr. recorded another in a long list of milestone achievements during the Thursday afternoon card at Monticello Raceway. Parker entered the matinee card needing just 2 wins to reach number 9,500 in his career, which has spanned almost 4 decades. He started things off in race 4 with P H SIXTYFIVE in a time of 2:04.0. He returned victorious for the 9,500th time in race 8 aboard REDEEMABLE who returned a winner in 2:04.2. - Patrick Eastwood
12/17 - Mosher Achieves Career Milestone - Bangor Daily News
12/15 - Congratulations to Jason Bartlett, who scored his 2,500 career driving victory on December 5 at Yonkers Raceway aboard NIP N ATTACK in 1:56.2.
The agenda for the MHHA Board of Directors Meeting tomorrow night has been posted.
12/7 - Campbell Streaks Through The Snow At Scarborough Downs
12/6 - The MHHA announces Chandler Woodcock as it's new Executive Director.
12/5 - The agenda for the December 17 Maine Harness Racing Commission Meeting has been posted.
Drew Campbell Scores Five Friday at Scarborough Downs
The MHHA has posted an announcement on the election of Board Directors for 2009.
12/3 - Congratulations go out to Amateur Driver Todd Whitney on his first place finish in the C.K.G. Billings Amateurs Eastern Division. It all started early Spring in Pompano with Todd traveling all over the Eastern US and Canada racking up wins and earning points along the way with his most memorable wins coming at Mohawk, Meadowlands, and at the Delaware Ohio Fair, during Little Brown Jug week with two wins while representing the Delvin Miller Amateur Drivers Association in the Tim Fouts Memorial and capturing a division of the C.K.G. Billings Amateurs. Todd will be racing in the $25,000 Gold Cup Finals at the Meadowlands on December 6th in hopes of fulfilling his dream of becoming the winner of the most prestigious amateur race of the year. We wish you success Todd.
12/2 - MHHA Board of Director's Meeting Agenda has been posted.
11/30 - Dinning And Campbell Dominate At The Downs
11/21 - Gary Mosher captures his 5,000th career driving win at Scarborough Downs
11/19 - Maine Racing Commission awards 2009 race dates.
Dr. Joseph Kenneally, 84, race horse owner,former Commission member, and one of the founders of the Maine Sire Stakes, has passed away. His obituary is linked here.
11/16 - Information for Ed Szalajeski's memorial services have been posted here.
Sizzling Sunday for Kevin Switzer, Jr. at Scarborough Downs
11/15 - Leigh Fitch records 7,400th career driving victory at Scarborough Downs
11/14 -
Scarborough Downs Track Photographer Ed Szalajeski has died from
complications from surgery Thursday Night. We will post more
information as we get it.
The Maine Harness Racing Promotion Board needs any
unique photos taken in 2008 for the upcoming calendar.
Any photos (with captions and the photographer)need to
be sent ASAP to Wendy Ireland, 468 Indiana Road, West
Gardiner, ME 04345 or by email to
dapjess@roadrunner.com. All photos are welcome that
pertain to harness racing in Maine.
11/12 - The Maine State Harness Racing Commission meets to discuss 2009 race dates.
11/11 - David Hall, 51, who owned Cranberry Meadow Farm with his wife Sandy, has passed away.
11/9 - 2008 Maine Connections To The Harrisburg Sale
11/8 - Dinning hits Grand Slam at Scarborough Downs
11//7 - Mosher and Dinning dominate at the downs.
The agenda for the MHHA Board of Directors Meeting on November 10 is posted.
11/4 - Early election results are showing that two harness racing supporters, Donald Marean and Gary Moore were both defeated in the elections for the State House of Representatives. The city referendum for slot machines at Scarborough Downs was rejected yesterday but less than 500 votes from around 12,000 votes. The Oxford County Casino looks to be defeated with 87% of the vote counted.
The agenda for the 2009 Race Date Hearing Pre-Conference has been posted here.
The agenda for the Off Track Licensing Hearing has been posted here.
The agenda for the 2009 Race Date Hearing has been posted here.
10/31 -
The inaugural TRICK-or-TROT was held at the Equine Barn of the
University of Maine's Witter Farm in Orono on Halloween night and
fourteen retired Standardbred racing mares -- the UMares --
entertained children of all ages who came to visit the barn. All of
their stalls were
decorated, some of the mares were in costume, all of the student
handlers
dressed for the occasion, there were candy treats at every stall and
an
estimated 600 visitors came to meet-and-greet the horses.
In the herd are some very familiar names to Maine harness racing
people -- names like DORUNBLUEFORTUNATE, POKER TIME PATTY, HONOR
SOCIETY, FANCY TOUCH, DAISY TO GO, PEMBROKE CHEER, BLISSTEX,
SKITTISH, MERRILY WE BE JAHMIN, LACY ASSET, JUST WHINNIE, and PETITE
PARFAIT. They charmed the visitors, were perfect ladies and showed
why the Standardbred is a breed to be admired and desired. - Nonni
Daly
10/27 - Have you sent in your entry for the MHHA Scholarship November Raffle? For a $5 donation your name is entered into a drawing for $25 each day plus the 1st and 30th of the month the raffle is for $50! If you haven't signed up yet, the deadline is this Friday, Oct 31. You can send in your entries to the MHHA, PO Box 436 Augusta, ME 04332 or you can give it to one of the directors at Bangor or Scarborough. If you need a copy, here's a link!
10/26 - Gary Mosher hits grand slam at Scarborough Downs
10/24 -Jim Apperti, Jr. has lost his home to fire. There will be collections taken at Scarborough and Bangor this weekend to help Jim who lost everything in the fire. The MHHA will also take donations. Those who want to help can send donations to MHHA, P.O. Box 436, Augusta, ME 04332-0436
For those who wish to send Rob Dinning condolences can click here for more information.
Bob Lamarre was released from the cardiac care center in Portland yesterday. He suffered a heart attack October 18th at 3:30 am and was transported from the Augusta hospital to Portland Cardiac. On Monday, he underwent a 5-hour procedure and had 7 stents placed in a single artery. He would like to thank the Windsor horse people that took on the job of caring for his horses in his absence.
10/15 - I am happy to report that the United States Trotting Assoc has selected our own Jason Bartlett to go to NORWAY and represent the United States at the World Driving Championship in May of 2009. Jason and his wife (Kristen) have accepted the invite and will leave the USA on May 12th or 13th and return on the 21st. The races will be held at five different tracks in Norway and will compete for $25,000 for the winner. Jason will get no less than $1000 for going and this will be an all expense paid trip for he and Kristen. The USTA will provide Jason with the USA driving colors and helmet and they will be his to keep. This is an honor for a young man of twenty eight years and Maine should be very proud of Jason. We will be doing some press for him and also will hold some special events here in Maine for him as well. I will keep you all posted on the events as we put them together. - Don Marean
10/14 - Here are the MSBOA Auction Results
SIRE STAKES FINALS
SUPER WEEKEND
MAINE HARNESS RACING DAYS
PEMBROKE ANNIE started off the Maine Sire Stakes Super
Weekend capturing the $52,499 two year old filly trot
final by nine lengths in 2:06.2 for driver Heath
Campbell, trainer Valerie Grondin and owner William
Varney.
Undefeated two year old colt trotter BAD BOY BILLY kept
his streak going and he won the championship in 2:03.0
for driver/trainer Gordon Corey and owner Michael
Andrew.
NO PEEKING overcame the outside post position to take
the 2 year old filly pacing championship in 2:02.2 for
driver Drew Campbell, trainer Eric Bickmore and owners
Ben Bill & Will Stable.
NEUTRAL COURT survived a bobble in the first turn to
capture the 2 year old Colt Pacing Championship in
2:00.1 for driver/trainer Michael Graffam and owners
Pineholm Farm and Fox Ridge Stables.
KANALLA BELLA went wire to wire to capture the 3 year
old filly trotting championship in 2:03.2 for
driver/trainer Ivan Davies and owner Michael Andrew.
UP TEMPO cruised to 3 year old colt trotting
championship in 2:02.2 for owner Michael Andrew and
driver/trainer Gordon Corey.
SD BOOMERANG made a quarter pole move to take the top
and held off a rallying PEMBROKE LU to capture the 3
year old filly pacing championship in 2:00.0 for driver
Stephen Mahar, trainer Allie Hiscock and owner Lynda
Douglas.
Then came the showdown as the three year old colts faced
off for the final time in the State of Maine. MAINEIAC
MATT with David Ingraham cut out fractions of :27.3,
:58.1, & 1:27.2 with TERRYS STAR DRAGON sitting on his
helmet. Then they paired up in the last quarter and an
exciting stretch drive ensued with TERRYS STAR DRAGON
and trainer/driver Michael Graffam capturing the
championship in 1:57.4 for owner Robert Tourangeau.
Yearlong contender PEMBROKE BLITZ overcame the dreaded
eight hole to finish a close third.
(2
yo photos by Meghan Mank, 3 yo photos by ME Harness)
10/12 - Sophomores sensational in Maine Sire Stakes Finals
10/11 - Freshman champions crowned in Maine Breeders Stakes at Scarborough Downs
10/8 - The agenda for the MHHA Board of Directors meeting on October 9 has been posted here.
10/6 - Sports Illustrated Editor to kick off Super Sire Stakes Weekend at Scarborough Downs.
10/5 -
Fryeburg Fair saw it's share of track records set during
their 2008 fair meet.
On Tuesday, Richard Knight's new steed, KEYSTONE NATALIE
took the track record for four year old mares in 1:58.3
for driver Shawn Gray and trainer Randy Bickmore.
PEMBROKE BLITZ's victory in the last leg of the Maine
Sire Stakes produced a track record for three year old
geldings in 1:58.0 for driver Heath Campbell, trainer
Valerie Grondin and owner William Varney.
MCCOY, a four year old trotting gelding tied the track
standard in 2:03.3 for driver Kevin Switzer, trainer
Louis Talarico, II and owner Louise Lavec.
Sunday's card saw C YIMBRK BLUEGRASS set the new
standard for aged trotting horses in 2:01.4 for driver
Leigh Fitch, and trainer John Dunleavy, Jr, who co-own
the horse with Ellen Emerson.
It didn't last long as two races later, KEROGEN trotted
to a 2:01.0 clocking erasing the mark set by C
YIMBRK BLUEGRASS. KEROGEN is owned by Lew Hayden,
trained by Wendy Ireland and driven by Kim Ireland
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