Scarborough, Maine –
Kerogen continues to show, on a seemingly consistent basis,
the determination and grit that made him the overwhelming
choice as Maine’s 2007 Trotter of the Year.
Now back to the battle from his five
month winter respite, Kerogen has been nothing short of
brilliant since his return to the raceway as he scored his
second consecutive Open-level victory at Scarborough Downs
on Friday (April 18) gaining the lion’s share of the $6000
feature race purse.
Sent hard from the gate by driver Kim
Ireland, Kerogen pressed the pace early on Friday racing
three wide through Scarborough’s first turn before
insistently gaining control of the mile just past the
quarter-mile marker, where the 5 year-old son of Lindy Lane
put the rest of the field in line.
REL Free Delivary, a recent import
from Saratoga then took up arms against Kerogen with driver
Jason Mac Dougall first to spring to the outside speed lane
to quickly engage the leader. But as the top two tangled
around Scarborough’s long far turn it soon became apparent
the race belonged to Kerogen with REL Free Delivary forced
to settle for a hard fought and well deserved second place
finish for the second week in a row.
Kerogen a 14-time winner in 2007 is
owned by Lew Hayden of Pleasanton, TX and campaigned by the
team of Kim and Wendy Ireland.
Don Richards – dandy once again
Veteran driver, Don Richards of
Yarmouth made his seasonal debut a winning one as he steered
the four-year-old Tillman to his maiden victory on Friday
for owner Mark Ford and trainer Ron Alexander.
Now 75, Richards has lost none of the
talents that made him a multiple state of Maine driving
champion during the decades of the sixties, seventies and
eighties, but today’s catch-driving victory was a rarity
indeed as Richards now takes to the sulky primarily to team
his own stable roster.
Today’s win marked the 4174th
career trip down victory lane for “Dandy Donny” whose
orange and black colors will reside in the soon to be opened
Scarborough Downs Hall of Fame.
The Campbell Call
The Drew Campbell Stable continues to
impress early on at the Scarborough meet this season as the
2007 leading dash winner not only accumulates catch-driving
victories, but training tallies as well.
Campbell engineered a winning strategy
for two from his own string on Friday, parading proudly with
Joel Wheeler’s Conquiestdonor and Belinda Austin’s Dublin
Prince N.
Campbell was the only trainer or
driver with multiple winners on the ten race program.
Scarborough Downs proudly
features live harness action every Friday and Saturday
afternoon with first post slated for 4:15 pm (EDT). The
popular Sunday matinee performance rolls in behind the gate
at 1:30 pm.
