Scarborough, Maine – Dink Adoo may have been a last minute addition to the Joseph Ricci Memorial Trotting series this weekend but what he lacked in timing was more than made up for in fanfare as the veteran campaigner equaled the oldest track record on the Scarborough Downs books as he blazed around the southern Maine oval timed in 1:57-3/5th with native son Bobby Sumner in the sulky.
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Dink Adoo and
driver Bobby
Sumner race in
track record
time at
Scarborough
Downs on Sunday
while claiming a
spot in the
$50,000 final of
the Ricci
Memorial Trot
– photo by EJS
Photography |
“I didn’t know” Sumner commented, “Someone just told me we equaled the track record, that’s pretty good. Next week we’ll break it – hopefully.”
Hope springs eternal along the northeast harness racing circuit but that hope comes to fruition when handed classy giants like Dink Adoo to handle.
“It was the first time I’d ever driven him” Sumner said, “But you can just tell. He’s raced the best in the country – he’s just an old campaigner. You don’t find his kind every day. He just keeps on coming back and winning.”
“Ken Rucker asked me to bring him up this week and I told him I’d give it a shot but that we’d have to win to get into the final,” Sumner continued, “I’ll have my choice of driving him or Victors Vicky in the final – I’ll take him.”
While Bobby Sumner basked in the winner’s circle glory, his sister Patty takes care of the day to day training duties for the Connecticut based stable.
“I was happy with how he fired off the gate” remarked Patty Sumner, “He’s new to me and I haven’t had much time to work with him. He’s nice to handle though, doesn’t get frazzled and handles the crowds extremely well. He’s just a nice happy horse and it’s great that Bobby and I can bring him home to Maine to race in the Ricci.”
With today’s win Dink Adoo passed over the $750,000 level in lifetime earnings. He is owned by the Panhellenic Stable of Oyster Bay, NY.
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Scorpion Moon
coasts to the
Scarborough
Downs finish
line in 1:58
with Jason
Bartlett at the
helm – next stop
the $50,000
final on
Saturday
– photo by EJS Photography. |
Equally as impressive in the second elimination round was Scorpion Moon who cruised to victory in the second division timed in an unhurried 1:58 with state of Maine native Jason Bartlett driving for the Tracey Brainard Stable.
“He’ll shatter the track record next week” a confident Bartlett predicted, “He’s a good horse and a very exciting one for the people to watch race. I was shutting him down pretty good toward the end.”
Sunday’s victory was the 49th win for Scorpion Moon who had been campaigning at Mohawk Raceway and Chester Downs.
“I’m good friends with Tracey and Josh so I came up to drive him today” continued Bartlett who is currently the leading driver at Yonkers Raceway, “I can’t come up next week because of my Saturday night obligations at Yonkers, but this trotter will be fine in the final.”
The field for the $50,000 Ricci Memorial final will be drawn on Wednesday (August 6) with the race scheduled to go to post on Saturday (August 9) -- and with two camps now guaranteeing a victory and a new track record, the action is sure to be fast and furious.
Scarborough Downs proudly features live harness racing every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening at 4:15 pm (EDT). The popular Sunday matinees feature a 1:30 pm post time.
