
LANDMARK
HONOR TO HEAD SCARBOROUGH'S FEATURE
By
Paul Verrette
|
Several
of Maine’s fastest pacers will do battle in the feature race of the week
this Saturday afternoon at Scarborough Downs, including the two fastest
pacers in Maine thus far in 2005.
The field for a $5,000 winners-over, lifetime race will be headed by Landmark Honor, who paced to a 1:574 victory last week in his first local start. Hung every step of the mile, the veteran pacer nonetheless earned the 56th win of his racing career. Owned by Andrew Cohen and Joseph Palmeri, and trained by Cheryl Mauran, Landmark Honor will leave from post position seven, and will be driven by Irv Mauran. Landmark Honor’s winning time beat, by one-fifth of a second, the Scarborough season’s standard that had been established by Woodmere Fulatrix just one race earlier. Owned by Wilbur Cluff of Arundel, Maine and handled by Wallace Watson, Woodmere Fulatrix has two consecutive victories to his credit, and will start from post position four on Saturday. Powerhouse Sahbra, owned by Ray Clukey of Waterville, Maine will return to the state after an impressive stint at Plainridge Racecourse in Massachusetts, where he also notched two consecutive victories in the top classes. His 1:532 effort on May 3 was the fastest to that point in the meet at the Plainridge oval. On the board in all six of his 2005 starts, Powerhouse Sahbra drew post position two, and will get the services of top driver Drew Campbell. Also in the stellar field will be William And Harry, who will start from the rail. A two-time winner at Scarborough already this year, William And Harry is owned by Nelson and Laura Searway of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, and will have trainer-driver Chuck Eaton in his sulky. Three generations of Windsor, Maine’s Bartlett family are represented in the connections of Morty, who will start from post position three. Sonia Bartlett owns the pacer, Dick Bartlett does the training, and Jason Bartlett handles the reins. Morty finished third to Landmark Honor in last week‘s feature, beaten by just over one length. Jates Skyhawk, who drew post position five in the deep field, is a newcomer to Maine. Bill Varney of Bangor, Maine owns the 4-year-old, who was claimed twice in his last seven starts while racing in $25,000 claiming races at the Meadowlands. Valerie Grondin trains Jates Skyhawk, and Heath Campbell will do the driving. Perfect Dreamer will start from post position six for owners Gaetan Cloutier and Mary Jane Parker of Leeds, Maine. Perfect Dreamer, who won 11 races in Maine last year, was beaten by just a neck, by Landmark Honor, in last week’s speedy mile. Shawn Gray does both the training and the driving. The winners-over pace was carded as the ninth race on the 10-race program, and on Saturday Scarborough Downs will have a special post time of 2:30 p.m. (EDT), due to the running of the Preakness Stakes. The track will also race on Friday night, 7 p.m. and on Sunday afternoon at 12:30 p.m.. |