Perfect Trick Establishes Seasonal Record at Scarborough

Perfect Trick, lightly regarded at 11-1, proved the skeptics wrong when he paced the fastest mile of the 2005 Maine harness racing season in Saturday night's feature race at Scarborough Downs. The 1:57.1 mile eclipsed by three-fifths of a second the former seasonal standard that was held by Landmark Honor.

Driver Jason Bartlett gave Perfect Trick a perfect trip. Front running Sam Francisco Ace (Shawn Gray) led the way past the half mile pole, where he was challenged by The Boy N (Drew Campbell), with Bartlett and Perfect Trick getting the second over trip. As the field passed the three-quarter pole The Boy N took command, but faced immediate pressure from Perfect Trick.

At the top of the stretch Bartlett wheeled his pacer alongside Campbell, and the duo of Perfect Trick and Bartlett was a length better at the wire than The Boy N and Campbell. Favored Landmark Honor (Irv Mauran) finished third, two and three-quarters lengths behind the leader.

Saturday's victory was the sixth win in nine seasonal starts for Perfect Trick, who is owned and trained by Doug Beckwith of Seconnd North River, New Brunswick. The five-year-old horse has been on the board in each of his starts thus far in 2005.

The victory was part of hat trick for Bartlett, who currently leads all Scarborough Downs drivers. Shawn Gray also won three races during Saturday's card.