Seven of the top pacers in the northeast will compete in the 2005 edition of the $6,000 Walter Hight Pace to be contested at the Skowhegan State Fair this coming Saturday afternoon. The annual event is one of the premier races of each Maine harness racing season, and again this year has attracted a stellar field. 

With seven victories in thirteen seasonal starts, Arts Planet has the most wins of all the horses in the invitational event.  Arts Planet, who has drawn the rail for trainer - driver Don Richards, tuned up for this year‘s race with a 1:57.4 victory in the top class at Scarborough Downs last weekend. The veteran pacer is owned by Tom Dillon of Anson and Walter Hight of Skowhegan. 

Artchie Andrews, who starts from post position two in the field, may be its most consistent performer. In fifteen starts this season, the four year old has been on the board thirteen times, recording five victories and establishing a lifetime mark of 1:54.2. Now owned by Scott and Brooke Dillon, Artchie Andrews again enjoys the  services of Jason Bartlett, Maine’s leading driver in 2005. 

The fastest pacer in the field starts from post three. Headmaster, who is owned by Frank Deliberti of Dover, Delaware, paced the fourth fastest mile in the history of Plainridge Racecourse two weeks ago when he stopped the teletimer in a blistering 1:51.3. Trained by Roy Dinges, Headmaster has spent the summer competing against the top classes at both Plainridge and Rockingham Park. Dinges is among the leading trainers at the New Hampshire oval. 

Make A Big Splash, who is owned by Scott McGee of West Gardiner and Lester Dancer of Whitefield, starts from post four. Make A Big Splash recorded a lifetime mark of 1:52 at The Meadowlands earlier this season, and enters the Hight off two consecutive wins. His victory last Saturday in the feature event of the week at Topsham was the first career driving triumph for Michael McGee.

Another pacer at the top of his game is Sam Francisco Ace. Owned by Gaetan Cloutier and Mary Jane Parker of Leeds, Sam Francisco Ace has been no worse than second is his last seven starts, all of which took place against the top class pacers at Scarborough. He took his seasonal mark of 1:56.2  two weeks at the Downs, in one of the season’s quickest miles. Trainer Shawn Gray will handle the reins and Sam Francisco Ace will leave from the five hole. 

Maine native Bob Sumner makes his annual trip to Skowhegan and brings with him the richest pacer in this year’s field. Am I Next A, a winner in excess of $30,000 already this season, will start from post position six. The veteran pacer prepped for the 2005 Hight with a 1:55 victory in a qualifying event last week at Plainridge. A lifetime winner of nearly a quarter million dollars, Am I Next A recorded his lifetime mark of 1:50.4 last season as an eight year old. 

Maine’s fastest pacer in 2005 starts from post seven. Leave It To Walter, who is owned by Judith Neill of Saco, paced the fastest mile of the season last Saturday with an awesome performance in 1:56 at Scarborough. Top trainer Fred Ward, Jr. of Brunswick conditions Leave It To Walter, and last week’s victory erased the mark previously established by Aunt Emma, another Ward trained pacer. 

With nice weather forecast for the weekend, the track record of 1:55 could be in jeopardy. Post  time for the ten race card at the Skowhegan this coming Saturday is at 2:00 P.M.