WEEK IN REVIEW - 2009
Week Thirty Eight (12/21/09 - 12/27/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Steven Nason
| Up n coming youngster had two wins over the weekend, 27 wins for the year, and is following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. |
HOT HOOVES - LOADED
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Wire to wire win in the feature in 1:57.3 for trainer Mike Hitchcock and owners Joe & Mike Gallicchio. |
HOT BARN - Richard Robertson, Jr.
| Two winners on Sunday over a track rated 9 seconds off, including CARDIOGRAM who came from the eight hole to win in 2:15.2, mmmm, maybe the track was off by 15 seconds? |
Week Thirty Seven (12/14/09 - 12/20/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Robert Dinning
| Doubleheader wins on Friday and Sunday, and a hat trick on Saturday gives Dinning seven wins on the week, topping the charts. |
HOT HOOVES - BETTER BY DESIGN
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Grabs the trot feature of the week in a fast 2:00.2 on a cold day for trainer Bobby Gray and owners Ned Urbanski & Bryan Naftalis. |
HOT BARN - Todd DuBois
| Todd gets 2 wins, a second and 2 third from six starters, a .537 UTRS for the week. |
Week Thirty Six (12/07/09 - 12/13/09) - by Guest Columnist Steven Wilson
HOT HANDS - Gary Mosher
| Mosher seems to like the cold weather, winning eight on the weekend, five coming from Sunday's card. |
HOT HOOVES - BALI MYSTIC
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Captures her fourth win in a row and proves she can do it from sitting at the back or sitting close to the front. |
HOT BARN - Richard Robertson, Jr.
| The trotting man wins both feature trots over the weekend plus a couple of seconds and a third. |
Week Thirty Five (11/30/09 - 12/06/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - John Beckwith
| With all eyes on Campbell and Fitch as they try to reach their milestones, John quietly captured 4 wins, 2 seconds and 2 thirds for a 413 UDRS for the weekend. |
HOT HOOVES - MYSTICAL DELIGHT
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Recent addition to the Bickmore / Gee stable, grabs his second win in a row on Saturday, and in the process paced the fastest mile ever in Maine during the month of December with his trip around the Southern Maine oval in 1:56.2. |
HOT BARN - Jon Chenard
| From six starters from the Scarborough based stable, three of them visited the winners circle and another garnered a second. |
Week Thirty Four (11/23/09 - 11/29/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Drew Campbell
| Thirteen victories over the weekend, three seconds and six thirds for a UDRS of .505, it's hard not to chose him. Next weekend he gets his 2,500th career victory, unless this jinxes him! |
HOT HOOVES - FOUR STARZ DRAGON
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Second win in a row for the four year old mare, the 10th victory on the season. |
HOT BARN - David Henderson, Sr.
| Undefeated with his two entries for the weekend including the 10th seasonal victory for DEALIN' STRAIGHT. |
Week Thirty Three (11/16/09 - 11/22/09) - by Guest Columnist David Sawyer
HOT HANDS - Leigh Fitch
| Five wins on Friday, closing on 7,500 career wins, him and Cher go to the winners circle and turn back time. |
HOT HOOVES - COHENUCOPIA
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What can you say for a horse that has beaten the $3,000 claimers all the way to the winners over and back again, give me a barn full. |
HOT BARN - Stacey Lord
| Fitch and Lord combination set three for three on the weekend as hard work and dedication pays off. |
Week Thirty Two (11/09/09 - 11/15/09) - by Guest Columnist Michael Hitchcock
HOT HANDS - Drew Campbell
| Wins seven on Sunday's card. Hot Hands on the track, but lately, not such hot hands with the ladies. |
HOT HOOVES - COMMITMENT
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Wins two this past week, #'s 9 and 10 on the season, before retirement. Enjoy the green grass. |
HOT BARN - Philip "Bo" Sowers
| All this guy can do is win races, jamming, jamming, jamming, I think he may be getting a little too big for his britches. |
Week Thirty One (11/02/09 - 11/08/09) - by Guest Columnist Steve Mahar
HOT HANDS - Robert Dinning
| Eight winners over the weekend, four seconds and two thirds. |
HOT HOOVES - RODEO DU RUISSEAU & RED BULLET
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Both 1:56 and change miles for the Ben, Bill & Will Stable, trained and driven by Shawn Gray. |
HOT BARN - Randy Bickmore
| Nine winners over the weekend, seven of which are owned by Kevin Gee. I hear they were pretty active at the Harrisburg Sale. |
Week Thirty (10/26/09 - 11/1/09) - by Guest Columnist Drew Campbell
HOT HANDS - Kevin Switzer, Sr.
| Had a great week, winning eight over the weekend and putting on a driving clinic on Sunday with five!! He went by me all day like I was nailed to the rail with no claw hammer....good job cuzzz... |
HOT HOOVES - WORK OUT
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Raced three times in a week (10/25, 10/27 & 11/1) winning all three!! 2:01.0, 1:58.0 and 1:59.2, all last quarters better than :30.0, very impressive week. I don't think Chicky has done that before? |
HOT BARN - Steve Vafiades
| Had 20 starts over the week, winning at both tracks, and winning both top classes in Scarborough with TOWN FOOL and AMERICAN VILLAGE. Total of 8 wins for the week. He's having the year of his life with 99 wins and over $240,000 in purses this year with a UDR of .435!!! Wow, in the running for MHHA trainer of the year! |
Week Twenty Nine (10/19/09 - 10/25/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Wallace Watson
| Three wins on Friday at Scarborough this week, Wally is having a good year, highlighted by his success driving CURRENT CHIP to a win in the Stakes final. |
HOT HOOVES - PREYINGONDAYLITE
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Five in a row for the 9 year old mare owned by Ryan Berry and trained by Allison MacDonald. Competing in $3,000 filly & mares claimers, she's either cut the mile or came from a hole with the fastest in 1:59.0 at Farmington and Oxford to a 1:59.4 at Cumberland. |
HOT BARN - Allie Hiscock
| Two wins this week with BIRD'S EYE VIEW N and Stakes Champion THE SALEM WITCH. |
Week Twenty Eight (10/12/09 - 10/18/09) - by Guest Columnist Mike Sweeney
HOT HANDS - Leigh Fitch
| The Fox capped off an outstanding week (4-wins, 6-2nds and 4-3rds) with a stunning return to stakes prominence this weekend establishing a new track record aboard Bad Boy Billy, runner-up stakes placings with both Glory Hallelujah and Isn’t She Lovely while grabbing the show-dough for Elegant Eve. The crafty veteran continues to showcase the ability that has earned him 7474 lifetime wins – He’s driving as good as anyone on the circuit right now. |
HOT HOOVES - BAD BOY BILLY & CURRENT CHIP
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So many outstanding candidates makes this the hardest
category to judge but after careful review of the photo-finish print the
contest has been officially declared a dead-heat. |
HOT BARN - Michael Graffam
| Tough call here as both Valerie Grondin and Donny Richards enjoyed phenomenal success during Championship Weekend but Graffam’s dominance in both the two-year-old filly and three-year-old colt pacing divisions was virtually unprecedented. The Graffam Gang roared into the finals and did not disappoint – We’re pretty sure that Loring Norton is smiling down approvingly. |
Week Twenty Seven (10/5/09 - 10/11/09) - by Guest Columnist Heidi Rohr
HOT HANDS - Kevin Switzer, Jr.
| Got his picture taken 9 times at Fryeburg, including the Mountain Skipper Invitational with ESCAPEFROMALCATRAZ. |
HOT HOOVES - MALEK HANOVER
| Winner of two VERY impressive miles, 1:58.4 in the slop and the week's fastest mile of 1:57.1..both by open lengths. Also, congrats go to the connections of CURRENT CLOSER, who set a track record in the mud! |
HOT BARN - Valerie Grondin
| Sorry to repeat again, BUT 4 wins and 3 seconds with 7 starters is tough to beat!! What an amazing year this outfit is having!!! Congrats! |
Week Twenty Six (9/27/09 - 10/4/09) - by Guest Columnist Kevin Switzer, Jr.
HOT HANDS - Heath Campbell
| Wins 14 races for the week including 3 sire stakes victories. |
HOT HOOVES - ESCAPEFROMALCATRAZ
| Broke the 15-year old track record set by NURK. |
HOT BARN - Valerie Grondin
| Behind every good driver, there's a good trainer, and in this case, behind every good man in a good woman. |
Week Twenty Five (9/20/09 - 9/26/09) - by Guest Columnist Charlene Cushing
HOT HANDS - Gary Mosher
| It's like he never left Farmington, he knows this track very well, but he has nothing to prove with over $21 million earned and over 5000 wins. |
HOT HOOVES - OFF KEEL
| Back on form with a 1:56.4 win, the beautiful gray is back. |
HOT BARN - Joey Mosher
| Just about undefeated as trainer this week only getting beat once with a 2nd. |
Week Twenty Four (9/14/09 - 9/19/09) - by Guest Columnist Shawn Gray
HOT HANDS - Gary Mosher
| "Roosevelt" Gary comes out of the deep freeze, driving with ice water in his veins. |
HOT HOOVES - DREAM WELL
| $50,000 Yonkers invader claims bragging rights at the Big "O", masterfully driven by Drew Campbell. |
HOT BARN - Valerie Grondin
| Eight wins for the week including three track records at Oxford Fair. |
Week Twenty Three (9/08/09 - 9/13/09) - by Guest Columnist Heath Campbell
HOT HANDS - Drew Campbell
| Eleven wins on the week with a four-bagger on Thursday and three wins on both Friday and Saturday, easily winning the Scarborough Summer Meet driving title. |
HOT HOOVES - FOUR STARZ TRUMP
| Wins the winners over trot at Scarborough over some tough competition in 1:59.2 |
HOT BARN - Randy Bickmore
| Eight wins from sixteen starts, had two winners a day during Scarborough's final summer meet weekend. Takes the trainer's title at Scarborough and is tied for second in the statewide race. |
Week Twenty Two (8/30/09 - 9/07/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Jason Bartlett
| Ten wins during his two day visit to his hometown Windsor Fair track, three wins on the first Sunday visit, and a remarkable seven wins on his second Sunday visit. including one of his favorites, MORTY in 1:58.2 |
HOT HOOVES - NEUTRAL COURT
| Toured the Windsor oval in 1:55.0, a state record for three year old pacers. Runner Up to MR NICE GUY winning the Windsor Invitational in 1:55.0 and getting revenge on RODEO DU RUISSEAU who got the win in the Hight at Skowhegan. |
HOT BARN - Philip "Bo" Sowers
| Eight wins at the Windsor Fair, capturing the training title including LETS TANGO LAVROS in 1:56.3 and BACK SPIN in 1:56.4 |
Week Twenty One (8/23/09 - 8/29/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Michael Graffam
| Three wins from seven starts, Mike is sporting a .430 UDRS for the year with 16 wins, 15 of those in the Maine Sire Stakes, where he sits second in the driving standings. |
HOT HOOVES - CURRENT CHIP
| Two year old trotting fillies captured her fourth win in her undefeated Sire Stakes Season so far. |
HOT BARN - Bernard Charlton
| Three winners at the Union Fair, including feature race winner FOUR STARZZZZ JAWS. |
Week Twenty (8/16/09 - 8/22/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Shawn Gray
| A good week for some drivers (Rob Dinning - 11 wins; Heath Campbell - 11, Kevin Switzer - 10) but Mr. Gray is outperforming them all, this week with 15 wins cruising to the Skowhegan State Fair driving title and he now tops the statewide race with 170 wins for the year. |
HOT HOOVES - PEMBROKE SPICE
| The new all age track record holder at Skowhegan State Fair, she trotted the mile in 1:58.2 getting a neck in front of trotting juggernaut KEROGEN. |
HOT BARN - Ivan Davies
| Four winners from five starters out of the barn including stakes performers WILLIN DYLAN and A CAPPELLA BELLA. |
Week Nineteen (8/09/09 - 8/15/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Shane Taggart
| Liked the Topsham soil as he recorded six wins at the Fair oval, tied for first in the standings, seven wins on the week. |
HOT HOOVES - ANOTHER LINDY
| The classy trotter became the fastest 14 year old trotter in the State of Maine as he cruised to a win at Scarborough in 1:59.0. He also holds the record as the fastest 13 year old at Windsor in 2:00.2 and as a 12 year old trotter at Windsor in 1:59.3. |
HOT BARN - Joey Mosher
| Three wins and a second and a third from six starts, including grabbing his 1,000th driving wins at Topsham Fair. |
Week Eighteen (8/03/09 - 8/08/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - W. Drew Campbell
| Tops the list with wins (9), earnings ($29,175) and USRS (.556) for the week, highlighted by winning the Northern Maine Fair Invitational with TOWN FOOL in 1:58.3 |
HOT HOOVES - TRIPLE THREE
| This five year old trotting mare captured her seventh win of the season at the Northern Maine Fair setting a new track record for aged mares on the storied oval in 2:01.0, a seasonal mark for her on a half mile track. |
HOT BARN - Michael Hitchcock
| Third week in a row that the Hitchcock brothers have led the trainer standings for the week, this week with seven wins, 17 wins for the last three weeks. |
Week Seventeen (7/27/09 - 8/02/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Kevin Switzer, Jr.
| Grabs top honors this week with six winners, two seconds, two thirds and a USRS of .389 |
HOT HOOVES - FRISKYMOVER
| FRISKYMOVER was sitting last at the half ans swooped the field to win the $10,000 final of the Hank Fenno Memorial Late Closer at Scarborough Downs with Jason MacDougall in the bike. |
HOT BARN - Shawn Nye
| Three winners from six starters during the slow week after Bangor. Shawn has 31 wins for the season and sitting eighth statewide in the trainer standings. |
Week Sixteen (7/20/09 - 7/26/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Kevin Switzer
| Highest UDRS this week with eight wins, five seconds and four thirds from 23 starts and $28K+ in earnings. |
HOT HOOVES - ON A TEAR
| A gate to wire performance in 1:53.0 in the Paul Bunyan Invitational with Jason Bartlett returning to Maine for the first time this year. It was the third fastest race ever in the state of Maine and the second fastest at Bangor Raceway. It was also a state track record for aged stallions. |
HOT BARN - Donald Richards
| Four wins and a second from eight starts including sire stakes winners CURRENT CLOSER, CURRENT CA CHING, CURRENT CHIP and CURRENT IMAGE. |
Week Fifteen (7/13/09 - 7/19/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Heath Campbell
| Eight wins and eight seconds for the week with $26,800+ in earnings tops all drivers this week. |
HOT HOOVES - PEMBROKE WHITTNEY
| Third sire stakes victory in a row, all sub-two minutes miles, this week besting pre-season favorite NO PEEKING. |
HOT BARN - Frederick Ward, Jr.
| Three winners from five starts including GRACIE GRACIE who set a new all-age state record for mares in 1:55.0 at Scarborough. |
Week Fourteen (7/06/09 - 7/12/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Jason MacDougall
| Three wins and three seconds from ten drives on the week for a UDRS of .467. |
HOT HOOVES - SHADY SABRINA
| Classy mare takes the featured fillies & mares event in Scarborough in a track record equalling 1:55.2 for trainer/driver Kevin Switzer. |
HOT BARN - Joseph Nelson
| Four winners and a third from six starts including Midsummer Classic winner ON A TEAR in 1:54.0 at Scarborough for the fastest mile of the season.. |
Week Thirteen (6/29/09 - 7/05/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Kevin Switzer, Jr.
| A driving triple Tuesday at Bangor, ends week with six winners and a UDRS of .420. |
HOT HOOVES - DANSAN TED
| Stakes season has started and the first surprise is DANSAN TED, who took the first division of the three year old colt and gelding paces in 1:59.2 with Kevin Switzer driving for Dansan Farm. |
HOT BARN - Gordon Corey
| Stakes Season has started and Gordon Corey proves why he is one of the best trainers of stakes performers with two stakes winners (BAD BOY BILLY, ISN'T SHE LOVELY) and three learn and earn wins for two year olds. |
Week Twelve (6/23/09 - 6/28/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Paul Battis
| The veteran driver, who has 3,400 career driving wins, has limited his driving in recent years, but is still a force to be receded with on the track, as he proved this week as he scored two wins with FOREIGN AUTHORITY and LAZER ZONE.. |
HOT HOOVES - RODEO DU RUISSEAU
| Takes the winners over pace at Scarborough in 1:54.4 for the fastest mile yet this season after going thru the claiming wars at $15,000. |
HOT BARN - Stacey Lord
| Scores four wins from five starters including DUE DAMAGE at Scarborough in 1:56.4.. |
Week Eleven (6/15/09 - 6/22/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Shawn Gray
| Two weeks in a row! Fourteen wins, eight seconds and a third for a .537 UDRS tops all drivers for the week. |
HOT HOOVES - GRACIE GRACIE
| Takes the winners over for fillies and mares at Scarborough for the second week in a row after grabbing a late closer final at Bangor, she's won six of last seven starts. |
HOT BARN - Richard Robertson, Jr.
| Four winners and a show from five starts starts this week. An .867 UTRS!!!. |
Week Eleven (6/08/09 - 6/14/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Shawn Gray
| Eleven wins and eight seconds tops all for the week. Shawn is second on the wins list statewide and is in a tough race for bragging rights at Bangor with Heath Campbell and Kevin Switzer, Jr. |
HOT HOOVES - LEGAL TROUBLE N
| Grabs his seventh win of the season along the Maine Circuit for trainer Allison MacDonald and owner Ryan Berry. |
HOT BARN - Steven Vafiades
| Four winners and two show finishes from eight starts this week. The Vafiades Stable has been consistant all season and currently sits third statewide with 26 wins and on top of the Bangor Training Standings. |
Week Ten (6/01/09 - 6/07/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Valerie Grondin
| Val's return to the sulky was very successful as she had two winners from three starts, setting a new lifetime mark for ADMIRAL PEMBROKE in 1:58.0 and a seasonal mark for PEMBROKE WHITE OUT in 1:58.4. |
HOT HOOVES - SANDTANA SCORE N
| The eleven year old from the Shawn Nye Stable captures the final of the F&M 3000 claimer Late Closer at Bangor, She has had four wins and a second in six starts this season. |
HOT BARN - Stanley Whittemore
| Stan gets two wins from three starts this week with winners CALLA LILLY GAL and PASSTHEGREYPOUPAN. Stan has been on a roll from returning from his winter stint in Florida with seven starts in Maine with four wins, two seconds and a third. |
Week Nine (5/25/09 - 5/31/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Gary Mosher
| Had a good day on Friday at Bangor winning five of eight drives on the nine dash card. For the week he was 15-6-1-3 for a .504 UDRS. |
HOT HOOVES - ARMBRO ANTHONY
| Captures his fourth consecutive win, his last two were in the Dirigo Claiming Series at Scarborough, which makes him one of the favorites for the $10,000 final on Belmont Saturday. |
HOT BARN - Shawn Gray
| Six starters from the barn yield five winners and a third, four of those winners came in the first four races at Bangor Raceway on Sunday |
Week Eight (5/18/09 - 5/24/09) - by Staff
HOT HANDS - Jason MacDougall
| With a driving double Thursday at Scarborough Downs, Jason had 4 wins on the week, three seconds and a third for a .333 UDRS for the week placing him in the top ten for total wins statewide for the season. |
HOT HOOVES - KEROGEN
| A track record performance at Bangor Raceway in 1:57.3, tying the fastest trot race mile in the history of the State of Maine, 1/10 of a second of the all time fastest mile from Greyhound of 1:57½ |
HOT BARN - Gretchen Athearn
| Seven starters from the Cumberland based stable resulted in three wins, a second and three thirds for a UTRS of .651. Winners included YOURAGAMBLER'SSON in a new lifetime mark of 1:57.1, DREAM NO MORE and I'M SINFULL |
Week Seven (5/11/09 - 5/17/09) - by Marc Reynolds
HOT HANDS - Drew Campbell
| Once again Drew finds his way into this weekly honor. Drew notched 13 winners on the week including two four baggers at Scarborough on both Friday and Sunday. Drew continues to be on a tear hitting the board on 26 out of 35 drives on the week. Drew is consistently finding his way to the winner's circle making him a premier driver on the Maine racing circuit. |
HOT HOOVES - FREEDOMS CALL
| This 5 year old paced turned in an extremely impressive victory at Bangor in the Winners Over class romping to a nine length victory in 1:56.3. This recent purchase for owner Mike Pease has paid instant dividends as Freedoms Call has been first or second in all four starts since racing out of the Mike Hitchcock Stable. Driver Kevin Switzer did the driving duties. It should also be noted that this pacer had some recent success for his new connections at Yonkers Raceway in New York with a win and a second place finish by a nose - driven by Mainer Jason Bartlett in both starts. |
HOT BARN - Robert Dinning
| We have seen Rob's name often in the "Hot Hands" column as a driver - but now he gets the nod here. Dinning had an awesome week with seven trained starters resulting in five winners and a third place finisher. Dinning trained pacer American Gigolo highlighted the week with a solid 1:57.1 victory with a blazing 28.4 last quarter. Congrats on an excellent week! |
Week Six (5/04/09 - 5/10/09) - by Marc Reynolds
HOT HANDS - Heath Campbell
| In an action packed week with six cards of racing including four race dates at Scarborough and two at Bangor - driver Heath Campbell notched seven winners and had a stellar week. Check out these numbers! Heath had 22 drives on the week recording 7 winners, 6 second place finishes and 3 thirds. That's 16 of 22 attempts in the Top 3. Congrats on a sizzling week! |
HOT HOOVES - IDEAL CONDITIONS
| This solid pacer is no stranger in this column as he was nominated here back in July of 2008. Ideal Conditions was hard to ignore once again after winning the loaded top Winners Over class at Scarborough in a zippy time of 1:55.4. This seven year old pacer won by a convincing four and a quarter lengths over arch rival Mr. Nice Guy. Driver Heath Campbell guided this classy gelding to victory for owner Scott Dillon and trainer Joe "Temple Toby" Nelson. |
HOT BARN - Valerie Grondin
| Trainer Valerie Grondin has picked up right where she left off last summer. Grondin's statistics are truly eye-popping as she recorded a remarkable training UDRS % of .446 in 2008 with 372 starters including 106 winners. Valerie is well over .400 again this year and had 5 horses go the gate on the week resulting in 3 winners and 2 second place finishers. Need I say anymore? Congrats! |
Week Five (4/27/09 - 5/03/09) - by Marc Reynolds
HOT HANDS - Kevin Switzer, Sr.
| The leading dash winning driver's on the week were the Campbell brothers. Haeth Campbell had 7 wins on the week - followed closely by Drew Campbell with 6 wins. Yet, my choice for the weekly award goes to Kevin Switzer Sr. who notched 5 winners on the week in limited drives. Switzer closed out the week by winning Scarborough's last race on Sunday with 30-1 longshot Sweet Preston. Kudos on a great week! |
HOT HOOVES - VELOCITY HALL
| World class trotter Velocity Hall continued his success in Maine recording his second consecutive sub two minute victory. Velocity Hall won in dominant fashion going wire to wire in 1:59 flat in the Winner's over class at Scarborough this week. Velocity Hall is owned by Dillon and Hight of Maine and is trained and driven by Don Richards. Congrats! |
HOT BARN - Randy Bickmore
| Trainer Randy Bickmore had some very impressive statistics to close out the 2008 racing season in Miane. Bickmore trained nearly 100 winners (97) on the season and compiled a very solid .353 training UDRS. Bickmore is again on a similar pace in 2009 and recorded 3 winners and 4 second place finishers on the week. Congrats! |
Week Four (4/20/09 - 4/26/09) - by Marc Reynolds
HOT HANDS - Robert Dinning
| Dinning had five winners on the week including three in a row to finish out Sunday's Scarborough card. Dinning ended the 2008 season with a solid 224 wins and is off to a swift start for the 2009 season as well. Congrats! |
HOT HOOVES - KEYSTONE NATALIE
| 5 year old pacing mare Keystone Natalie returned to her impressive ways winning the fillies and mares winners over class in an eye catching performance timed in 1:57.4. This mare is owned by Richard Kniight of Westbrook and trained by Randy Bickmore. Rob Dinning did the driving services. Congrats to the connections! |
HOT BARN - Joseph Nelson
| Four Joseph Nelson trained starters faired very well on the week with two winners and two second place finishes. Nelson is off to a torrid pace here in 2009. Winners on the week included Northmedo Rombauer and classy pacing veteran Southview Sabre. Congrats! |
Week Three (4/13/09 - 4/19/09) - by Marc Reynolds
HOT HANDS - Drew Campbell
| It didn't take long for Drew to make his way back into this column. Drew notched seven wins on the week including five on Sunday's Scarborough card to pick up right where he left off with a very successful winter and 2008 campaign. |
HOT HOOVES - AU ARTIST
| It looks as though this 5 year old Real Artist mare has taken a liking to the Scarborough oval romping to victory in back to back weeks - this time in 1:58.3. Au Artist is trained and driven by Shawn Gray and owned by the Ben, Bill and Will Stable. Congrats to connections! |
HOT BARN - Bernard Charlton
| Again - lots of barns with a sizzling week - but the nod this time goes to Bernard "Chicky" Charlton. "Chicky" sent three pacers to the gate resulting in two winners and a third place finish. Winner's over pacing mare - Yankee Anthem made it to the winner's circle for Charlton in her spring debut at Scarborough. Congrats! |
Week Two (4/06/09 - 4/12/09) - by Marc Reynolds
HOT HANDS - John Beckwith
| John Beckwith started off the spring with four wins at Scarborough on the week. Beckwith teamed winner's included Jenny's Jammies, Dua Don N, Keystone Dallas and Gracie Gracie. Congrats John on a solid week! |
HOT HOOVES - MR NICE GUY
| This 4 year old son of Western Ideal cruised to victory in his first state of Maine effort in 1:57.3. This pacer appears to be a force to be reckoned with on the New England circuit. Congrats to owner Lew Hayden, trainer Wendy Ireland and driver Kim Ireland. Chances are that we will hear much more about this pacer as year progresses. |
HOT BARN - Shawn Gray
| There were lots of stables off to blazing starts upon return from winter racing. None more so though than Shawn Gray. Check out these training statistics for Gray on the week - 7 starters with 3 winners and 4 second place finishes. Enough said! Congrats on a stellar week! |
Week One (1/01/09 - 1/10/09) - by Marc Reynolds
HOT HANDS - Shawn Gray
| The state's top two driver's in dashes won in 2008 - Drew Campbell and Shawn Gray have started the new year right where they left off. Drew and Shawn notched a combined 21 wins out of three racing dates. The nod for the weekly award goes to Shawn Gray for his stellar week with eleven victories. Gray amassed over 250 wins on the 2008 season and is off to a swift start for 2009. Congrats are in order! |
HOT HOOVES - PAR ONE
| This classy 13 year old trottter romped to a seven length victory in a speedy 2:02 flat over the Scarborough oval. It was the trotter's 40th lifetime victory. Congrats to owner and trainer Jon Chenard and reinsman Shawn Gray. Par One has now exceeded $458,000 in earnings over his remarkable racing career. |
HOT BARN - Jon Chenard
| Not only did Par One make it the winner's circle for trainer Chenard - but pacing mare Pansy did as well to make for an excellent week. Jon Chenard had four starters that resulted in 2 winners, a second place finish and a fourth. Congrats on a fine week of continued solid performances! |