President’s Pace

(Scarborough Downs)

 

1993

  

HOT ROD FALCON

1:52.4

Driver – Walter Case, Jr

1:23.4

Trainer – Jordan S. Rubin

 :55.3

Owners – Sampson Street Stables

 :26.3

Second – WHITELAND TROUBLE

  

Third – CENTER STRIP

  
  $35,000.00
 

1990

1:54.0

PRINCE EBONY

1:25.4

Driver – Ronald Pierce
:56.2

Trainer – George Patlas
:28.2

Owner – Marinos Bouras
 

Second – SANDMAN HANOVER
 

Third – NIGHT COLT
$60,000.00  

1989

    

JAGUAR SPUR

1:55.3

  

Driver – Richard Stillings

1:27.2

  

Trainer – Charles Stillings

 :58.3  

Owners –Roy Davis & Barberry Farms

 :29.1  

Second – RUNNYMEAD LOBELL

    

Third – AUTOMATICALLY   

   
  $60,000.00  
   

1988
 

1:58.1

ROOKERY
 

1:27.4

Driver – Christopher Birch
  :57.1

Trainer – Th. Lewis
  :27.4

Owners – David L. Banks
   

Second – PLAY THE PALACE
   

Third – MICHAEL'S ALL STAR
  $50,000.00  

1987

    

STONEBRIDGE SKIPPER

1:57.1

  

Driver – Rejean Daigneault

1:28.3

  

Trainer – Joseph Holloway

:59.1  

Owners –Stonebridge Farm, R. Csogi, L. Kennet

 :28.2  

Second – BRIANS BREEZE

    
Third – PARTICULAR    

 

 $50,000.00  

   

1986
 

1:57.2

MEADOW RO MAR
 

1:29.0

Driver – Walter Case, Jr.
  :58.3

Trainer - Jo. Scorsone
  :28.3

Owner – Wm Dewey, Th. Lannon, & Dick Roach
   

Second – RAMBLIN STORM
   

Third – WILLIAMSBURG ONE
  $40,000.00  
An increased purse of $40,000 attracted a star-studded field for the 1986 edition of the President's Pace. When the dust had settled, another new track record went into the books, after one of the most stirring stretch-duels ever seen along the Pine Tree Circuit. Meadowlands-invader Ramblin Storm was first from the gate, taking the field of seven past the first-quarter marker in .28.3. Just past the pole, Meadow Ro Mar surged on by and the swift chase was on through fractions of :58.3 and 1:29.0.
Along the far turn it was Meadow Ro Mar with Walter Case, Jr. and Ramblin Storm with Steve Warrington matching strides, while Peter Blood's Williamsburg One encountered steering problems around the shorter half-mile-oval turns. Through the stretch, Casey called on a tiring Meadow Ro Mar for that little extra, as he held off a determined Rambling Storm in a tight photo finish, with the teletimer showing a new track record of 1:57.2. The top two had produced a final panel in :28.2, while bringing the overflow crowd to their feet, for the most exciting finish in President's Pace history.
Williamsburg One rounded out the contenders, with Broadway Premier, Star Cycle, Armbro Chuck and Lord Dalrae completing the order of finish. The memories of the 1986 President's Pace were celebrated long into the night, as Maine's most prestigious mile took yet another giant step towards national prominence with a mile in 1:57.2, and a local native in the winner's circle as an added plus.

 

1985

  

BROADWAY PREMIER

1:57.4

Driver – Peter Blood

1:27.3

Trainer – Peter Blood

 :57.1

Owners – Roger T. Slocomb

 :27.2

Second – FLEET GIPSY

  
Third – HOBO'S WILLY  
  $30,000.00
A wide opening wagering field of eight horses went postward in President's Pace 85, with the super fast early pace producing the second fastest classic in history, with Roger Slobody's Broadway Premier stopping the infield teletimer in 1:57.4 for driver Peter Blood.
The early speed show was produced by a pair of New Jersey shippers, Hobo's Willy and E.Z. Ben, who raced as a team past the quarter mile marker in :27.2. Past the half it was the former World Champion (over a five-eights mile oval) Hobo's Willy in command, with the eventual winner Broadway Premier catching the "second-over" trip in the forth, the half stepped in a quick :57.1. Off three parts Hobo's Willy was under heavy pressure from Iron Wil, with Peter Blood's entry three deep and flying towards the leaders, past the pole in 1:27.3. Broadway Premier stuck a nose to the front past seven-eights, then paced gamely down the long stretch, while holding off the late rally of Fleet Gipsy and driver Billy Bresnahan. Hobo's Willy held on for third, with E.Z. Ben, Rance, Governor K.C., Iron Will, and The Ledger rounding out the order of finish.
It was a magnificent show as the President's pace once again fulfilled all pre-race expectations for the overflow crowd, who wagered an all-time record of $363,000 on the 15 race program, with a pair of longshots leading the way home in the cavalry charge finish of this $30,000 feature.

   

1984
 

1:58.2

TRUMAN
 

1:29.1

Driver – William Bresnahan
  :59.3

Trainer - A. (Bucky) Day
  :28.4

Owner – Angelo J & Joseph P Faro
   

Second – CARAMORE
   

Third – HILARION
  $25,000.00  
The field: Hilarion, Truman, Stabilizer, Broadway Premier, My Bill Forwood, Caramore, Waverly Nero. The $25,000 President's Pace VI featured again a strong field with pacers skipping in from New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts to compete. The pre-race cappers figured a battle between Hilarion, who had the pole and had recently been nipped in 1:53, and Caramore, on of the top invitationals in the United States, but My Bill Forwood had shown his ability to race at the Downs, and Truman sported his second to Ideal Wilco in 1983. Thus 1984's President's Pace was surely the most balanced in the Invitational's history. My Bill Forwood set the early pace, but ti was not to be for "Bill in 1984, and he faded. In mid-stretch, it looked as if Caramore and James Doherty were the winners, but just then the rail opened in a"gift" for a charging Truman, who just got up in 1:58.2, the second fastest mile in Maine's history.

 

1983

  

IDEAL WILCO

1:57.3

Driver – Rene Poulin

1:29.1

Trainer – Jean Camirand

 :58.2

Owner –Victoria Silverman

 :28.1

Second – TRUMAN

  

Third – ANIMAL HOUSE

  
  $20,000.00

The two-year dominance of Maine's own My Bill Forwood would come to an end in the 1983 edition of the President's Pace, as the speedy son of Isle of Wight suffered an unfortunate injury, and for the first time in three years would not be in the field for the increased purse of $20,000.
The field of seven would include entries from Liberty Bell Park, Foxboro Raceway, Yonkers, and Saratoga. The use of the "running horse" Paddock brought the stars closer to the fans, who thronged around the area long before post time for the Fifth Annual President's Pace.
Once the race began the promise of a special happening took shape, as first Truman, and then Ideal Wilco showing the way off a lightning fast quarter in 28.1. The New York based Ideal Wilco then sped past the half-mile in 58.2 and got a valuable rest as he held command off three-quarters in 1:29.1.
At this point Truman and Animal House were roaring into the late action, but it was not to be as the huge crowd was on their feed as the gray-flyer
Ideal Wilco tossed in a final quarter in 28.3 for a new track record in 1:57.3.
The roar of the crowd will never be forgotten, as trainer Jean Camirand's four-year-old provided the biggest President's Pace thrill, while pacing away from the likes of Truman, Animal House, Omaha Lus, Mountain Nitro and Gawain Butler, while Eclipsing My Bill Forwood's former standard of 1:58.4. In the winner's circle driver Rene Poulin graciously accepted the "Ten Foot" trophy, while mixing freely with the Maine fans, who had indeed witnessed a special moment at the harness races, a Downs, and State of Maine record, a mile in 1:57.3

 

1982

1:58.4

MY BILL FORWOOD

1:28.0

Driver – Freeman Parker
1:00.2

Trainer – Lester Pullen
:29.1

Owners – Alroy A. & Eastlyn B.Chow
 

Second – FULL RESPECT
 

Third – THE ANDOVER STORY
$15,000.00  
The defending champion was on the spot in the fourth annual President's Pace. It was My Bill Forwood against the field, and a star-studded field it was on Sunday afternoon, September 5th, 1982. Although the crowds' allegiance was to My Bill Forwood, they could not overlood the likes of Sure Show, a 1:54 pacer from The Meadowlands, or Full Respect, a classy 1:56 flyer shipping in from Freehold Raceway.
As in the previous year's event, it again came down to one fantastic more, a third quarter in 27.3 by My Bill Forwood, and a final quarter battle against the clock, as catch-driver Freeman Parker urged on the son of Isle of Wight, while once again stopping the teletimer in 1:58.4. "Bill" captured the event by open-lengths, with the balance of the field including Full Respect, The Andover Story, Sure Show, Big Hugh and Cambro Time.
Full Respect had given his all as the only challenger during the fast mile, the bally-hooed Sure Show had severe problems on the half-mile turns, and The Andover Story had lacked the late kick. The champion had defended his title, and an excited Freeman Parker attested that the President's Pace was for real, as he noted that this was his "biggest driver win in a lifetime." The President's Pace had indeed become a "Maine Tradition" in the short period of four years.

1981

  

MY BILL FORWOOD

1:58.4

Driver – Donald Dancer

1:30.2

Trainer – Lester Pullen

 :59.4

Owners – Alroy A. & Eastlyn B.Chow

 :28.4

Second – SAM'S VALET

  

Third – ARCHIE HANOVER

  
  $12,500.00
The 1981 season had been a good year for Scarborough Downs, the handle had been good, increases were showing, and we had even recorded our "first-in-history" sub 2:00-minute mile, that epic trip by The Andover Story in 1:59.4 on July 4th. And the best was yet to come and it happened on Sunday afternoon, September 6th, in the third President's Pace, as My Bill Forwood gained his revenge with that track-record mile in 1:58.4
Alroy and Eastlyn Chow's great young pacer was coming off an 11-win season along the strong New Jersey circuit, and was going for win four in a row in the $12,500 test. The story of the mile was "one move" that being make by "Bill" and Donnie Dancer as the field sped past the half-mile marker. This duo was followed closely by Jean Morel with Sam's Valet, in from Saratoga for the race, but they were no match for the Maine-speedster who simply paced away while testing the Downs teletimer in track-record time. The remainder of this field in order of finish included Archie Hanover, Romie's Goldie, Honor Baron and The Andover Story.
The race was over, the record had fallen, and the magic-due of My Bill Forwood and Donald Dancer had gained their revenge for the embaarrassment in the 1980 feature. It was surely a moment to remember trackside as the teletimer read 1:58.4, it had never been done before over a half-mile oval here in Maine.
   

1980
 

2:01.0

 JETLITE
 

1:30.2

Driver – A. (Bucky) Day
  :59.1

Trainer – Raymond F. Smith
  :28.4

Owners –Raymond F. Smith
   

Second – CHEVIOT
   

Third – MIGHTY EDEN
  $10,000.00  
A heralded three-year-old, and a grand old veteran highlighted the pre-race publicity for President's Pace II, but an intense thunderstorm (an hour before post time), and a late arriving Bucky Day provided an upset ($46.20 winner) as Jetlite flashed down the middle of the raceway in a creditable mile of 2:01 flat.
The highly regarded three-year-old, at that time considered to be Maine's best ever, was My Bill Forwood. He had earned over $60,000 on the season, and had taken a lifetime win mark in 1:57-flat at the Meadowlands. On this day, with New Jersey-teamster Donald Dancer in the bike, "Bill" never saw the rail early on, and finished a dismal eighth at the wire.
The grand old veteran was the defending President's Pace champion, Cheviot. With Ken Heeney in the seat, Cheviot fell well off the fast early fractions of :28.4, and 59.1. His patented late-move off three-quarters in 1:30.2 fell lengths short as Jetlite sped away in the late strides. The remainder of the field included Mighty Eden, Tuckaway Willy, Best of Candy, Betty Jo Chris, God of Wealth and My Bill Forward.
In the aftermath, the memory of the second President's Pace is that of a beaming owner (Raymond Smith) walking through the crowded grandstand, proudly carrying with him the winners reward, the prestigious ten-foot tall President's Pace trophy.

1979

    

 CHEVIOT

2:00.1

  

Driver – William O'Donnell

1:29.4

  

Trainer – Rodney Grady

 :58.4  

Owners – Robert & Pauline Webb

 :29.0  

Second – TAURUS ROMEO

    

Third – T.B.J.

    
  $8,000.00  
September 2nd, 1979 was the date as the very first President's Pace field moved behind the starting gate at the Downs. A dream became reality as J.M. Glow, Taurus Romeo, Cheviot, Baron Pedro, New Dimension and T.B.J. raced into the first turn after a perfect start. The first test was conducted on a Saturday night, with over 6,000 fans wagering a record $197,254 on the 12-race program.
The race developed into a two-horse battle between the local favorite Maine owned Cheviot, and the Meadowland invader Taurus Romeo. "Romeo", who had just become the first in history "over $100,000-priced" claimer, enjoyed the best of the early going with Billy Faucher in the sulky with the eventual winner Cheviot sitting fourth behind J.M. Glow as the field left the five-eighths mile marker.
Midway up the backside J.M. Glow made a nasty break, with Cheviot and driver Billy O'Donnell barely avoiding a spill. Once past the jam-up it was all Cheviot, flying along the outside, and drawing clear for a new track record of 2:00.1. In the winners circle shortly after the race the world-class driver Billy O'Donnell apologized for missing the coveted first-in-Maine sub-2:00 minute mile, but on this September evening, it was not to be.
And yet the stage had been set, records had fallen on the raceway and at the busier-than-ever mutuel windows. A "Maine Tradition" has been established, and the very first winner was a State of Maine-owned pacer, the great Cheviot.

 

Index

Race write-ups taken from Scarborough Downs President's Pace Race Programs