The Maine Sire Stakes Program kicked off its 2011 season on Sunday as the 3-year-old filly pacing division struck the colors at Scarborough Downs. Three divisions went post-ward for purses of $9,820 apiece, but it was the filly named Maeve who stole the show en route to establishing a new track standard, circumnavigating the Seaside Oval timed in 1:57.1. That effort supplants the previous benchmark (1:57.2) which had been held by the immortal Maine-bred, Gypsy, since 1999.

Maeve, the 3-year-old daughter of Veeza, out of the broodmare Dynamite Donna, is owned, trained and was driven to victory on Sunday by Scarborough’s leading teamster, Kevin Switzer. The victory was one of six for Switzer on the day, and was made more poignant by the fact that Maeve’s 2-year-old little brother, Poppy Was Right, also raced victorious on Sunday, while making his very first career start earlier in the day.

“The thing is, I really like this filly,” said Denise McNitt, DVM, Swtizer’s wife, “and while you never know what’s going to happen in a stakes race, I can say she raced good.”

As is often the case in harness racing and particularly prevalent in Maine, a day at the races becomes a family affair. Switzer’s family was prominently involved in today’s stakes activity on various levels.

“Dynamite Donna was Kevin’s father’s broodmare,” McNitt continued. “She had a mark of like 2:09 -- she wasn’t very fast, and had lots of breathing problems -- but Poppy [Switzer’s father] always said she’d be a good broodmare. Poppy was right. While he’s been gone for two years now, I could feel his presence in the Winner’s Circle today, cheering Donna’s babies on.”

In other stakes action, Switzer doubled up, claiming victory with defending 2-year-old stakes champion, Barbra Ann, while longtime stakes owners Harold and Nancy Dresser’s Cyclone Lily took a new lifetime mark of 1:59.1 in the third stakes split, with driver/trainer Wally Watson calling the shots.

Stakes action resumes at Scarborough Downs on Friday (7/1) with the 2-year-old filly pacers taking center stage. The 3-year-old fillies return next Sunday (7/3).