The 38th season of the Maine Sire Stakes kicks off on Saturday at Scarborough Downs with the premier division, the three year old pacing colts. It looks to be an exciting year for the division as this is arguable the best class of three year olds the Maine Sire Stakes have seen. As two year olds last season, this division set seven track records.

The first leg is slated for the fourth race and the morning line favorite has been tagged with the seven hole post position. PEMBROKE DEWEY won four legs of the sire stakes last season and took a mark of 2:00.0 at Scarborough Downs on July 24. He’s shown growth so far this year with a qualifying win in 2:00.2 with a 28.4 last quarter, and then a 1:57.1 victory at Bangor Raceway in 1:57.1 with another 28.4 last quarter. Heath Campbell will drive for the Val Grondin Stable.

PARIS KNIGHT will leave from the 3 hole and shouldn’t be counted out. He sports two wins from Fredericton Raceway in New Brunswick, the last victory in 1:59.1. Kevin Switzer, Jr. will handle the reins for the Owen Davies trainee. PEMBROKE ABE from the Trish Coyle Stable was victorious at Bangor on June 22, going wire to wire in 2:00.4 and has the two hole. CYCLONE ARTIST sports a 2:00.2 victory at Scarborough on June 8, and if he can stay flat he can contend. MACHO MCGRAW wintered in Delaware for the KDK Stable and will be ready to go.

The second leg has the fastest of the division of this short season in LOLLIPOP KID from the six hole for Kevin Switzer. Kid swooped the field last week in 1:57.0 pacing a last half in 58.2 and a last quarter in 29.1. He’ll need to catch MAC’S PRIDE from the five hole and Shawn Thayer for the Scott MacKenzie Stable. MAC’S PRIDE was victorious in his last two starts in wire to wire fashion in 1:59.4 and 1:58.4 and shows potential of more speed. WESTERN LUKE owns a 2:01.2 victory this year from the Shorty Crochere Stable, and FAST BEN was second in his only start this year in 2:01 from the Eric Bickmore Stable.

Last year’s champion, DENVER CYCLONE returns in the third leg and is saddled with the outside eight position. The fastest two year old colt in Maine last year, Wallace Watson’s entry has prepped for this season with two qualifiers, one at Plainridge in 2:00.3 and one at Scarborough in 1:59.2. He faces some stiff competition from JIMMY WHIZBANG who wintered at the Meadowlands and fared well against tough competition. After a break of two months, JW qualified easily last week in 2:02.4 and will be ready.

Mark Athearn will also have something to say about the outcome with FUZZYLEGSANDALL who has won three from four this spring, his best in a 2:00.0 qualifier at Scarborough. Another Switzer entry, I’MAMAINECHARACTER will also factor, third in his last outing in 1:58.2, and also look at PUPA MAC, from the MacKenzie stable who owns a 2:02.2 victory and looks to improve this season.

On Sunday, the three year old fillies take to the stage at Scarborough as stakes season begins. It’s always exciting to watch the young horses mature and complete throughout the season and purses have improved this year, with the legs going for around $11,000 this weekend.