The summer of speed continued at Scarborough Downs on Saturday (8/28) with the 12-race program delivering the fastest card ever recorded in the 60 year history of the Seaside Oval. Chief among the speed demons was Shady Sabrina, who set the new all-age distaff track record, spinning an unprecedented mile timed in 1:53.1.

The 8-year-old daughter of Cam’s Dignity – My My My My Sharona supplanted the previous gold standard of 1:54.3 that she herself had established on July 17th of this year.

Shady Sabrina and driver Kevin Switzer stalked the incredible early pace sitting third behind All Pro Hall (Ron Cushing) and Rodeo Du Ruisseau (Drew Campbell) through early splits of 26.4 and 55.3. Rodeo Du Ruisseau pulled to engage All Pro Hall up the back stretch as the tandem raced stride for stride to the ¾ pole timed in 1:24.2. Shady Sabrina then engaged the contenders around the final turn, gobbling up ground and seemingly willing herself to the wire once daylight was obtained. Driver Kevin Switzer raised his whip in celebration as his magical mare crossed the wire in track record time.

“The queen has taken back her throne,” said an enthusiastic Switzer at the end of the race. “She didn’t really act like herself -- normally she grabs on and pulls, but she was much more relaxed. I did feel her saying to me, ‘don’t worry, I’m sitting right here,’ and in the end, she came through when it counted. She’s a really good horse.”

The 1:53.1 effort now becomes the second-fastest mile ever recorded at Scarborough Downs, falling just 2/5 of a second off the all-time track record of 1:52.4, which was set by Hotrod Falcon and Walter Case, Jr. during the 1993 edition of the President’s Pace.

Live racing returns to Scarborough Downs with Sunday, August 29th, and features Maine Sire Stakes 3-year-old pacing colts out on the track. Post time is 1:30 pm.