Two-year-old filly Barbra Ann may have tasted defeat for the very first time at Windsor Fair last week but she rebounded in grand style on Sunday (9/12) at Scarborough Downs and reigned victorious on the biggest stage of her young career. State of Maine native Jason Bartlett, in town for the quarter of a million dollar stakes card, called the shots for regular driver Kevin Switzer, and made every pole a winning one en route to a dazzling mile, timed in 1:57.1, one full second faster than the previous benchmark for 2-year-old fillies established just three weeks prior by Barbra Ann herself.

“I want to thank Kevin for inviting me up to Maine to drive this filly,” said Bartlett. “She’s obviously a very nice filly and it was a pleasure to drive at Scarborough Downs once again.”

“I want to thank the people here at Scarborough Downs for offering such outstanding racing opportunities this season,” said part owner, Denise McNitt. “It’s been a pleasure racing and stabling here this year. The track has been in great condition and the purse structure has been quite competitive.”

TheNor’easterBeast claimed victory in the $54,701 colt pacing final, with driver Shawn Gray calling the shots for the East Pond Stable of Oakland, Maine.

The victory marked the 8th win out of 9 career starts for the 2-year-old son of Western Cyclone. The mile was time in 1:59.3.

“Even though this horse has always raced on the front end, he was really rather handy racing from off the pace today,” said winning driver Shawn Gray. “Coming from around the last turn, the outcome was far from certain as he kind of waited on the outside before deciding to move on past. He’s a nice colt.”

Cranmeadow Express capped his undefeated Sire Stakes season scoring his 10th consecutive victory on Sunday for veteran trot master, Paul Battis, earning the lion’s share of the $54,567 purse in the colt trot division.

The 2-year-old son of Will Do Hanover elicited a mighty gasp from the large track-side crowd when he briefly rolled off stride when engaged by Pembroke Earl (Heath Campbell) just past the half. Battis quickly regrouped his charge, with Cranmeadow Express recovering and mounting a determined rebound, regaining the top around the final turn before crossing the wire in 2:03.4.

When asked what happened when Cranmeadow Express went off stride, Battis responded, “I don’t know, he’s never done that before. Thankfully he recovered quickly enough.”

Iza Bella, expertly handled by trot specialist Ivan Davies for owner Mike Andrew, claimed her 5th consecutive victory lap, fresh off her track-record-setting performance at the Downs just last week in the 2-year-old filly trot division, which carried a purse of $54,568. Davies, no stranger to success developing young trotters, was asked his secret: “Patience,” he quickly replied. “Patience.”

As the curtain comes down on the 2-year-old season, Scarborough Downs concludes its summer meeting, capping the Magical Summer of Speed. Scarborough Downs reopens on October 15th, with racing on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and a post time of 12:05 pm.