Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

HARNESS RACING

Small field set for Windsor Invitational

5-horse field falls to 4 when Shady Sabrina withdraws Sunday due to tendon injury

By Gary Hawkins ghawkins@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

The Windsor Fair track record will be in jeopardy today with a strong field of horses assembled for the seventh annual Windsor Invitational.

The five-horse field was diminished by one, according to Windsor race director Bill McFarland, when Shady Sabrina withdrew Sunday because of injury.

"My understanding is it's a pulled tendon," McFarland said. "It's better typically to have six horses. I could have, but I don't know if there was a sixth horse out there."

Shady Sabrina would have been a slight favorite, but all five horses in the race are capable of making a run at the Windsor record of 1 minute, 54 1/5 seconds set by Royal Art in 2002.

"It's a very strong field," McFarland said of the $12,000 race. "If we get the weather we have every possibility of breaking the track record."

Shady Sabrina, owned and driven by Kevin Switzer of Cumberland, has won 13 races in 21 starts this year while earning $134,000. The horse recently ran a track record 1:53.1 at Scarborough Downs, beating two horses in today's field, Rodeo Du Ruisseau and All Pro Hall.

Rodeo Du Ruisseau set a track and state record for a one-mile pace at Skowhegan last month in the Hight Invitational, running 1:52.3. The horse is driven by Drew Campbell and has earned $28,000 this year. It also set a record of 1:54 at Scarborough Downs, which was later eclipsed by Shady Sabrina.

Rodeo Du Ruisseau was favored to win last year's Windsor Invitational but was beaten by Mr. Nice Guy, who finished the mile in 1:55.

The other three horses in the field are All Pro Hall, Redstone Ruckus and Casino King. All Pro Hall finished just a neck behind Rodeo Du Ruisseau at the Hight Invitational and is driven by Ron Cushing.

Redstone Ruckus, winner of $45,000 this year, has already won twice at Windsor in the past week, including a time of 1:54.4 on Thursday. The horse is driven by Shawn Gray.

Casino King, which is driven by Shawn Thayer, has won $34,000 this year and ran 1:54.4 in its last start at Skowhegan.

The Windsor Invitational is the 13th of 15 on a card that begins at 1 p.m.

Gary Hawkins -- 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com