Scaboro Downs

[TheGrimReaper]

My uncle was a fixture for years at Scarborough Downs....loves harness racing and horse racing in general. He once told me that the once great Walter Case Jr. started his career at the Bangor Fair. Is that true? Anyway shout out to my uncle Chris G.

Walter drove for Warren Strout back in his heyday at Bangor, then he drove everywhere in Maine, circuit used to be Lewiston in the winter then Scabby, then the fairs.  Headed out to Monticello and the good and bad began.  Remember Casey, Dave Ingraham, Bobby Sumner and a younger Leigh Fitch.  All treated me well and were good to drive my cheap stock.  The glory days, Donnie Richards, Bion Pike, Freeman Parker, Elmer Ballard, John Mollison, Frank Withee, Ray Ireland, Gordon Corey, Canadians like Clayton Dickenson, Greg Bowden, Walter LaFreniere......c ould go on and on.  Was a fun game back then.....

[chief yogi]

wow you really hit it on the glory days. dont forget the extended meets at cumberland. it was a great game back then. i am suprised that with scarborough closing no one has even brought up a meet at cumberland. still has a clubhouse and a nice facility. needs some paint but it is comfortable enough.    this weekend looks like drew and the pompano horses should be good. track will be off and some rain showers predicted.

[Wawajones]

Canceled both Saturday and Sunday.  We will have to eagerly wait one more weekend!  They might as well cancel the whole meet

[chief yogi]

had no choice but to not race. the new paint was still a bit wet. the new pavement on the access road in was still being rolled. new carpet in the downs club was not finished. they just wanted everything to be perfect for opening weekend. bathrooms were being cleaned today. all set for saturday.

[Wawajones]

Last racing meet.  Who knows what will happen.  The downs has been dying a slow death since Joe Ricci's death.  The glory days of Ricci and Charlie Day are long gone. Fair racing is all that is left, but that's okay.  It is hard to beat a sunny August day sitting under the oak trees at Union fair drinking a moxie and watching the races.

[chief yogi]

joe was bad for maine racing but he at least tryed. his death and the terry family have been the end of scarborough. all the money scarborough gets from the slots ends up going to pay the terry family. its been a shame the way the place has been run from the time of joes death. one of the best locations to have a track in new england but in the end no one wanted to go there.  the fairs are a great place to race and watch races but they too are on the way out. sadly. a few bright spots but a lot of mis management too. i remember big crowds at all the fairs, not just for the races. 10-12 bucks a pop to get in has not helped.