Spring finally broke winter’s grasp on Southern Maine on April 10 as sunny skies and heralded the dawn of the 2009 harness racing season at Scarborough Downs.

Sea Dog Time, now racing from the Gretchen Athearn stable, was the first horse to visit the winner’s circle though as the four-year-old Maine-bred pacer became the initial winner of the young season, winning a perfect pocket-sitting race engineered by driver Mark Athearn.

Drew Campbell wasted precious little time in defense of his 2008 Downs’ driving title winning twice during the nine-race card.

Campbell, subbing for injured driver Jason MacDougall, established a brand new trotting mark (2:02.4) for the five-year-old Plain Tag, then quickly followed that performance with a top-rated placing behind the Crawford Shahan-trained Nunnerys Luck – marking the first local victory for Shahan, whose outfit recently relocated to Scarborough from Dover Downs.

John Beckwith also shone on Friday as the veteran trot specialist expertly steered two high-steppers down victory lane, claiming the front-end route for both Jennys Jammies (2:01.4) before overpowering the $3,400 feature race field, coaxing a sterling gate-to-wire performance from the veteran trotter Dua Don N (2:00.2).

Opening weekend festivities continued at Scarborough Downs on Saturday with the first open-level pacing event of the season and the fans were certainly treated to an inspired performance as Mr. Nice Guy made an immediate impact with an effortless navigation of the track.

Sent briskly to the top by driver Kim Ireland, Mr. Nice Guy appeared to actually toy with the field as the four-year-old son of Western Ideal seemed to wait for his competitors to catch him at the half. Just as quickly as the top-class field closed in though, the pacesetting newcomer throttled up to a higher gear and sprinted away to an in-hand 4-1/2-length margin of victory punctuated by an unhurried yet spectacular 57.4 back half.

Swing Batter Batter (Campbell) finished second while Rusty’s Rascal (Rob Dinning) grabbed show honors. The winning time of 1:57.3 equaled the fastest time of the young harness season – tying the standard set by Ideal Conditions (Shawn Gray) just two races prior.

Purchased by Lew Hayden of Pleasanton, Texas during the 2008 Harrisburg Sale, Mr. Nice Guy joins his trotting-star stable-mate (and two-time Maine Trotter of the Year) Kerogen in the Wendy Ireland Stable to form what might well become the most imposing tandem to challenge the top New England classes in recent memory.

In other news, driver Campbell registered three additional victories on Saturday’s card to compliment his opening day driving double. Gray and Kevin Switzer, Jr. were the other multiple winners on Saturday with two apiece.

Scarborough Downs features live harness racing every Friday and Saturday evening at 4:15 p.m. The Sunday matinees have a 1:30 p.m. post time.

Mike Sweeney is the publicity director for Scarborough Downs