Skowhegan State Fair
August 18, 2026
Content Created by: Mike Sweeney
Skowhegan, Maine … James Doucette led a trio of drivers who scored twin wins at the Skowhegan State Fair on Monday (August 17), joining fellow teamsters Nick Graffam and McGwire Sowers in making repeat visits to the winners circle in front of the 208-year-old agricultural exhibition’s volumenous stands.
Doucette, a 26-year-old in the midst of his second year of driving, scored his two wins in consecutive fashion, taking both halves of the mid-daily-double which returned $15.40 to his faithful backers.
Ahoy Hanover (1:58.2, $5.60) got the gimmic started with a gate-to-wire romp around the drizzle-dampened but good-rated oval, as Doucette expertly held a trio of challengers stacked across the raceway before sprinting clear to a 2-3/4 length margin at the wire.
The win was the first from 25 seasonal starts for the five-year-old son of Captaintreacherous who is owned and trained by Doucette himself.
Papa Clare (2:00, $8.80) then provided the power to complete Doucette’s double, as the Maritime invader dropped back fourth from the get-go, grabbed the second-over draft behind fellow New Brunswicker, Orrsterror (Joey Mosher) at the half, before overcoming his cover by 3/4-length at the wire.
Trained by Robert Kitchen for owner Robert Wilson, the win was the second consecutive score for the four-year-old son of All Bets Off who roared into Skowhegan fresh of a gate-to-wire conquest at Connell Park in Woodstock, N.B.
Racing next heads under the lights at the Skowhegan State Fair with evening sessions scheduled on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (August 18-20) with post time set for 7:00 pm (EDT).
The Skowhegan live video feed can be enjoyed online at www.youtube.com/@Mainefairharnessracing while wagering is available online on the Hollywood Races site at www.hollywoodraces.com
Photo by Joe Shaw – Driver James Doucette completes the natural daily double with Papa Clare at the Skowhegan State Fair on Monday.
