July 6, 2024, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland (Joe Shaw photos)
CUMBERLAND, ME – Walter Case Jr., who ranks 9th on the all-time dash wins list among active drivers, added six victories to his lifetime total of 11,395 on Friday (July 5) at Cumberland Raceway.
‘Casey’ started his six pack by taking both $15,986 divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
The first division he captured with Massive Speed, using a two-hole trip to grab the lead in mid-stretch and get the son of Dude’s The Man a new 2:01.4 race record. Trained by Marc Tardif and owned by Leighton Property, he was bred by Laurie Harding and paid $2.40 to win.
Pacesetter Ridgecrest Dan (John Nason) finished second; Dude’s Wanted Man (Heath Campbell-Valerie Grondin) was third.
Case came right back in the second division to score with the Tardif-trained Jax Attack in 2:05. Again utilizing a pocket trip to score with the heavy favorite, the son of Deuce Seelster paid $2.40 for owner Leighton Property. He was bred by Gary and Kristina Hall.
Gracies Tough Guy (Dave Ingraham-Fred Ward Jr.) finished second; Ella V Dude (Kevin Switzer Jr.-Marc Tardif) was third.
Case won his third race of the afternoon with another Tardif-trained pupil Pickmepickme in 1:57, paying $3.00 to win. Then he continued his reign of terror in race eight with Royalty Again (1:58.1, $6.60); race 11 with To My Credit (1:59.4, $2.60); and race 12 with Virtual Success (1:58.1, $14.00).
Looking ahead to Saturday (July 6), Cumberland welcomes all the 2-year-old trotters for their first Maine Sires Stakes action, with two $15,000-plus divisions going postward as races one and three. The filly trotters are first up in race one, and are led by Pandemic Princess (8-5, Campbell-Grondin)
Race three gives five trotting colts and gelding their time in the spotlight. Katahdin Victor (6-5, Wallace Watson-Lisa Watson) is the early favorite and has already shown some flashes of brilliance.
Also on Saturday’s 12-race program of full fields is a $5,000 division of the Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) goes as race four. The MADC is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham, Maine.
The First Tracks Cumberland meet continues throughout the Summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 3.
For additional information, visit our website at firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/FirstTracksCumberland/
July 5, 2024, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
CUMBERLAND, ME – With the Learn and Earn baby races behind them, the Pine Tree State-bred 2-year-old pacing colts will start earning their keep at First Tracks Cumberland on Friday (July 5) in two $15,986 divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes.
The action starts Friday in the 3:15 pm opener where five young lads will go behind the Wes Brown starting car with the hopes of being the next Standardbred star. The early morning line favorite is Massive Speed (7-5, Walter Case Jr.-Marc Tardif) who took a 2:02.1 record three weeks ago. Inside him is Dude’s Wanted Man (2-1, Heath Campbell-Valerie Grondin) who has won both of his qualifiers at Bangor.
Ridgecrest Dan (9-5, John Nason) leaves from the outermost post five, and was named after the late Dan Chamberlain, proprietor of Ridgecrest Horse Supply who parked his mobile tack shop outside of the paddock at many of Maine’s hotbeds of harness racing.
In race three another quintet of freshmen sidesteppers look to land the lion’s share of the $15,986 purse. The favorite is Jax Attack (1-1, Case-Tardif) has several successful preliminary miles under his belt. Just outside him is This Dudes Perfect (6-5, Campbell-Grondin) who also has some experience up at Bangor.
Friday’s card carries a total of 13 races, with all of the betting options and low take-outs that have made Cumberland a popular destination for punters.
Looking ahead to Saturday (July 6), Cumberland welcomes all the 2-year-old trotters for their first Maine Sires Stakes action, with two $15,000-plus divisions going postward as races one and three. The filly trotters are first up in race one, and are led by Pandemic Princess (8-5, Campbell-Grondin)
Race three gives five trotting colts and gelding their time in the spotlight. Katahdin Victor (6-5, Wallace Watson-Lisa Watson) is the early favorite and has already shown some flashes of brilliance.
Also on Saturday’s 12-race program of full fields is a $5,000 division of the Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) goes as race four. The MADC is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham, Maine.
The First Tracks Cumberland meet continues throughout the Summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 3.
For additional information, visit our website at firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/FirstTracksCumberland/
July 4, 2024 — by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes (Holli Niles photo)
BANGOR, ME – A lone $16,171 division of the Maine Sire Stakes for 2-year-old pacing fillies opened the card on Wednesday (July 3) at Bangor, with Ron Cushing’s Glorilla dominating her fellow troop members.
Sent off as the 3-5 favorite off a 2:00.3 qualifying mile at Tioga Downs, the slick-gaited distaff wasted little time blasting out to the front and setting a 30.4 opening panel while leaving the rest of the field stretched out behind her.
On top by 5-1/2 at the 1:02.1 well-rated half, the daughter of Dude’s The Man had Chasing Dudes (Nick Graffam-Mike Graffam) giving chase with Thinkin Bout Life (Walter Case Jr.-Marc Tardif) back 11 lengths in third.
On top by four, Glorilla and Ron Cushing remained well in command at the 1:32.2 third panel. With the backfield tightening up a bit and with no change in the pecking order, Leanne Marie (Mike Cushing-Charlene Cushing) made a move first over down the backstretch to improve her position.
On cruise control at the wire, Glorilla showed that she is indeed the band leader as she dominated by a comfortable 3-3/4 length margin in 2:02.3. Owned, trained and driven by Ron Cushing, she paid $3.20 to win, and was bred by Kevin Sywyk.
Chasing Dudes finished second; Leanne Marie got up to be third.
The Maine Sire Stakes resumes on Friday (July 5) when the 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers take center stage at First Tracks Cumberland, which is immediately followed by all the 2-year-old trotters on Saturday (July 6).
For more information about the Maine Sire Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website: https://www.mainesirestakes.com
July 1, 2024 — by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes (Holli Niles photos)
BANGOR, ME – Frederick H. Ward Jr.’s Gowestyounggrace was the wagering favorite in the first of two $16,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Sunday (June 30) at Bangor, but to say that this filly has a special place in his owner-trainer-breeder’s heart would be a glaring understatement.
“She was an amazing animal from the day she was born,” Ward exclaimed. “From the first moment she hit the ground she loved to be around people.”
“Foals usually hide behind their mother for a few weeks, but not this girl, she wanted to be with people,” Ward continued, “My wife and I knew that she was different from day one.”
Earning the nickname ‘Angel’ for her pleasant demeanor and willingness to please her ‘humans’ the 3-year-old daughter of Western Maverick from the Ward’s mare Gracie Gracie has continued the legacy of her dam.
“Gracie Gracie was the only horse that I own that’s not for sale,” Ward said with a chuckle. He and his wife Sharon bought her from Michigan for the princely sum of $1,100. A tough mare to be around, the seller could not get her going, as something always happened when she was ready.
Enter the Ward’s who employ interval training with their charges and are stabled at the peaceful Oxford (Maine) fairgrounds. Something must have clicked with that mare because she went on to earn $238,517 for them.
“She bought me a house and a couple of trucks,” beamed Ward when speaking about this family foundation mare. But things weren’t always profitable.
In the race paddock the mare was so anxious to race that when she was hooked she would persistently kick the left wheel of the race bike. Ward says he lost count of how many tires she flattened in the post parade. This prompted horseman Heath Campbell to tell Ward, ‘you’re spending more on tires than for gas.’
Nonetheless, Gracie Gracie, an Albert Albert mare from the Keystone Arbor mare Rachel’s Minuet, was from a family of solid raceway performers. She raced until she was 14, winning 53 of 240 starts. Then she started her new career as a broodmare. Her first foal was a Shady Character mare named Shades Of Gracelyn and she earned the Wards $56,935. Her second foal is a Baron Biltmore mare named Sweet Baby G, who is still racing and has earned $113,428.
Gowestyounggrace is Gracie Gracie’s third foal and now has $76,821 in earnings, some of which was made while winning last year’s Maine Sire Stakes freshmen final at Cumberland. Named after that famous Horace Greeley quote ’Go West, young man,’ Ward’s middle name is also Horace, so they put that all together when christening the filly.
“She didn’t really come around until later in her 2-year-old year. It was kind of a slow beginning, but something miraculous happened when we took off her blinders,” Ward explained. “She could see what Dave was asking of her. Maybe she just needed that human contact. But, after that day, she knew that she was a racehorse.”
Ward also noted that driver Dave Ingraham is an excellent ‘colt man’ so he really helped ‘Angel’ by teaching her and giving her the confidence that she need to excel.
Ward, himself, also credits this filly as his ‘saving grace.’ While Ward has been training harness horses for the last five decades, a training accident resulted in Ward hitting the track which resulted in a subdural hematoma, or brain bleed. This happened at the Oxford fairgroundS during the last week in May, when some Canadian geese spooked the colt he was jogging.
Awarded the Iron Man distinction by the Maine Breeders last season, that moniker was put to the test this past month as Ward found himself in the back of the ambulance at Cumberland, two weeks after the training accident.
Grateful, and lucky, that he was at the track and not at the farm when the symptoms manifested, Ward was rushed to Maine Medical and was in the intensive care unit just a few hours after ‘Angel’ raced and won on June 15. Released a few days later with instructions to ‘take it easy,’ Ward starting noticing ‘little’ things and has taken a more holistic approach to life.
“I really enjoy every day now. I almost didn’t make it,” Ward noted.
He is also looking forward to racing the 2-year-old full-brother to Gowestyounggrace, named as Gracies Tough Guy, or around the barn known as ‘Satan.’
“I would never have pulled through this without all of the help and support of the local horse people,” Ward noted.
Also a clam digger by trade, folks don’t come much tougher than Mainers. And, Mainers don’t come much tougher than Fred Ward Jr.
Back jogging horses and improving greatly, the win with Gowestyounggrace in Sunday’s first division was a graceful reminder of the delicacy of life and importance of good health.
Gowestyounggrace won the first $16,421 Maine Sire Stakes division for 3-year-old pacing fillies in 1:57.3 on Sunday (June 30), which was a new lifetime mark. It was also two weeks removed from the day he landed in the hospital. “She really is my guardian angel,” declared Ward.
The second $16,197 division was captured by Who’s Perfect in 1:57.4, who also took a new lifetime mark for her owner breeder Lynne-Marie Plouffe and partners Dick and Patty McKeen. She was driven by Heath Campbell for trainer Valerie Grondin.
The Maine Sire Stakes resumes on Wednesday (July 3) at Bangor with the 2-year-old filly pacers. Two days later (Friday, July 5) the 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers take center stage at First Tracks Cumberland, immediately followed by all the 2-year-old trotters on Saturday (July 6).
For more information about the Maine Sire Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website: https://www.mainesirestakes.com
June 30, 2024, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland (Joe Shaw photos)
CUMBERLAND, ME – Two $16,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts resulted in a shuffling of the deck for this crop of sidesteppers, with two new seasonal winners emerging on Saturday (June 29) at Cumberland Raceway.
Carded as races one and three on the 12-race afternoon program, the Maine faithful bring their some of their best stock to these stakes events, and this week was no exception. In the first $16,257 division trainer-driver Ron Cushing sent Hesjustadelight (7-2) on a forward trajectory right from the start.
Scoring from post five the son of Western Maverick rolled swiftly out from the start and was hung out by Thru The Fire (10-1, Andy Harrington-Marc Tardif) into a 28.1 opening panel. With the pair gaining over 10 lengths of separation on the field, Harrington took back and Cushing settled in on the front end before they hit the 3/8s marker.
With a more forgiving half in 59, the rest of the field started to decrease their lengths behind the leader and move closer to the pace, while the leader hit the third panel in 1:28.2. Down the backside the second time, 1-9 betting choice Ella V Fella (Kevin Switzer Jr.-Tardif) moved into second place but got rough gaited in the turn as he approached the pacesetter’s helmet. That allowed Cushing and Hesjustadelight to scamper off and score unfettered by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:59, a new career best. He paid $9.20 to win.
Owned by Ron Cushing, breeder Lynn-Marie Plouffe, Anthony and Joseph Romanelli, it was the gelding’s first seasonal victory and fifth lifetime win.
Ella V Fella finished second; Thru The Fire was third.
In the second $16,482 division of the Maine Sire Stakes the favored winner of the last two legs, Justcallmebuck (3-5, Heath Campbell-Gary Hall) left from pylon position and took command through a 28.4 opening panel. With a more pedestrian half in 1:00.2 the outer flow materialized with Arts Flight (14-1, Harrington-Tardif) first up and stable mate Two Fold Cold (9-1, Switzer-Tardif) second over.
As the pace appeared to be stalling on the front end into a 1:28.4 third panel, Switzer tipped Two Fold Cold three-wide down the backside and set upon the leaders through the final turn. With a bold move and the momentum behind them, the pair breezed down the lane and got up to win by a length in 1:58.4, a new lifetime mark. He paid $20.80 to win.
Owned and trained by Marc Tardif, the son of Deuce Seelster was bred by Gary and Kristina Hall. Justcallmebuck hung on to be second; Wes’s Challenge (Walter Case Jr.-Tardif) was third.
In other news, So Rock N’Roll extended his win streak to eight, taking the $6,000 featured overnight in 1:54.2, which was a new lifetime mark for the 4-year-old son of Western Maverick. Trained by Benson Merrill and driven by Bruce Ranger, he paid just $2.20 to win. Owned and bred by Leighton Property/Lesley Leighton, he came from off the pace once again and overpowered his foes.
Benson Merrill also won the $5,000 Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) with Velocity Sub Z in 1:59. Owned and trained by Judson Merrill, he paid $16.60 to win. The MADC is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham, Maine.
Drew Campbell fashioned a driving double, and Benson Merrill enjoyed a training double.
The First Tracks Cumberland meet continues throughout the summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 3.
For additional information, visit our website at firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/FirstTracksCumberland/
June 29, 2024, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland (Joe Shaw photos)
CUMBERLAND, ME – Trainer Valerie Grondin made a clean sweep of both Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old trotters at Cumberland Raceway on Friday (June 28), the second trainer to do so in as many weeks.
In the pair of $16,000-plus divisions of Pine Tree State-bred harness horses, the Bangor-based conditioner, along with her husband Heath Campbell, are always a formidable force on the local stakes circuit and proved that point once again.
The action began with an early non-betting race for Maine-sired 3-year-old male trotters, where Mark Athearn had sent last week’s winner Carabassett to the top from pylon position. Following splits of 29.3 and 1:01.3, it appeared as if the pacesetter would have things his own way.
However, driver Drew Campbell piloting Grondin’s Chipper Dale was sitting comfortably in the 2-hole following a 1:31.1 third panel and tipped out in the lane to overcome the leader and score in 2:02.1 by 2-1/4 lengths.
The sophomore son of Shake It Off Lindy trotted his final quarter in 30.4 and took a new lifetime mark for owner-breeder Lynn-Marie Plouffe to take home the lion’s share of the $15,758 purse. The connections surely have high hopes for Chipper Dale as he won six of eight starts last season.
Carrabassett finished second; Pembroke Will (Heath Campbell-Grondin) was third.
The regular card featured the $16,208 3-year-old filly trot, which was a rematch between last week’s victor, My Saving Grace (Mark Athearn-Gretchen Athearn) and last year’s 2-year-old filly champion Pembroke Breeze (Heath Campbell-Grondin), who finished second last time out.
Once again, Athearn left with his filly My Saving Grace, setting reasonable fractions of 30.3 and 1:03.1 to the half. With the tempo increasing dramatically moving into a 1:33.1 third stanza, Heath Campbell had Pembroke Breeze first up and gaining ground with every stride. By the head of the stretch the only question was ‘how fast’ and ‘by how many’ the daughter of Pembroke Slugger would be victorious.
The Grondin trainee did everything her aviator asked of her, scoring in 2:03 by 4-3/4 lengths, taking a new lifetime mark in the process. Owned and bred by Bill Varney, she paid $4.20 to win.
Twisted Venture (Mike Cushing-Charlene Cushing) finished second; My Saving Grace was third.
Friday’s program also included a tribute race, in memory of Frank Dubreuil where dozens of his fellow horsemen, admirers and friends formed a horseshoe tribute at the finish wire in honor of their former presiding judge.
Drivers Kevin Switzer Jr., Walter Case Jr., Aaron Hall and Dave Ingraham had driving doubles on the program. However, none paid more than ‘Double-Digit’ Dave’s score in the ninth race where he paid $131.40 with the Michel Bilodeau-trained Age Is A Number in 1:58.4.
Looking ahead to Saturday (June 29), Cumberland welcomes back the 3-year-old pacing colts for another round of Maine Sires Stakes action, with two $16,000-plus divisions going postward as races one and three.
The First Tracks Cumberland meet continues throughout the Summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 3.
For additional information, visit our website at firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/FirstTracksCumberland/
June 28, 2024, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland (Joe Shaw photo)
CUMBERLAND, ME – The Maine-bred trotters return to First Tracks Cumberland on Friday (June 28) for two $16,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes, where the Athearn’s My Saving Grace will try to make it two-in-a-row as she takes on a handful of fillies in the opener.
The action starts Friday with a single non-betting race at 2:45 pm for Maine-sired 3-year-old male trotters, where Mark and Gretchen Athearn also send last week’s winner Carabassett. The sophomore son of Boy Band drew pylon position in the early race, and hopes that spot will allow for another wire-to-wire rout where he took a new mark of 2:03.2 for owner Pat Leavitt.
Then the 12-race card opener features the $16,208 3-year-old filly trot, which is a rematch between last week’s victor, My Saving Grace (7-5, Mark Athearn) and last year’s 2-year-old filly champion Pembroke Breeze (6-5, Heath Campbell), who finished second last time out. Both fillies are intimately familiar with each other, having sparred over ten times and have traded victories almost equally.
Friday’s (June 28) card (post time 3:15 pm) also includes a tribute race, in memory of Frank Dubreuil in race 4, as well as a $5,000 guaranteed 50-cent Pick-4 (races 9-12) with a low 16-percent take out.
Looking ahead to Saturday (June 29), Cumberland welcomes back the 3-year-old pacing colts for another round of Maine Sires Stakes action, with two $16,000-plus divisions going postward as races one and three.
Leading the charge in the first division is the even money favorite Ella V Fella (Kevin Switzer-Marc Tardif). A winner of three of five races this season, he leaves from post one and will have to contend with the hard-charging Hesjustadelight (2-1, Ron Cushing) from post five.
In the second $16,482 division the rail-sitting favorite Justcallmebuck (2-1, Heath Campbell-Gary Hall) could very well have things his own way from the inside. Winner of his last two stakes and three overall, the gray son of Deuce Seelster is clearly on a roll. Likely to be his biggest threats are a one-two punch from the Tardif Taskforce in Wes’s Challenge (3-1, Walter Case Jr.) and Two Fold Cold (7-2, Kevin Switzer Jr.), who are both winners in their last outings.
Also on Saturday’s 12-race program of full fields includes the featured overnight $6,000 top pace with So Rock N’Roll putting his 7-race win streak on the line in race nine. In addition, the $5,000 division of the Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) goes as race five on Saturday. The MADC is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham, Maine.
The First Tracks Cumberland meet continues throughout the Summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 3.
For additional information, visit our website at firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/FirstTracksCumberland/
June 24, 2024 — by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes (Holli Niles photos)
BANGOR, ME – Two $16,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies splashed through the off-going on Sunday (June 23) at Bangor, both resulting in double-digit win tickets.
In the first $16,421 division for sophomore distaffs, the field had to contend with slippery conditions as well as each other. Behind the gate the 1-9 favorite Gowestyounggrace (Dave Ingraham-Fred Ward) briefly lost her footing and was forced to settle into fifth position as the field entered the first turn.
Heath Campbell sent Who’s Perfect right out for the lead in a 30.4 opening panel, which was swift given the lack of traction. My Sweet Revenge (Kevin Switzer Jr.) settled right in to draft along in second, with Summertime (Steve Wilson) gapping out in third.
Heading into the 1:02.3 decreased tempo half-mile marker Ingraham pulled Gowestyounggrace to the outside and moved first over while advancing from fourth to third. At the 1:32.3 swifter third panel it was clear that the favorite had her work cut out for her as the leader, Who’s Perfect, had put four lengths between them. However, the loose pocket sitting My Sweet Revenge was gearing up for her challenge, poised to pounce.
As the field turned for home Switzer found another gear and the race was on. Who’s Perfect battled gamely down the stretch but the 29.3 final quarter fashioned by My Sweet Revenge was too much to overcome, as she prevailed by three-quarters of length at the wire in 2:02.4.
Trained by Marc Tardif for owner Leighton Property, the daughter of Western Maverick picked up her 3rd lifetime win and a new record. Paying a handsome $24.60 to win, she was bred by Laurie Harding and Reginald Duguay.
Gowestyounggrace rallied to be third.
The second $16,197 division was delayed slightly for track maintenance, but nonetheless provided for an exciting stretch drive and another close finish.
When the starting card scurried out of the way driver Drew Campbell scooted to the lead with Mrs Foxy Roxy and found himself on top by five until his brother Heath Campbell blasted past a challenger to grab the two hole with Pembroke Red. They hit the opening quarter in 31.1 with the rest of the 5-horse field stretched out like a quarter to three.
With the pack tightening up dramatically past the 1:01.2 half, the first to pull to the outside was 3-5 favorite Ghost Of You (Switzer-Tardif), and considering following cover was stable mate Push Your Luck (Walter Case Jr.). At the 1:32.4 third panel Heath’s charge was breathing down his brother Drew’s neck. A slingshot move off the turn and Pembroke Red was gaining momentum on the pacesetter, as Ghost Of You was three wide and brushing down the center of the track.
With Drew on the inside and Heath in the middle, it was ‘mano a mano,’ brother against brother in a dog fight sprint down the stretch. Add-in Swizter and the event developed into a thrilling three-horse race, right down to the finish.
The wire arrived just in time for Mrs Foxy Roxy who won the family feud over Pembroke Red by a scant neck in 2:04.3.
Trained by James Dunn for owners William McElvain Jr., Diane Dunn and Bradford Veilleux, the daughter of Deuce Seelster grabbed her fifth career victory and a new seasonal mark. Bred by Kristina and Gary Hall, she paid $16.60 to win.
Ghost Of You finished third by a tight length.
The Maine Sire Stakes resumes on Friday (June 28) at Cumberland with the return of the 3-year-old trotters. The following day (Saturday, June 29) the sophomore male pacers take center stage at First Tracks. Post time for both days is 3:15 pm. The aforementioned group of 3-year-old pacing fillies comes back to Bangor on Sunday (June 30) with the first post at 3:00 pm.
For more information about the Maine Sire Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website: https://www.mainesirestakes.com
June 23, 2024, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland (Joe Shaw photo)
CUMBERLAND, ME – Open pacer So Rock N’ Roll continued his winning ways at Cumberland on Saturday (June 22), extending his current win streak to six in the process.
From New England to Monticello and back, the Maine-sired son of Western Maverick has not been off the board since January at the Meadowlands. Since that time the Benson Merrill-trained 4-year-old has rattled off eight wins in nine starts. Prior to Saturday, he had won the $8,000 Open at Monticello for three straight weeks with McGuire Sowers in the bike. Subsequently, he was given his walking papers and sent back to Maine.
Bruce Ranger got the call from the assigned seven hole, where they got away fourth, allowing Rocksapatriot (Dave Ingraham, 11-1) to call the shots through a 28.3 opening panel. Instant Replay (Walter Case Jr., 6-5) sat in a loose pocket while Ranger tipped the proud son of the Pine Tree State first over going into a 58.4 modest half.
By the time the seasoned sidesteppers hit the 1:26.2 third panel, So Rock N’ Roll was neck and neck with the pacesetter Rocksapatriot. The pair battled stride for stride around the final turn and down through the length of the stretch. With a slightly faster grind, the even-money favorite was able to get up by half a length to prevail in 1:55, equaling his seasonal best.
Owned by Leighton Property and bred by Lesley Leighton it was the 19th win of his career, pushing his lifetime bankroll to $283,541. He paid $4.20 to win.
Instant Replay hung on to be third.
A lone $5,000 division of the Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) saw leading point earner Hunter Lofthus also continue his reign of terror, winning in a wire-to-wire romp with Lisa Watson’s Jo Pa’s Sweet Lou. Scoring from post 6, ‘Hot Lead’ Lofthus put the 8-year-old son of Sweet Lou right on the point and never looked back.
Several would-be challengers came and went throughout the course of the mile, but Lofthus kept all of them in his wake and strolled home to victory in 1:58.3. They paid $12.00 to win. Southern Winds (Todd Whitney) finished second; Furious Beach (Mike Girouard) was third. The MADC is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham, Maine.
Lofthus started a trend which some may call a ‘punters paradise’ as the next four races all enjoyed double-digit win payouts. Then, Garret Mosher drove Gardys Legacy A (1:57.2) to a $31.00 upset in race 9, and Wally Watson scored with local favorite Airspinder (1:56.1) paying $44.80 in race 10.
Drivers Aaron Hall and Bruce Ranger each picked up a pair of victories on the 12-race card.
In the early Learn and Earn 2-year-old events, John Nason cruised to a 12-length victory in the opener with Marvin’s Choice in 2:06.3. The son of Jug winner Courtly Choice (NY) is owned by Carolyn Corso and Katharine Nason and was bred by Winbak Farm.
In the second non-betting race Kim Ireland also cut the fractions with Joyous Spirit to win in 2:17.2. The daughter of sub-1:50 trotter Six Pack (NJ) is owned by Dennis and Deborah Foss and was bred by Mike Andrew.
In the third event John Nason rolled to another front-end victory with Ridgecrest Dan in 2:04. The son of Adios winner Dude’s The Man (ME) is owned by Bill ‘Yarmouth Lumber’ Phipps and was bred by Jason Vafiades. The Tardiff Taskforce picked up many of the remaining spots with their pupils finishing second, third, fourth and sixth in that event.
The final race was captured by Katahdin Victor in 2:08.1, which was more impressive than it sounds. Following a miscue at the start, driver Wally Watson regrouped and was back 15 lengths at the quarter pole. First over and back 8 at the half, the trotter had assumed command by the third panel, and went on to win handily by a length. Trained by Lisa Watson for owner-breeder James and Betsey Kelley, the gelded son of Victor Blue Chip (ME) looks like he actually trotted in 2:05 and a piece to make up all that lost real estate.
Racing resumes at Cumberland on Friday (June 28) at 3:15 pm.
The First Tracks Cumberland meet continues throughout the summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 3.
For additional information, visit our website at firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/FirstTracksCumberland/
June 22, 2024, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
CUMBERLAND, ME – Driver Mark Athearn and trainer Gretchen Athearn swept a pair of Maine Sire Stakes trotting events on Friday (June 21) at Cumberland Raceway, recreating a similar instance last season where the same two youngsters won their stakes debuts on the same day.
It was like Déjà vu all over again when in the $15,758 early non-wagering event Athearn’s Carrabassett went right to the top and never looked back, scoring by 9 open lengths in 2:03.2. The sophomore son of Boy Band did the same thing in his first pari-mutuel race in 2023, winning in a pedestrian 2:11.3. Reducing his mark by nearly 8 seconds, it was his first trip back to the winner’s circle since last July. Owned by Patrick Leavitt, he was bred by the late Mike Andrew.
Pembroke Will (Heath Campbell) last season’s freshman champion finished second; Chipper Dale (Drew Campbell) was third. They were both trained by Valerie Grondin.
In the $16,208 opener for Maine-sired 3-year-old trotting fillies, Athearn took matters into his own hands once again and repeated his wire-to-wire journey with My Saving Grace in 2:05.1. The Shake It Off Lindy filly won her first three starts last year, and went on to capture a total of five Maine Sire Stakes on the season. Taking a new mark for Team Athearn, she is owned by Margaret Thyng and paid $7.60 to win by a length. She was bred by Leighton Property.
Last year’s distaff champ and 1-2 favorite Pembroke Breeze (Heath Campbell) finished second; Twisted Venture (Mike Cushing) was third.
Next, a pair of $16,000-plus Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings went postward as races 3 and 4 on the 13-race pari-mutuel card.
Justcallmebuck just keeps on winning as the son of Deuce Seelster grabbed his third in a row for driver Heath Campbell and trainer Gary Hall. Slicing through the beam in 1:59.1, the duo provided a meager $2.20 payoff as the 1-9 heavy favorite. Owned and bred by Kristina Hall, it was the gray colt’s second consecutive stakes victory, and another wire-to-wire romp.
What’s For Suppah (Aaron Hall-Michelle Hardin) finished a fast-closing second; Chance Worth Tryin (Drew Campbell-Kevin Chase) was third.
The Tardif Taskforce nearly swept the final $16,416 event, with their charges taking first, second and fourth places. Aaron Hall left swiftly with Ron Cushing’s Hesjustadelight, setting an opening panel of 29.1. They paced in single file fashion to the 59.2 half, where 1-2 favorite Ella V Fella (Kevin Switzer Jr.) moved first over from fifth position. While he embarked on that mission to improve his position, that attempt proved unsuccessful as stable mate Wes’s Challenge (Walter Case Jr.) popped the deuce and took command past the 1:28.1 third stanza.
Storming home in 1:58, the son of Deuce Seelster paid $7.20 to win, who was bred by Gary and Kristina Hall. Art’s Flight (Andy Harrington-Mark Tardif) picked up the pieces and finished second; Hesjustadelight hung on to be third; Ella V Fella was fourth.
Driver Drew Campbell had four wins on the card, and Mark Athearn won three which included the early non-betting race.
Racing resumes on Saturday (June 22) which brings the Learn & Earn 2-year-old races back with four non-wagering events starting at 1:30 pm. The regular card begins promptly at 3:15 pm with a 12-race program of full fields, including the featured $6,000 top pace in race 11.
A single $5,000 division of the Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) rings the bell for the opener on Saturday. The MADC is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham, Maine.
The First Tracks Cumberland meet continues throughout the Summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 3.
For additional information, visit our website at firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/FirstTracksCumberland/
