Campbell continues to sizzle

CUMBERLAND, ME – Sizzling teamster Drew Campbell added another hat trick to his impressive harness racing win total on Monday (Dec. 9), taking another three races at Cumberland Raceway.  Fresh off his 6,000^th career driving win on Saturday, the Halifax, Nova Scotia-native continues to add more and more victories to his meet-leading total.

Sunday’s (Dec. 8) card was postponed due to inclement weather and was raced on Monday (Dec. 9) with the previously programmed 11-race card, where Campbell had eight drives and picked right up where he left off.

In Race six, Drew Campbell sent Miki De Vie (Always B Miki) right out for the lead from post five to capture the $6,000 conditioned pace in 1:56.1 by a neck over a fast-closing Tobins Burke (Andy Harrington).

The 4-year-old made every call a winning one and paid $3.00 for trainer Chris Lefebvre and owner MLefebvre Racing.  It was win number 6,001 for the orange-clad reinsman, who was not finished yet.

MIKI DE VIE REPLAY

Campbell then took the $7,000 co-featured conditioned pop-up leg with Ranaldi (Western Maverick) in 1:57.1 for trainer-owner Dakota Niles.  The 5-year-old Maine-bred paid $4.80 for his off the pace score, defeating Drinka Beer (Andy Harrington) and Denver Seelster (Dave Ingraham), who finished second and third, respectively.

RANALDI REPLAY

Coming right back in the finale, Campbell and Southwind Legend (Betting Line) got shuffled back to last in the $5,000 pop-up series leg and swooped the field in the last half to prevail by a head in 1:59.  The 5-year-old Benson Merrill-trainee paid $12.60 for the score.  Maching Time (Walter Case Jr.) finished second; Skyful Of Lighters (Dave Ingraham) was third.

The other $7,000 co-featured conditioned pop-up leg was captured by Lexus With a View A (Somebeachsomewhere) in 1:57.  Driven by Nick Graffam for co-owner and trainer Jamie Gerard (with partner Strategic Racing Stable), the 10-year-old grabbed his fourth seasonal victory, paying $9.20 to win.  Thinking Of Slim (Aaron Hall) finished second; Next Big Thing (Andy Harrington) was third.

The always exciting Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) race saw its president and charismatic leader Joe Burke cop his first win of the season, steering local fan favorite Bo Master (Sportsmaster) to a head victory in 1:59 over the favored Easy As That and Todd Whitney.  The 10-year-old went from pillar to post and paid $14.60 in the $4,000 event for owner Kori Deslandes and trainer Bob Marston.  As always, the MADC is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of Windham and North Yarmouth, Maine.

The duo of driver Steve Wilson and trainer Mike Cushing took home the daily double on Monday, scoring with Lucky Michael (2:01, $3.20) and Touch Of Character (1:59.1, $3.80), with both victories being on the front end.

For Lucky Michael, who is owned by Mike Graham and Mike Cushing, it was his fourth win of the season and first since the Farmington Fair in September.  For Touch Of Character, it was his second consecutive score, and seventh on the season, for owner Darrell Tibbetts.

Aaron Hall also picked up a pair of victories on the mid-day program, and trainer Benson Merrill harnessed a couple of winners.  After the 13 cards of Cumberland’s Winter Festival meet, Drew Campbell is the leading driver with 35 wins in 128 starts.  McGwire Sowers is second with 23 victories, and Walter Case Jr. rounds out the top three with 16 scores.  The meet’s leading conditioner is Autym Robinson with an impressive 13-12-6 in 52 starts.

Overall, the year’s leading driver is Kevin Switzer Jr. who leads the 2024 pack with 84 wins.  Drew Campbell is approaching fast with 77 wins, which puts him in second place per annum.  Walter Case Jr. is third with 56.

Racing resumes Friday (Dec. 13) with another three-day weekend of action continuing on Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 14 and 15).  The 19-day meet continues through Dec. 22, 2024, and post time is always 10:55 am.  Our popular Au Revoir Retirement Ceremonies are slated for Saturday, Dec. 21, with a total of 12 entrants to be paraded in front of their Maine fan base.

For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on Facebook: @FirstTracksCumberland.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting Results

by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland