2YO’s shine in Maine Stakes

CUMBERLAND, ME – Veteran harness racing reinsman Dave Ingraham guided the winner of the fastest of two $9,690 divisions of the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes (MSBS) for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Wednesday (July 28) card at Cumberland.

Ugotaearnyrstripestook command right from the start, scoring from post position two, and led the field into battle and through all the checkpoints to earn not only his first pari-mutuel seasonal mark of 2:00 flat, but also the spoils of war that follow.

Driven to victory by Dave Ingraham, the son of Deuce Seelster paid $6.60 to win, is from the boot camp of Stephen La Casse, and was bred and remains the sole property of Edward A. Blash.

The Ron Cushing owned and driven Daughtry finished second with the aptly named Use Yah Blinkah signaling third for the team of Heath Campbell and Valerie Grondin.

UGOTAEARNMYRSTRIPETOOK REPLAY

Theaforementioned team of Campbell and Grondin joined forces once again to capture the second MSBS $9,690 division with their pupil Bandolito Blaze.

Wagering favorite Ranaldi, owned and driven by Ron Cushing, left swiftly from their inside starting position and led the field through all the stanzas and into the Cumberland stretch drive.  A battle for second developed with Pa’s Black Magic (Matt Athearn) sitting in the catbird seat until challenged past the half by Storm Artist (Andy Harrington) who came first up and was making forward progress.

But Heath Campbell had other ideas as he swooped them all with Bandolito Blaze.  Coming from off the pace, Campbell pulled the Western Maverick colt three-wide around the final turn and utilized the long fairgrounds stretch to outstep the colts that were fully engaged in their own front end fracas.

Bandolito Blaze paid $9.60 to win for breeder/trainer/co-owner Valerie Grondin with Rhonda Underhill.  Ranaldi finished second, Storm Artist was third.

BANDILITO BLAZE REPLAY

This weekend features the Jake Phipps Memorial, to be held at Cumberland on Saturday, July 31.

The introductory edition of the annual event pays homage to a young man beloved by all and whose passion for harness racing inspired those around him.  A fixture around Maine’s close-knit harness racing community, the winner’s circle presentation will be filled wit

h members of the Phipps family, as well as many of the friends that Jake made along his lifelong pursuit of the sport and love of Standardbreds.

To read more about Jake Phipps, go to: ustrottingnews.com/jake-phipps-memorial-honors-maine-harness-racing-fan/

First post time is 2:30 pm, with the special event being carded as race nine on the full, twelve race program, which is the final Saturday card of our inaugural spring/summer extended pari-mutuel meeting.

Live harness racing from Cumberland continues with two additional dates added Wed.& Thurs., Aug. 4 & 5 with 11 am posts. Racing resumes at First Tracks Cumberland for our winter meeting, beginning November 3rd and racing through December 31, 2021.

For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com

Follow us on Facebook at @FirstTracksCumberland.

For full race results, click here.

by Chris Tully, for FirstTracks Cumberland