CUMBERLAND, ME – Captain Nash, a 5-year-old Standardbred from the first crop of Captaintreacherous, broke the track record at Cumberland on Tuesday (Nov. 9) for aged pacing horses. Driven to victory by Drew Campbell, Captain Nash stopped the timer in 1:55.1, which lowered the mark by two and one fifth seconds, a benchmark that was set five years ago.
Second choice Safety Second (post 3, Dan Deslandes) was the first to leave and cut opening fractions of 27.4 and 58.3, and then with a hot three quarters in 1:26.4 his lead started to evaporate.
Scoring from post two, reinsman Campbell sat with Captain Nash until past the half where he began to target the leader. Parked second and back two lengths at the three-quarter pole, he was given racing room and drew off to win by seven lengths over the iconic Cumberland oval.
Bred by top New York breeder Steve Jones of Cameo Hills Farm, the Standardbred nurseryman remembered the horse well.
“I owned the mare, Discoverer, and University of Kentucky star basketball player Cotton Nash had a breeding to Captaintreacherous. We collaborated on the foal, and sold him as a yearling in Lexington,” noted Jones while looking at bloodstock at the Harrisburg sale. “It’s great to hear that he is doing well for his new owners.”
Trained by Richard Bartlett, top driver Jason Bartlett’s grandfather, Captain Nash is owned by Reginald Duguay and paid $3.20 to win. Real Sancho (post 4, Aaron Hall) finished second; Cyclone Pass (post 5, Nick Graffam) was third.
CAPTAIN NASH REPLAY
Drew Campbell, Dan Deslandes and Wally Watson all enjoyed driving doubles. Young driver/trainer Dakota “Action” Jackson picked up his second victory of the week with his own Prince Of Art, paying $20.80 to win.
More Southern Maine action is on tap for Wednesday (Nov. 10) with a 10-race card at First Tracks Cumberland.
The feature is the $6,000 Winners Over Pace with Bo Master (post 4, Dan Deslandes) and Go Sandy Go (post 5, Aaron Hall) the two early favorites in race eight. Airspinder (post 2, Drew Campbell) will look to upset and keep his three-race win streak alive.
Our Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting continues with live harness racing several days each week through December 31, 2021.
For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com
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For full race results, click here.
by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland