Airspinder soars coast-to-coast at Cumberland

CUMBERLAND, ME – They couldn’t catch local favorite Airspinder (No Spin Zone) as driver Wally Watson guided the $4,800 harness racing feature winner to a wire-to-wire victory at Cumberland on Friday (Dec. 1).

Scoring from post three, Watson fed the 7-year-old plenty of racetrack when the wings folded, while being pushed to a swift :28.2 opening panel, with Reys N A Ruckus (Dan Deslandes) ultimately conceding and ducking into the two-hold.

The first to move was the sophomore pacer So Rock N’ Roll (Kevin Switzer Jr.) who helped urge the pack to the :58.4 half-mile marker.  As the field straightened out down the backside So Rock N’ Roll looked the 8-5 favorite Airspinder right in the eye, with 21-1 longshot Jaxson R Brown (Nick Graffam) poised to pounce second over at the 1:27.2 third stanza.

Announcer Mike Cushing exclaimed “Airspinder is a tough horse to pass” as Watson urged his charge through the turn, thwarting the advances of So Rock N’ Roll.  With the latter horse fading, Jaxson R Browne made his thrust for the wire, but could not catch the victorious Airspinder.

Tripping the timer in 1:57.1, Airspinder prevailed by three parts of a length and paid $5.40 to win his seventh race of the year.  Earning $31,058 this season, he is owned and trained by David Sawyer.  Jaxson R Browne finished second; So Rock N’ Roll hung on to be third.

AIRSPINDER REPLAY

Both Bruce Ranger and Dan Deslandes enjoyed driving doubles on the nine-race card, and conditioner Benson Merrill harnessed a pair of winners: Southwind Terror (Camluck, 2:00.2; $6.40) and Ultimate Flyer N (Bettor’s Delight, 1:59.2; $10.00).

Racing continues at First Tracks Cumberland for the Saturday (Dec. 2) and Sunday (Dec. 3) programs, with a dozen races each day.  There is a $710.75 carryover in the High-5 Pentafecta in Saturday’s finale.  First post is 11 am.

Horsemen are reminded that Cumberland’s Winter Late Closing Series starts next week, with the potential for over $150,000 in purses being offered.  For more information, click here.

Racing at Cumberland continues three days each week through Christmas Eve, 2023.  Post time remains 11 am.

For more information go to our website.

Follow us on Facebook at @FirstTracksCumberland.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland