Freshman trotters step out in Maine Sire Stakes

CUMBERLAND, ME – Three $11,000-plus harness racing divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 2-year-old male and female trotters enhanced the program at Cumberland Raceway on Friday (July 18) with some fresh faces making their pari-mutuel and Downeast debuts.

A lone $11,391 division of Maine-bred freshmen colts and geldings was featured in the opener, with three of the four participants making their inaugural purse starts.  Last week’s walkover introduced Wilder N Idy to the trotting ranks, where the son of To The Hilt cruised the historic Bass Park oval all alone for driver Mark Athearn and trainer Gretchen Athearn.

This week the colt had some company, although the first-time starters saw nothing but the back of Athearn’s helmet as he set comfortable early fractions of :32.2 and 1:05.3 before kicking into another gear.  Putting five lengths between himself and his nearest competitor, Trottinfortreasure (3-1, Kevin Switzer Jr.), at the 1:36.2 swifter third station, the Michael Andrew-bred colt was not finished yet.

Having reached the wire with a 10-1/4 length advantage, Athearn had Wilder N Idy on cruise control for the 2:07.4 finish.  Posting a new lifetime best, he paid $2.80 for owner Patrick Leavitt.

Gus’s Workout (5-1, Heath Campbell) finished third.

WILDER N IDY REPLAY

In the first $11,254 trotting filly division driver Heath Campbell put 1/5 favorite Pembroke Lady into motion and never looked back, scoring in 2:08.1 by 7-1/4 lengths.  The daughter of Pembroke Slugger is now two-for-two in Maine Sire Stakes events, having set her mark of 2:08 in her last start at Bangor.

Trained by Valerie Grondin for owner Brenda Varney, she paid $2.40 to win. Pembroke Lady was bred in Maine by the late Bill Varney.

Two daughters of first crop sire Cantab Fashion made their seasonal bows.  Jazaa (9-2, Nick Graffam) took an early lead against this group, settling into the two-hole and was trotting along nicely until throwing in some steps around the three-quarter pole, but held on to be third.

Our Last Quote (9-1, Steve Wilson), another daughter of Cantab Fashion inherited the two-hole and finished second.

In the second $11,429 division of the Maine Sire Stakes for 2-year-old trotting fillies 1/9 favorite Heyden (Gary Hall) jumped at the start which allowed Coronation Moon (9-1, Ivan Davies) to take over the top spot and lead the field through the remaining panels.

Scoring by 8 lengths in 2:07.2, it was a successful first lifetime start for the daughter of Cantab Fashion, who paid $20.20 to win for trainer-driver Ivan Davies.  She is owned by Owen Davies who co-bred with Catherine Davies.

Hayden, also a daughter of Cantab Fashion, finished second; Race Me Boomer (32-1, William Childs) was third.

Sarah’s Lilly won the $5,500 featured overnight in 1:57.3 with McGwire Sowers aboard.  She paid $20.80.  Gowestyounggrace (4-1, Dave Ingraham) finished second; Maggie At Bat (7-1, Andy Harrington) was third.

Kevin Switzer Jr. led all drivers with four wins on the program.

Racing resumes on Saturday (July 19) with two $11,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 2-year-old pacing fillies.

For bettors, there is a Trifecta in all races, and the program also features a surplus of exotic wagers.  Cumberland’s Pick 5 begins with the third race, and continues with our Pick 4 and Pick 3 toward the tail end of the program, and concludes with our High-Five Pentafecta in the final race—all with low 16% takeouts.

Live video and replays can be found on our website: firsttrackscumberland.com on the Live Racing / Video Replays tab.

First Track’s Cumberland Spring/Summer meet will continue throughout the Summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend. Regular post time is 3:15 pm (EDT) during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 2.  There will be a special added program on Sunday, July 27, with a 12:00 noon post time.

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

by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland