All-age track record set at Cumberland

CUMBERLAND, ME – Adriano Hanover (Western Ideal) soared to a 1:53.4 harness racing victory at First Tracks Cumberland Saturday, November 12, equaling the all-age track record for pacers, and establishing a new benchmark for older pacers at the Southern Maine oval.

Driven by Kevin Switzer Jr. the 5-year-old sprinted right out for the lead from post position four.  Hitting the opening panel in 27.3, Switzer Jr. applied the brakes into a 58.1 half.  As the outer flow started to advance Adriano Hanover responded to the reinsman’s urging and gained further separation into 1:25.4 third stanza and sprinted home a victor by 5-3/4 lengths with a 28 second final kick.

Adriano Hanover is owned and trained by Gerald MacKenzie Jr., and picked up the 17^th victory of his career, which is closing in on $250,000 in lifetime earnings.   He paid $3.00 to win the $6,500 Open 2 Pace featured race of the afternoon.

Captain Nash (Drew Campbell), the previous divisional track record holder, finished second and was race-timed in the identical 1:55 former standard, despite having broken equipment.  Last week’s winner, Ry’s Red Rocket (Matt Athearn) finished third.

ADRIANO HANOVER REPLAY

The $6,000 Open 3 Pace was captured by Star Speaker (Artspeak) and driver Drew Campbell in 1:57, who got up in the final strides to nip Terror Hall (Wally Watson) by a nose.  Trained and owned by Kimberly Vafiades (with Greg Kirby) the 5-year-old has won 9 races this season.  He paid $3.60 to win.

Kevin Switzer had a grand slam on the program, which also included Oceanview Echo ($8.80 to win), Eleanor Jean ($6.40) and Native Maverick ($27.20) who was four-wide down the backside to score from dead last at the quarter pole.

Drew Campbell enjoyed a driving triple, and eleven different trainers won a race on the day’s card.

The Sunday (Nov. 13) program has twelve races, five of them trots.  The $6,500 Open 2-3 Trot features last week’s victor Favorite Uncle (Cain MacKenzie) who scores from post position four.  Outside him is the trending Broadway Giant (PP 5, Bruce Ranger) who won three-in-a-row before moving up to this class.  This race also marks the return of local fan favorite Cherry Crown Jewel (PP 3, Mark Athearn), who set a track record at Cumberland last year and is coming off a win at Bangor.

First Tracks Cumberland is proud to present the Polar Express Late Closing Series for the Winter meet.  Beginning Dec. 2-4, the three individual TrackMaster rating and conditioned events boast over $85,000 of additional earning opportunities for New England horse people, for which there is no entry fee.  For further details, visit the horsemen page on our website, or click here.

First Tracks Cumberland and the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association are collecting nonperishable food items in the race paddock during the next two weekends of racing to benefit the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program.

Racing continues at First Tracks Cumberland for our Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting featuring a weekly trifecta of cards on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Nov.18, 19 & 20) which continues through December 24, 2022.

For more information go to our website.

Follow us on Facebook at @FirstTracksCumberland.

For complete race results, click here.

by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland