Big amateur battle in Maine

CUMBERLAND, ME – The two point leaders in the Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC), Dakota Jackson and Benson Merrill, battled for bragging rights in Saturday’s (Nov. 20) dual harness racing divisions of the ‘Greatest Side Show in Maine Harness Racing’ at Cumberland.

Dakota ‘Action’ Jackson proved that ‘third time’s a charm’ as he guided his own Milliondollardad to victory in the $3,500 MADC

Group ‘B’ in his third attempt in as many weeks.  Scoring from post four, Jackson found a seat on the pylons after the wings folded and was content to settle into third place in the first turn.

Ryan Hall set a steady tempo with Librado Hanover (post 2), with Adam Gray driving Three New Dawns sitting in the two hole.  Just past the five-eighths pole Jackson tipped the 13-year-old son of Million Dollar Cam to the outside and began his push to the lead.  Head to head with Hall at the head of the stretch, Jackson urged Milliondollardad to a three-quarter length, 2:00.2 victory over pocket-sitting Adam Gray and Three New Dawns. Jason Bertolini got up for third with Led Schneppelin.

Milliondollardad paid $23.40 to win for owner/trainer/driver and current MADC point leader Dakota Jackson.  Coupled with Three New Dawns the 4-3 exacta paid $206.10.

MILLIONDOLLARDAD REPLAY

‘Mighty’ Benson Merrill, who is second in the MADC point standings, put some distance between himself and the rest of his amateur participants, scoring with his recent acquisition Southwind Terror in the $4,500 ‘Group A.’

Leaving from post five, Merrill found himself surrounded by a flurry of leavers.  Forced to roll on and thread the eye of the needle, Southwind Terror responded admirably and pushed to the front past the three-eighths pole.  After that it was all over but the shouting as Merrill and Southwind Terror maintained an open length advantage over the rest of the field right down to the 1:58, three length score.

Dakota Jackson and Rockaholic brushed late to pick up the place finish with Karl Butterfield and favorite So So De Vie finishing third.  Southwind Terror paid $7.40 to win for trainer Benson Merrill and new owners Bill Tracy and Mike Wilson.

SOUTHWIND  TERROR REPLAY

On hand to present the Blue Seal swag bucket trophies to the winning connections was Aimee Nichols, the Blue Seal and Kent Feeds Territory Sales Manager, on behalf of the North Yarmouth and Windham Blue Seal Feed Stores.

Saturday’s (Nov. 20) co-featured $5,000 conditioned pace was captured by The Spy and driver Shawn Thayer, who got up by a neck to win in 1:57.2 over Obscene Blue Chip and Matt Athearn.  A 9-year-old son of American Ideal, The Spy is trained by Shawn Nye and owned by Laura Huff and paid $6.20 to win, which was his twelfth victory of the season.

THE SPY REPLAY

Caulfield picked up his second victory in a row, taking the $5,000 conditioned trot co-feature in 2:00.2.  Trained by Robert Marston for owner George Tzikas, the victory put driver Drew Campbell one win ahead of Bruce Ranger in the Cumberland driver standings for the first time this season.  Following Saturday’s card, the top reinsmen stand at 51-50 respectively.

Driver Shawn Thayer doubled on the card and doubled his seasonal Cumberland wins from two to four.

Race secretary Marc Reynolds has added several new classes to the Thanksgiving weekend programs.  Be sure the check the USTA online condition sheet and remember the variation in the draw schedule.

Aside from the regular cornucopia of racing opportunities, there are two new classes for our older horses:

Fri 26 Nov – “Senior Citizens Pace” – 10 yr olds and older TMR 68 or less;

Sat 27 Nov – “Grumpy Old Man Pace” – 10 yr olds and older 76 TMR or less.

Also, added money enhances these two straight claimer events:

Sat 27 Nov – $4000/4500 claimer, and a $5000-5500-6000 claimer.

Our Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting continues with live harness racing several days each week through December 31, 2021.

For full race results, click here.

by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland