Richest day of racing in Maine held Saturday

CUMBERLAND, ME – The Monsters of the Midway series finals put an exclamation point on the penultimate harness racing card of the eight-day Cumberland Fair meet, with a host of five-figure dashes complimenting the $240,000-plus Maine freshmen finals Saturday, October 1.

It was the richest day in Maine harness racing history as every race carried a purse of at least $10,000, with the total purses offered exceeding $314,000.

The $12,000 Monsters of the Midway trackmaster series #2 final was grabbed by Cash Crazy Express (Art Major).  Scoring from post three, driver Aaron Hall moved the 6-year-old mare first over at the half and rolled on to a 2:00.2 score.  Trained by Mark Harris for owner Gayle Harris, it was her third victory of the season and fourteenth of her career.

Cash Crazy Express paid $3.40 to win.  Dancin Hill (Matt Athearn) finished second; Age Is A Number (Walter Case Jr.) was third.

CASH CRAZY EXPRESS REPLAY

Robust wagering on that race, and throughout the card, helped First Tracks Cumberland set a new record of $144,601 for total handle, $30,552 of which was wagered on track.  A capacity crowd, which was part of the closing day of the 150^th annual Cumberland Fair, helped keep the mutuel tellers quite busy.

The richest overnight race of the day was the $15,000 Cumberland Fair Invitational Pace, which saw Cigars And Port (So Surreal) smoke the pack from last to first in the final stretch drive to score in 1:56.  Driven by local horseman Wally Watson (and co-owner Fox Ridge Stable) for his wife/trainer Lisa Watson, the 5-year-old sprinted home in 28.4 to pay $5.40 to win.

Rock Diamonds (Ron Cushing) finished second; Always A Miki (Kevin Switzer Jr.) was third.

CIGARS AND PORT REPLAY

The swiftest race of the day witnessed local favorite Ry’s Red Rocket (Sunshine Beach) blast the out-of-town invaders to launch a 1:55.1 score in another $10,000 division of the Cumberland Fair Invitational Pace.  Driven by Matt Athearn for owner/trainer/legend Donnie Richards, the 5-year-old daughter mare paid a surprising $12.00 to win her sixth seasonal start.

Ohoka Johnny N (Nick Graffam) finished second; Adriano Hanover (Dave Ingraham) was third.

Trainer Valerie Grondin added to her daily win total by taking the $12,000 Invitational Trot with Pembroke Regal (Pembroke Slugger).  Heath Campbell steered the 4-year-old which included a four-deep move down the backside to score by 5-1/4 lengths in 1:57.3.  Owned and bred by Bill Varney, it was his ninth win in nineteen seasonal outings.

Caulfield (Mike Stevenson) finished second; Mister Muscle (Walter Case Jr.) was third.

First Tracks Cumberland’s winter festival reconvenes on Sunday, November 6, following a Friday, Saturday, Sunday racing schedule through Christmas Eve (Dec. 24).  Winter post times will be 11 a.m.

More information can be found on our website here and on our Facebook page: First Tracks Cumberland.

For complete race results, click here.

by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland