The biggest winner on Cumberland Run’s inaugural 10-race harness program on Sunday was the track itself, according to those in attendance as live horse racing came to southeastern Kentucky for the first time.
“I think the track is great,” said Hall of Fame driver David Miller, who won three races, including the first race. “The horses seem to get over it really well, and the facility itself is really nice.”
Miller said the opening of Cumberland Run is “very important” for the harness racing industry.
“We’re looking at tracks closing in other states. For Kentucky to invest in three harness tracks now, I think it’s wonderful. The program here is just unbelievable.”
Miller won two of the four $30,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes races, and coincidentally the two trophy presentations. He drove favoured Jules Hill to victory in the track’s first race, for two-year-old filly pacers, with Cumberland Run’s managing partners Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone presenting a horse blanket commemorating the occasion and a crystal decanter to the winners.
The daughter of Betting Line-Show Time Hill sat third throughout before pouncing in the lane with a :28.1 final quarter to score a two-length victory in 1:55. American Hope and Pete Wrenn finished second, with Caviart Dawn and Marvin Luna rounding out the inaugural trifecta.
Trained by Virgil Morgan, the Tom Hill homebred scored her third victory in eight starts for her young career. The 1:55 clocking was a new lifetime best for Jules Hill, who is yet to miss the board in her career and has banked $45,100 for her connections.
Miller returned four races later to win the Kentucky Sire Stakes for two-year-old colt and gelding pacers with another favourite in the Ron Burke-trained Steely Knife. This time Winchell and Falcone joined Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who arrived around 2:30 p.m., in the winner’s circle. Ted Nicholson, the Mint Gaming properties’ vice president for racing, handed Beshear a Reba McEntire-signed guitar to present to Miller as the trophy.
“I tell you right now, I think that is the greatest trophy I’ve ever gotten,” said Miller. “And I’ve won some very big races.”
Steely Knife took command just beyond the half and wouldn't look back, picking up the victory by a length and a half in 1:55.1 as the even-money favourite. Managainstcrime and Marvin Luna was second, with Shock Trooper and Tony Hall finishing third.
The maiden-breaking victory came in Steely Knife's 10th career start for owners Burke Racing Stable, Knock Services, Phillip Collura and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby. The two-year-old son of Always B Miki-Cuts Like A Knife vaulted his career bankroll to $66,710 with the win.
In the second division of Kentucky Sire Stakes for the two-year-old pacing colts, Arson delivered a first-over grind to victory in 1:56 by just under a length with Anthony MacDonald in the bike for trainer Eric Patalan. My Legend and Devon Tharps finished second at 14-1, with Blood Bond and David Miller finishing third.
Owned by Thestable Arson Group and Hutchinson Harness, Arson notched his seventh victory of the season in 11 outings for his debut campaign. The victory was the fifth in the last six efforts for the son of Captaintreacherous-Western Montana who now sports a bankroll of $120,600.
The second division of state stakes action for pacing fillies belonged to Asweetbeachhere, who capitalized on a pocket trip to secure the victory. Driven by Atlee Bender, Asweetbeachhere surged home in :27.3 to outduel Odds On Live Ball and Pete Wrenn by a head in 1:56. Monsoon and David Miller rallied for the show spot.
The victory was the third of the season for the daughter of Sweet Lou-Some Fancy Filly in her 10th career try. Trained by Erv Miller for Doug Overhiser, Asweetbeachhere has hit the board in seven of 10 on her way to earning $142,360 on the season.
Im Sir Blake A delivered the co-fastest mile of the opening day card for the same connections with a 1:52.1 victory in the $20,000 Open Pace.
After weeks of spectacular weather, the temperature never got out of the mid-50s, with drizzle and sunshine taking turns. But that did not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd, some of whom had never before been to a horse track before. The track staged a one-day carnival featuring rides and games for kids to celebrate opening day.
“We’ve enjoyed watching it for sure,” said Elizabeth Hendrickson of Corbin, who with her husband, Zack, brought their young children to see horse racing for the first time. “It’s awesome.”
“It will give people more things to do around here," said Zack.
Corbin, which has the distinction of residing in three counties in Knox, Whitley and Laurel, has worked live horse racing for 20 years. The festivities started out with a ceremonial ribbon cutting before the first race, with the participants including Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus; Knox County Judge Executive Mike Mitchell; Whitley Judge Executive Pat White Jr.; Kentucky Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer; Kentucky Rep. Tom O’Dell Smith of Corbin; Bruce Carpenter, executive director of the Corbin Economic Development Agency and the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce; and Henry Graffeo, general manager of Cumberland Run and its satellite property, The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland in Williamsburg.
"This has been a road we have been on for many, many years and we’re finally here," said Mayor Razmus. "I just so appreciate Ron and Marc, Henry and the gang for all that they’ve done. We’re looking forward to many years of good times right here on this hill.”
Rep. Smith thanked the Kentucky General Assembly’s leadership for making a horse track possible in his region after the lawmakers passed legislation in 2021 that protected historical horse racing -- the electronic gaming that is the economic engine for the commonwealth’s flourishing racetracks and their economic development.
“The vision has become reality," said Smith. "And the future of horse racing in Kentucky couldn’t be any brighter.”
Senator Thayer called Cumberland Run “the final piece of the puzzle for Kentucky’s new Standardbred racing circuit, from April at Oak Grove to the Red Mile in Lexington and now to Corbin. The ecosystem that this track is going to support is monumental. Other states are closing down tracks. Here in Kentucky we’re building new ones. This is a great new opportunity to create jobs and infrastructure here in this part of Kentucky.”
Glitches go hand and hand with the opening of any property, but Cumberland Run’s launching went off remarkably smooth, Nicholson said.
“Great crowd. Young crowd,” he said. “All and all, wonderful. The governor was here. Damon Thayer was here. We’ve had fun entertaining a lot of new people. Honestly, it exceeded my expectations, and that’s not easy to do.”
Racing continues Monday with a 1 p.m. first post. The meet runs Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays through Nov. 7.
(With files from Cumberland Run)