Wild Oats picked up his fourth win of the season and Emmajean Jellybean posted win number seven to take their respective $15,967 divisions of the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes (MSBS) for three-year-old trotters at the Cumberland Fair on Monday (Sept. 27).
Trainer/driver Ivan Davies sat in the two-hole with Wild Oats and got up in the final strides to overtake favourite Pembroke Regal (Gary Mosher, 4-5) to win by a head in 2:00.1. With the victory, the son of Boy Band sits comfortably in second place in the MSBS point standings for male sophomore trotters. Wild Oats was bred and is owned by Mike Andrew. He paid $5.40 to win.
The fillies trotted into race three for $15,967, and continue to be led by Emmajean Jellybean, who captured her victory on the front end handily in 2:02.3. Driven by Steve Wilson for trainer Sherry Cushing and owners R. & J. DiPompo, M. Graham and P. Smith, the daughter of Mister Anson continues to lead the three-year-old trotting fillies in points. Continually looking to take a bite out of the ‘Jellybean’ is Pembroke Secret, who finished second for trainer Valerie Grondin, and also sits second in the point standings. Emmajean Jellybean paid $3.80 to win.
The swiftest event of the day was captured by Gracie G with driver Andy Harrington for trainer/owner Sara Gibbs. The six-year-old chestnut daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven scored in 1:56.4 on the engine, giving her three wins in her last four starts. Harrington was the only driver to score more than one victory on the Monday card.
There are nine races on the Tuesday program with the first post scheduled for 1:30 p.m. The Cumberland Fair continues through next Sunday, Oct. 3.
Tuesday is headlined by two $15,951 divisions of Maine Breeders Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts, absent however is point leader Call Me Maverick.
The first split in the opener sees Paxxton (Heath Campbell, post five) facing off against American Maverick (Andy Harrington, post three) for this week’s divisional battle royale. Trained by Valerie Grondin, Paxxton is by Western Maverick and has two wins in his last three starts. American Maverick is trained by Marc Tardif and has a long string of second place finishes and looks to get off the schneid.
The second $15,952 split (race four) has the Heidi Gibbs-trained A Sweet Bidda Luck drawing the inside pylon position (Ron Cushing), and will try to hold off Whatawinwillie (Harrington, post three) for trainer Marc Tardif. This is the 11th week of MSBS events for three-year-old pacers, with the final leg visiting the Fryeburg Fair before the $80,000e finals at Bangor on October 16.
(With files from First Tracks Cumberland)