Adriano Hanover soared on Saturday (Nov. 12) to a 1:53.4 victory in the $6,500 Open 2 Pace at First Tracks Cumberland, 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 five-year-old son of Western Ideal sprinted right out for the lead from post 4. Hitting the opening panel in :27.3, Switzer Jr. then 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 three-quarters and sprinted home a victor by 5-3/4 lengths with a :28 final kick.

Adriano Hanover is owned and trained by Gerald MacKenzie Jr., and picked up the 17th victory of his career, which is closing on $250,000 in lifetime earnings. He paid $3 to win. 

Captain Nash, 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 Rys Red Rocket finished third.

The $6,000 Open 3 Pace was captured by Star Speaker in 1:57, who got up in the final strides to nip Terror Hall by a nose. Trained and owned by Kimberly Vafiades (co-owned with Greg Kirby), the five-year-old son of Artspeak has won nine races this season. Drew Campbell drove the $3.60 winner.

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 11 different trainers won a race on the day’s card.

The Sunday (Nov. 13) program has 12 races, five of them trots. The $6,500 Open 2-3 Trot features last week’s victor Favorite Uncle, who scores from post 4 in rein to Cain MacKenzie. 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 favourite 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 this link.

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 the Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting, featuring a weekly trifecta of cards on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Nov.18, 19 & 20) which continues through Dec. 24, 2022.

(First Tracks Cumberland)