According to a 17th century nursery rhyme, ‘Jack Sprat could eat no fat.’  Despite its antiquity, that 400-year-old adage may still apply to Standardbred Jax Spratt, who is looking for his fifth consecutive victory at First Tracks Cumberland on Saturday, Nov. 16.

Jax Spratt has enjoyed a banner season winning 12 of 25 starts while doubling his win total from the previous year.  Yet, owner Bill ‘Yarmouth Lumber’ Phipps claims his four-year-old son of Devious Man is a lean, trotting machine.

“He’s a nice little horse and always stays trotting,” Phipps noted.  “All the credit goes to his trainer Aaron Hall and caretaker Jason Bertolini.  “They have done a fabulous job handling him.”

The gregarious proprietor of a Maine-based trucking company, Phipps has owned hundreds of race horses with many different trainers.  But he was quick to point out that Hall doesn’t just race his horses, he "manages" them.

“My horses don’t have to win for me to be happy.  I just want them to race good and stay healthy.  Aaron [Hall] has a great work ethic, and he and his team keep their horses sound and happy,” Phipps stated.  “I am just the guy with my name on the registration.”

Purchased as a yearling by Phipps, the New York-bred gelding has a mark of 1:56.3 taken at Plainridge this year, and total lifetime earnings of $119,752.

While modest, Phipps has a lot to be happy about as Jax Spratt has earned $52,548 this season, racing primarily in Maine.  This week he scores from post six and has been installed as the 9-5 second choice in the $5,500 USD featured conditioned trot, carded as race eight on the 13-race card.

Now with Cumberland the only track currently racing in the state, the entire program has a lot of action for horse players with eight of 13 events boasting full seven or eight horse fields.  The Pick 5 starts with the third race, a Pick 4 highlights the tenth, and the High-Five Pentafecta is offered in the final race — all with 16 per cent takeouts.

The action continues on Sunday (Nov. 17) with another 13-race card of full fields.

(First Tracks Cumberland)