Driver Drew Campbell put the finishing touches on his Cumberland Raceway driving title as the meet wrapped up with an eventful day of harness racing and more on Sunday, Dec. 22.

Campbell had a natural grand slam on the nine-race card while banking the winner's share of some of the loftiest purses of the meet.

Campbell began his four-race tear with a signature front-end flurry while driving Alex Having Fun (pictured above) to victory in the $11,429 Winners Over Pace. Scoring from post seven, the seven-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven set a stiff opening panel of :27.4 while Instant Replay (Aaron Hall) eventually yielded the top. From that point, it was all over but the shouting as the Kimberly Vafiades-owned and trained 2-5 favourite made every call a winning one, blasting home to a 1:55.1 by a measured length. Alex Having Fun earned his ninth win of the season from 31 starts while paying $2.80 to win.

Campbell was recognized in the winner’s circle following that third race for his meet and season-leading dash wins. The 57-year-old Nova Scotia native had 97 trips to victory lane at Cumberland during the 2024 calendar year, while he grabbed 55 wins during the eight-week winter meet.

The talented reinsman, who also plies his trade at Plainridge Park and the other Maine pari-mutuel and fair tracks, has recorded 226 wins overall this year and has eclisped the $2 million earnings mark for the first time in his career. He recently achieved a milestone, surpassing 6,000 lifetime wins.

In the next race, the $17,857 Pop-Up Series final for pacers that were non-winners of $30,000 USD in 2024, the public was not surprised by the eventual winner, Ranaldi, who cruised to a wire-to-wire victory in 1:58.4 while in rein to Campbell. The Maine-bred five-year-old son of Western Maverick is owned and trained by Dakota Niles. The odds-on favourite paid $3.40 to win.

However, in the winner’s circle, a bigger surprise took place as 30-year-old Mr. Niles got down on one knee and proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Taylor Turcotte. Only Niles and track announcer Mike Cushing were aware of what would happen next. As Ranaldi stood perfectly still, the soon-to-be Mrs. Niles accepted the marital request, and the engagement ring, amidst cheers from the bundled-up fans on hand to witness the subsequent public display of affection.

​The newly engaged couple, Taylor Turcotte (left) and Dakota Niles (right), with Ranaldi.

The newly engaged couple live in St. Albans and keep their stable of horses in Sydney, Maine, with a wedding date being set for the not-too-distant future.

When asked what would have happened if the horse didn’t win, Niles was quick to point out that, “I was pretty nervous during the mile, but I would have asked her at the Maine horsemen’s banquet.”

And it was all in a day’s work for Campbell, who successfully fulfilled a future husband’s plans, and captured the next two races to boot.

The Chris Lefebvre stable's Miki De Vie (1:58.4, $2.40) won the $17,857 Pop-Up Series final for pacers that were non-winners of $20,000 USD in 2024, and Benson Merrill trainee My Sweet Revenge (2:01.3, $4) took the $14,286 Pop-Up final for pacing fillies and mares that were non-winners of $1,500 in their last four starts, completing Campbell's natural grand slam.

Ryan Berry enjoyed a catch-driving victory in the $11,429 Maine Amateur Driving Club final in race eight with the Judson Merrill-trained pacer Velocity Sub Z ($17.80) in 2:01.2 and came right back to enjoy an owner/trainer victory in another $14,286 Pop-Up pacing final with Juneparker, who paid $6.60 and was driven to the 2:01.4 score by Nick Graffam.

Kevin Switzer Jr. finished the year as the second leading driver with 88 wins, followed by recent New England Harness Writers Hall of Fame inductee Walter Case Jr. (60), Nick Graffam (49) and Aaron Hall (45). Switzer’s father will also be inducted into New England’s Hall of Fame on Dec. 28, along with the posthumous recognition of Mike Andrew and Bill Varney.

The leading trainers for 2024 were Jeff Deslandes (33), Bob Marston (27), Marc Tardif (27), Benson Merrill (22) and Sara Harrington (20).  Autym Robinson led the trainers list for the winter meet with 16 wins.

The staff and management of First Tracks Cumberland would like to send their warmest holiday wishes and gratitude to the patrons, fans and horsepeople that helped make the fourth year at the Cumberland Fairgrounds another success.

Harness racing at Cumberland Raceway re-opens on Friday, April 11 for 53 live harness racing dates during calendar year 2025.  In addition, the Cumberland Fair meet will host eight dates from Sept. 21-28.

(With files from First Tracks Cumberland)