Gowestyounggrace, last season’s Maine Sire Stakes champion sophomore pacing filly, returned to her winning ways at Cumberland Raceway on Friday, May 16, showing her fans and connections that she still loves to race.

When the wings folded under sunny skies there was a mad dash for the top in the $6,944 contest between Cash Crazy Express (Drew Campbell) and Oceanview Echo (Bruce Ranger), who ultimately took command in a swift 28 seconds flat.

With the pacers stretched out considerably down the backside, the outer flow was forced to develop going into a softer :58.1 half mile marker.  Miss Trixtster (Nick Graffam) was the first in line, followed by Maggie At Bat (Aaron Hall) and 8-5 favourite Gowestyounggrace (Dave Ingraham) in fifth, and third over, back 5-3/4 lengths.

Down the backstretch for the final time the field was stacked up into a fast 1:26.4 third stanza, with Gowestyounggrace poised to pounce three deep.  With a slingshot move off the final turn, and gaining ground with every stride, Ingraham had the four-year-old daughter of Western Maverick blazing a path to the wire down the centre of the racetrack.

Gowestyounggrace caught the new leaders and prevailed by three parts of a length in 1:57.2.  Maggie At Bat finished second; Miss Trixster was third.

Owned, trained and bred by Sharon Ward (with Fred Ward Jr.), Gowestyounggrace notched her first win of the season in her second outing.  She paid $5.40 to win, and now has $210,104 in career earnings with 18 victories.

The featured $7,639 conditioned trot was captured by Big Al M in 2:00.2 for owner, trainer, driver Zach Vickerson, in a grinding first over trip while parked the entire last half. Paying just $2.80 as the heavy favourite, the seven-year-old son of Anders Bluestone now has 24 lifetime wins with $500,773 in earnings. 

Racing continues on Saturday, May 17 at 3:15 p.m. (EDT).

(with files from First Tracks Cumberland)