The Monsters of the Midway series finals put an exclamation point on the penultimate card of the eight-day Cumberland Fair meet, with a host of five-figure dashes complimenting the $240,000-plus Maine freshmen finals.
It was the richest day in Maine harness racing history as every race carried a purse of at least $10,000, with the total purses offered exceeding $314,000.
The $12,000 Monsters of the Midway trackmaster series #2 final was grabbed by Cash Crazy Express. Scoring from post three, driver Aaron Hall moved the six-year-old Art Major mare first over at the half and rolled on to a 2:00.2 score. Trained by Mark Harris for owner Gayle Harris, it was her third victory of the season and fourteenth of her career.
Cash Crazy Express paid $3.40 to win. Dancin Hill (Matt Athearn) finished second; Age Is A Number (Walter Case Jr.) was third.
Robust wagering on that race, and throughout the card, helped First Tracks Cumberland set a new record of $144,601 for total handle, $30,552 of which was wagered on track. A capacity crowd, which was part of the closing day of the 150th annual Cumberland Fair, helped keep the mutuel tellers quite busy.
The richest overnight race of the day was the $15,000 Cumberland Fair Invitational Pace, which saw Cigars And Port smoke the pack from last to first in the final stretch drive to score in 1:56. Driven by local horseman Wally Watson (and co-owner Fox Ridge Stable) for his wife/trainer Lisa Watson, the five-year-old son of So Surreal sprinted home in :28.4 to pay $5.40 to win.
Rock Diamonds (Ron Cushing) finished second; Always A Miki (Kevin Switzer Jr.) was third.
The swiftest race of the day witnessed local favorite Rys Red Rocket blast the out of town invaders to launch a 1:55.1 score in another $10,000 division of the Cumberland Fair Invitational Pace. Driven by Matt Athearn for owner/trainer/legend Donnie Richards, the five-year-old daughter of Sunshine Beach paid a surprising $12.00 to win her sixth seasonal start.
Ohoka Johnny N (Nick Graffam) finished second; Adriano Hanover (Dave Ingraham) was third.
Trainer Valerie Grondin added to her daily win total by taking the $12,000 Invitational Trot with Pembroke Regal. Heath Campbell steered the four-year-old son of Pembroke Slugger, which included a four-deep move down the backside to score by five-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:57.3. Owned and bred by Bill Varney, it was his ninth win in nineteen seasonal outings.
Caulfield (Mike Stevenson) finished second; Mister Muscle (Walter Case Jr.) was third.
First Tracks Cumberland’s winter festival reconvenes on Sunday, November 6, following a Friday, Saturday, Sunday racing schedule through Christmas Eve (Dec. 24). Winter post times will be 11 a.m.
More information can be found on our website and on our Facebook page: First Tracks Cumberland.
(First Tracks Cumberland)