Driver Andy Harrington won half of the dashes on the 10-race card Tuesday (Nov. 16) at First Tracks Cumberland, the most by any reinsman on a single card this season at the Southern Maine facility.
Harrington wasted no time getting started as he won the opener, a $3,800 conditioned pace, by a neck with Dont Sweeten It in 1:58.3. Scoring from post 4, Harrington had the 10-year-old Dontgetinmyway mare first up at the three-quarters to ultimately catch the pacesetting Royalty Again (post 3, Nick Graffam) at the wire. Dont Sweeten It is owned by Melvin Grand and paid $5.20 to win. Trained by Sara Gibbs, the victory was the first of three on the card for the track’s second-leading conditioner.
Harrington snagged the early double scoring with three-year-old American Maverick in a wire-to-wire 1:59 romp. Trained by Patricia Sumner for owner Leighton Property, the former Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes standout took on the transition to racing against older horses with ease.
Harrington took a brief break where he did not have a mount in Races 3 through 5. But, he came right back and won the next three: Race 6, I Saw Red paid $12.20; Race 7, Saratoga Liz paid $18.40 and Race 8, Dreamfair Fantasy paid $7.00.
Harrington, a 31-year-old from Brunswick, Maine, now has 96 victories in 2021 which is the largest seasonal total of his career.
Driver Drew Campbell scored a driving double on the card.
Racing continues at First Tracks Cumberland on Wednesday (Nov. 17) with the regular 11:00 am post time and hosts a full, 10-race card and features a $6,000 Winners-Over Pace in the opener.
The Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting continues at First Tracks Cumberland with live harness racing several days each week through Dec. 31, 2021.
(First Tracks Cumberland)