Cumberland Run concluded its second harness meet on Tuesday, Nov. 5 with a sensational card that included eight $138,889 finals of the Kentucky Sires Stakes.
Todd McCarthy, in his first year racing at Cumberland Run, won four of the 12 races on the card to capture the driving title with 18 wins out of 56 starts at the meet. That was two victories more than his brother, Andrew McCarthy, and U.S. Hall of Famer David Miller. The Australian-born Todd McCarthy -- who also won the meet earnings title with $624,430 USD in purses -- is among harness racing's brightest stars, including winning the 2022 Hambletonian with Cool Papa Bell at a record 52-1 odds.
Tony Dinges went 11 for 27 to take the trainer’s title, two wins more than Ron Burke, whose $347,050 USD earned by his horses led in purses. Burke is harness racing's runaway all-time leader, including 15,213 victories and more than $354.4 million in purses.
"We’re thrilled to have so quickly become a must-stop for harness racing’s leading trainers and drivers and being part of a Kentucky circuit that is making huge strides, thanks to legislation passed by the General Assembly three years ago," said Ted Nicholson, Vice President of Racing for Cumberland Run and its sister Thoroughbred track Kentucky Downs.
The $138,889 finals were for two-year-olds and three-year-olds, with each age having male and female divisions for trotters and pacers. In addition, there were four Kentucky Sires Stakes for the various divisions of four-year-olds, which had three $69,444 legs instead of a final.
The four-year-old trotting mare Railee Something went four-for-four at the meet for owner-/breeder Ronald Mersky of Paris, Kentucky, trainer Roger Cullipher and driver Andrew McCarthy. Railee Something won a $34,247 Open Trot in the meet’s opening days before sweeping the Sires Stakes legs, with Tuesday's win in 1:52.2.
Seven horses went three-for-three at Cumberland Run by taking their Sires Stakes final and two $55,556 preliminary legs. They included the two-year-old trotting filly Yo Tillie (1:53.4), who is driven, trained and owned by Verlin Yoder of Columbia, Kentucky. The others were two-year-old colt trotter Hard Seven (1:54.3), two-year-old filly pacer Caviart Delight (1:52), four-year-old male trotter Once In A Lifetime (1:52.2), four-year-old male pacer Admiral Hill (1:49.1), three-year-old filly pacer Fearless Bettor (1:52.2) and two-year-old colt pacer Bourbon County (1:52.1).
Favourites ruled the day, with only the three-year-old filly trotter Tove Palema (1:54.4) paying double digits to win at $22.18, with Andrew McCarthy driving for trainer Julie Miller.
The other winners were four-year-old mare pacer Queens Reign (1:50.3), three-year-old male pacer Women Layer (1:51.1) and three-year-old male trotter Naked Cowboy (1:54.3).
Finals for the Sires Stakes increased to $138,889 apiece ($100,000 USD from $70,000 USD last year).
Cumberland Run’s 2025 racing dates are Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, Oct. 12 through Nov. 4. The track has the option to race Saturdays, Oct. 11, 18, 25 and Nov. 1.
(With files from Cumberland Run; Photo of Hard Seven winning on Nov. 5)