Captain Nash, a five-year-old Standardbred from the first crop of Captaintreacherous, broke the track record at Cumberland on Tuesday (Nov. 9) for aged pacing horses.
Driven to victory by Drew Campbell, Captain Nash stopped the timer in 1:55.1, which lowered the mark by two seconds and one-fifth, a benchmark that was set five years ago.
Second choice Safety Second (post three, Dan Deslandes) was the first to leave and cut opening fractions of :27.4 and :58.3, and then with a hot three-quarters in 1:26.4, his lead started to evaporate. Scoring from post two, reinsman Campbell sat with Captain Nash until past the half where he began to target the leader. Parked second and back two lengths at the three-quarter pole, he was given racing room and drew off to win by seven lengths over the iconic Cumberland oval.
Bred by top New York breeder Steve Jones of Cameo Hills Farm, the Standardbred nurseryman remembered the horse well.
“I owned the mare, Discoverer, and University of Kentucky star basketball player Cotton Nash had a breeding to Captaintreacherous. We collaborated on the foal, and sold him as a yearling in Lexington,” noted Jones while looking at bloodstock at the Harrisburg sale. “It’s great to hear that he is doing well for his new owners.”
Trained by Richard Bartlett, top driver Jason Bartlett’s grandfather, Captain Nash is owned by Reginald Duguay.
He paid $3.20 to win. Real Sancho (post four, Aaron Hall) finished second and Cyclone Pass (post five, Nick Graffam) was third.
Drew Campbell, Dan Deslandes and Wally Watson all enjoyed driving doubles. Young driver/trainer Dakota “Action” Jackson picked up his second victory of the week with his own Prince Of Art, paying $20.80 to win.
More Southern Maine action is on tap for Wednesday, Nov. 10 with a 10-race card at First Tracks Cumberland. The feature is the $6,000 Winners Over Pace with Bo Master (post four, Dan Deslandes) and Go Sandy Go (post five, Aaron Hall) the two early favourites in race eight. Airspinder (post two, Drew Campbell) will look to upset and keep his three-race win streak alive.
The track's Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting continues with live harness racing several days each week through December 31, 2021.
(First Tracks Cumberland)