Trainer Zach Vickerson had three horses racing on Sunday, Nov. 30 at First Tracks Cumberland and all three were winners, continuing his stable's streak stretching back to mid-November.
Vickerson's stable has now won 11 straight races since Nov. 15, with his Sunday Cumberland winners -- Rock Candy, Rau Ru and Sheriff N -- accounting for three each over that timeframe.
In Sunday's $6,944 featured conditioned optional claiming pace in the third dash on the program, top driver Kevin Switzer Jr. sent heavy 1-9 favourite Rock Candy out to an early lead, but McGwire Sowers also left with the 6-1 shot Vel Mr Nice Guy. Switzer re-took just past the :28.4 opening panel and never looked back. As Rock Candy led the field through a softer 1:00 midway point, the first to move from the rim was by Spicey P (Steve Wilson), who advanced all the way to second while first-over at the 1:28.3 third station. Under a hand drive, Rock Candy exploded at the head of the stretch to maintained the advantage over a fast-closing Vel Mr Nice Guy. The pacesetter prevailed by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:58. Also owned by his trainer, the nine-year-old Pet Rock-Cotton Candy gelding returned $2.20 to win. Time For George (Dave Ingraham) closed from the back to round out the top three.
Vickerson and Switzer also teamed up to win the swiftest race of the day when Rau Rau held off a late charge by Instant Replay (Shawn Thayer) to complete the wire-to-wire circuit in 1:57 by a head. Vickerson owns the seven-year-old son of Bettors Delight-Band Of Angels gelding, who paid $3 to win the sixth race, a $6,667 conditioned optional claiming pace.
The Vickerson and Switzer duo came back in the 11th race, a $6,389 conditioned optional claiming pace, to fashion a third gate-to-wire route, scoring with Sheriff N in 2:01. Also owned by Vickerson, the 11-year-old Bettors Delight-Jen Marie gelding was the heavy 1-9 favourite and returned $2.20 for his measured-length triumph.
Switzer added to his monstrous lead in the driver standings, steering a total of five winners on the 13-race program. He now has 104 wins this year at Cumberland, double that of his nearest competitor, McGwire Sowers, who has 52.
James Doucette won the $5,556 Maine Amateur Driving Club event with his own pacer, Ahoy Hanover. Trained by Autym Sowers, the four-year-old Captaintreacherous-Always On A Roll gelding went first-over during the last half and wore down the 4-5 favourite, Never Say Never N (Todd Whitney), who cut the fractions. Ahoy Hanover tripped the timer in 1:58.3 and paid $4.60 to win.
Horsepeople are reminded to check the new condition sheet and Cumberland website for a host of Winter Pop-Up Series for the month of December. Boasting up to $179,000 USD in purses, the races have increased prizes, as well as consolations and finals, for the six different events available.
Cumberland will transition to three days of harness racing this week on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Au Revoir Retirement ceremonies are slated for Saturday, Dec. 20, with entries closing on Wednesday, Dec. 3.
The 18-day meet runs until Dec. 21. Post time remains 10:55 a.m.
(With files from First Tracks Cumberland; photo of Rock Candy winning on Nov. 30)