McGwire Sowers enjoyed a solid day at the office on Friday (Dec. 6) at Cumberland Raceway, kicking off the card with his 1,000th career driving victory.
The 24-year-old wasted little time getting hitting the four-digit threshold as he steered Wilbur Brown’s gray gelding Its Just Numbers to a wire-to-wire score in the opener, paying $5.00 to win. Tripping the timer in 2:02.3 and winning by 2-1/4 lengths, Sowers had been waiting all week for his chance to get that seemingly elusive benchmark.
Going into last Sunday (Dec. 1) Sowers was at 999 wins and had 10 drives, only to finish second and third a half dozen times.
“It was nice to get the job done, finally,” noted the 2021 Monticello-Goshen USHWA Rising Star award winner. “I am thankful to all the trainers and owners that put their trust in me. Now it’s on to the next one thousand!”
And roll on he did. Following the winner's circle presentation that honoured his accomplishment where he was surrounded by his fellow drivers, girlfriend and trainer Autym Robinson, and other well-wishers, the New Brunswick-born reinsman racked up another three victories on the mid-day card.
Sowers scored with American Maverick (1:59.4, $14.40), and a pair for Robinson: Moonlightandroses (2:00.4, $3.40) and Shes A Sassy Beach (1:59.1, $3.60).
Raised in the Pine Tree State, McGwire Sowers drove his first race a dozen years ago when he was 12 at Cornish Trotting Park, and cut his teeth on the competitive Maine Fair Circuit while in his teens.
When he was not driving at the fairs, he was home in Woodstock, Me., attending high school, as well as playing youth hockey. When Sowers turned 18, he earned his high school diploma early and joined his father, Bo, to begin his driving career at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland.
Rosecroft is where Sowers scored his first career pari-mutuel driving victory on Mar. 11, 2018, with family-owned Terem Up Louie, who went off at 12-1 odds. It was a deep stretch battle and a crowded finish with Sowers out in front in 1:54.4.
Interestingly, McGwire’s mother Tammy Sowers won the second race with her own Pink Delight in Cumberland’s second race. Driven by Dan Rawlings to a wire-to-wire score from post eight, the five-year-old daughter of Huntsville blasted home in 1:59.4 to win by 3-3/4 lengths. She paid $14.40 to win in her first start outside of Monticello since the Fryeburg Fair.
(with files from First Tracks Cumberland)