First Tracks Cumberland’s track crew cleared the nearly half-foot of fresh snow that had fallen on Sunday, March 22, forcing the postponement of that card to the following afternoon on Monday, March 23. Nonetheless, the trackmen and the horsepeople were ready for the second day of action in the state of Maine.
But no one was more ready than Kevin Switzer Jr. Last year’s leading driver was back in full force on the 12-race card, winning five races for three different trainers.
Switzer Jr. teamed up with trainer Bob Marston for a triple as he took the opener with 13-year-old pacer Soho Leviathan A ($5.40) then the third race with six-year-old pacer Undeniablebluechip ($8.60) and later the seventh with 11-year-old pacer Plus One ($24.40).
Switzer also scored in race four with the Marianna Monaco trainee Bare Bone ($10.40) and won the sixth race with the Zach Vickerson stable's veteran Sheriff N ($3.20).
The Michelle Lefebvre stable was also ready for action, with three winners on the card coming of out that barn. Nick Graffam drove pacers Miki De Vie ($3.40) and Keystone Maxim ($17.60) in back-to-back victories in the 10th and 11th races for Lefebvre after Todd Whitney took Duncans Ranger ($2.80) to victory lane in an earlier dash for the Maine Amateur Driving Club.
The afternoon's feature, $8,493 conditioned pace, was captured by Arts Flight ($16) and Andy Harrington after following the ambitious, pacesetting favourite Rau Ru and Switzer Jr. through sharp fractions and enjoying a perfect pocket trip.
Both Switzer and Harrington left for position, with the former stung slightly to the opening panel in :29.4 over a track rated ‘muddy.’ With the 1-5 favourite firmly in command, Switzer backed off the pace a little and hit the half in 1:01 with Arts Flight tracking along closely in the garden spot.
McGwire Sowers popped Vel Larry from fifth to start the outer flow, which brought Varney and Aaron Hall out from pegs to draft that cover. Down the backstretch the final time, the advancers were closing ground while the leader hit the third stanza in 1:31.1 while Switzer was seen shaking and rattling his charge around the final turn with Arts Flight breathing down his neck.
Down the lane, the pacesetter Rau Ru drifted out, which allowed Arts Flight to skim the cones and advance in deep stretch. Vel Larry was also gaining ground on the outside, along with a late-closing Varney. The top pace of the day made for some thrilling final steps as the four horses were heads apart at the wire with Arts Flight prevailing by a quarter of a length in 2:02.2. Rau Ru finished second and Vel Larry was third over Varney.
Trained by Sara Harrington for owner Mac Stables, the five-year-old son of Artistic Fella-Saluki Hanover is now an 11-time career winner after his successful season's debut.
The swiftest race of the day occurred immediately thereafter when local fan favourite Alex Having Fun ($2.20) went on a 8-1/4 length romp to take a $7,397 conditioned pace in 2:00.4. Sent off at a dime on the dollar, the heavy favourite was rushed to the front by driver Aaron Hall and never looked back. Owned and trained by Kimberly Vafiades, the nine-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven-Arterra is the current all-age track record holder (courtesy of his 1:53 mile in 2025) and recorded his 41st lifetime victory on his favourite piece of real estate.
Racing resumes on Saturday, March 28 at First Tracks Cumberland with first post at 12:15 p.m.
(With files from First Tracks Cumberland; photo of Arts Flight winning on March 23)