Walter Case Jr. returned to the winner's circle at First Tracks Cumberland on Saturday, March 28 following a nine-month absence.
The 65-year-old, who ranks 13th all-time among North America drivers for wins, sent veteran trotter J S Peyton ($6.60) on a front-end mission in the day's $5,556 ninth race, scoring in 2:02.4 by 1-3/4 lengths over favoured Emmajean Jellybean (Aaron Hall) and Mouthpiece (Mark Athearn).
J S Peyton, a Swan For All-Aucune Hanover gelding with 53 career victories, is trained by Benson Merrill for owners John Kiernan Jr. and Thelma Kiernan of Gardiner, New York.
Case was back in action a week ago at Cumberland after last driving in June 2025 when he won a Sires Stakes division with eventual Maine three-year-old male trotting champion Libertys Wildcard. On Saturday, Case recorded the 11,526th victory of his career.
(Standardbred Canada with files from First Tracks Cumberland)