Nick Graffam sat a patient, pocket trip with Varney to strike in the final strides and prevail by a nose over 1-5 favourite Alex Having Fun in the $9,722 Winners Over Pace at First Tracks Cumberland on Sunday, March 29.
When the wings folded, the heavy favourite was gunned out to the lead by driver Aaron Hall from post eight, shunning a three-hole spot on the cones. Varney, the 5-2 second choice, continued to press onward, forcing the favourite to work for the top into a taxing :27.3 opening panel. By the three-eighths marker, the public's choice had made the front. But, at what cost?
As the field settled down to a more reasonable :57 half-mile time, Varney continued to stick to the pacesetting Alex Having Fun like glue, with Cigars And Port and Wally Watson sitting in third and another eight lengths back to the rest of the field.
Down the backside the final time, the race for third was stacked up three deep when the leader hit the third stanza in 1:26.2, prompting track announcer Scott Erhlich to exclaim, “It’s a two-horse race!”
The pair on top battled down the length of the homestretch, stride for stride, wheel to wheel. With one final surge, Varney got up under the shadow of the wire to win by a whisker in 1:55.1, the fastest mile of the 2026 meet so far. Cigars And Port was nearly 10 lengths back to grab the show dough.
Trained and owned by Brian Lamb of Wales, Maine with partner Eddie Fournier Jr. of Auburn, Maine, the seven-year-old son of Huntsville-Shanghai Lil obtained his 14th career victory as he made his second start of the season winning one. His lifetime earnings now stand at $307,093.
Varney paid $7.80 to win.
Trainer Michelle Lefebvre sent out three winners on the 13-race program, including 11-year-old pacer Ali ($20.60), with Graffam in the bike. Another veteran pacer, Legal Bettor ($2.80), was partnered with Todd Whitney to win the afternoon's Maine Amateur Driving Club race. Lefebvre also sent out repeat winner Miki De Vie ($5.40), a six-year-old pacer driven by Hall.
Hall had a total of four wins on the day, with Graffam and Mike Stevenson each picking up doubles. After four racing cards, Hall and Kevin Switzer Jr. are tied at 10 wins apiece atop the driver standings. Graffam is third with eight wins.
Racing resumes on Saturday, April 4 with just a single live card this week, as the track will be dark on Easter Sunday (April 5). There will be a Pick-5 carryover of $1,764 for Saturday. First post is slated for 12:15 p.m.
(With files from First Tracks Cumberland)