McStoned Again rocked and rolled to victory during the ‘Trottin’ Friday’ $7,639 feature on May 9 at Cumberland Raceway.
Scoring from pylon position driver McGwire Sowers let the swift Rose Run Yakim (Drew Campbell) and the inside positioned Mister Muscle (Nick Graffam) engage in a brief tussle for the front end into a :28.4 opening panel.
With Rose Run Yakim ultimately securing the point, the 4-5 favourite McStoned Again sat comfortably in the three hole until the soft 1:00.4 half mile marker. Providing cover for the second over Little Macabee (Kevin Switzer Jr.), Sowers kept his horse engaged with the leader who had already popped the earplugs at the 1:30.2 third stanza and could not withstand the challenge.
Around the final turn and down the stretch it was all over but the shouting as the favourite cruised down to the wire in 2:01 by 3-3/4 lengths. Trained by Chris Hitchcock for owner Michael Pease, the seven-year-old son of Wishing Stone picked up his first win of the season and 29th of his career while increasing his lifetime earnings to $295,480. He paid $3.60 to win.
Rose Run Yakim hung on for second; Inquiring Mind (Steve Wilson) came from last at the three-quarters to pick up the show dough.
Racing continues on Saturday (May 10) at 3:15 p.m.
(with files from First Tracks Cumberland)