In the weekly matchup of Maine’s top trotters on Friday, May 29 the up–and-coming Top Down provided a mild upset in the $9,722 featured Winners Over class.
With last week’s victor Big Al M scratched sick, and 1-5 public choice Brutalizer (Andy Harrington) parked the last half, Mike Stevenson showed that it all comes down to patience and timing.
While the 9-2 third choice victor got away fourth and sat chilly through a peppy :28.2 opening panel set by driver Hunter Lofthus and Ghetto Boy, the two-hole sitting Dusty Lane Darby (McGwire Sowers) tried popping the deuce to no avail.
With Ghetto Boy leading the pack into a :58.3 half-mile station, Brutalizer didn’t stick around his three hole position very long. Stevenson and Top Down followed that cover through a 1:28 third stanza, and then tipped three wide to continue his momentum that was being held up by a hesitant Brutalizer.
Around the final turn Top Down was trotting in high gear and set his sights on the leader while passing Brutalizer in mid-stretch. At the wire Stevenson had timed his assault perfectly and prevailed by three parts of a length over the pacesetting Ghetto Boy in 1:59. Brutalizer hung on for third.
Trained and owned by Bob Marston, Top Down lowered his seasonal mark by nearly three seconds, and upped his lifetime earnings to $162,238. The seven-year-old son of Archangel - J Marie paid $11.60 for the win.
With the Maine Sire Stakes making its seasonal debut at Cumberland in just two short weeks, the Tardif Taskforce was out in force with a couple of Pine Tree State-bred sophomore pacers. Perhaps intending to just dip their toes in the water, two of the pupils jumped right into the deep end against older horses and came away with seasonal victories under their belts.
Ghost Of Winter, a roan son of Deuce Seelster, took a new 2:00.1 lifetime mark for owner Leighton Property, winning by a neck over Graceofspades, who is a full brother to champion filly Gowestyounggrace. Driven by Aaron Hall to his second lifetime win off a three-wide backside sprint, he is trained by Marc Tardif and returned a whopping $22 to win.
A few hours later Hall reunited with Tardif to give Rebels Revenge a maiden-breaking rout in 1:59.2. Tardif also owns the three-year-old son of Deuce Seelster, and he returned $5.80.
Andy Harrington led all drivers with three wins on the 11-race program. Trainers Sara Harrington and Michelle Lefebvre also enjoyed a pair of winners.
Looking ahead to the following race date, the $7,000 USD feature on Saturday (May 30) is the Winners Over in race eight, pitting Jones Hanover (5-2, Kevin Switzer Jr.) against Married Man (2-1, Nick Graffam) who won last week’s contest by a measured half-length in a seasonal best 1:55.2.
On Saturday, the exotic wagering action starts with a Pick-5 in the opener, then the Pick-4 is set for the last four races on the program (Races 8-11). The Pick-3 begins in race nine, and all boast a low 16 per cent takeout. In addition, the 20-cent Superfecta is available in races four, six, and eight, along with a Pentafecta in races five and the finale.
(First Tracks Cumberland)