Veteran reinsman Bruce Ranger sprung Broadway Giant from the starting gate and never looked back, winning the $6,000 featured Open II Trot at Cumberland on Friday (May 6).
Scoring from post three, Ranger secured the eight-year-old son of Broadway Hall through comfortable opening fractions of :29.3 and 1:00.4 while maintaining a comfortable advantage over Eternal Faith (Drew Campbell) who sat in the two hole.
Assigned the outermost post, Warrawee Preferred (Matt Athearn) got away last and was forced to come first over when passing the stands for the first time. While poking a head into the second position at the third panel in 1:30.1, last week’s victor was unable to maintain his challenge and faded in the final turn.
With no clear upsetters in sight, Ranger was able to get the job done by 1-3/4 lengths in 2:00.1. Betting favourite Northern Skyway (Nick Graffam) was able to shake free from the pack and charged home in :29.4 to be second. Little Macabee (Aaron Hall) rallied to be third.
Broadway Giant paid $11.20 to win. He is owned and trained by Ron Patoine.
The swiftest race of the day followed immediately thereafter when Roll Me Away (Shawn Thayer) made a big move down the backside to swoop the pack, charge down the lane, and win by a nose over Edelman (Aaron Hall) in 1:57.3. The conditioned pace carried a purse of $4,400, with the four-year-old son of Time To Roll grabbing the lion’s share for owner Sharon Ward and trainer Fred Ward Jr.
Roll Me Away paid $11.40 to win.
Saturday’s Derby Day live harness racing card has nine races, with one division of the Maine Amateur Driving Club. Club president Joe Burke drives the favourite Meetmeatthedance in race 8.
There are great wagering opportunities all day at Cumberland. The opener features the regular menu of offerings, plus the start of the 50 cent Pick-5. Race three is the start of the 20 cent Pick-6. Race six has a 20 cent Superfecta, as well as the start of the Pick-4. The race nine finale carries our always popular 20 cent Hi-Five with a reduced 16% takeout.
Racing fans and bettors will be able to watch and wager on this weekend’s iconic program from Churchill Downs. The action starts at 10:30 am (EDT) and features the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday (May 7).
Full Churchill Downs programs will be available and betting windows will be open for the first post at 10:30 am, which is broadcast live from Louisville, Kentucky. There will be TV monitors covering all the Thoroughbred action, and the Trackside Pub concession stand will also be open in the Fairgrounds grandstand.
Post time is 4 p.m. (EDT) for the Saturday’s live harness racing, with qualifiers starting at 3 p.m. During our live card, 20 of horse racing’s brightest stars shine in the $3,000,000 Kentucky Derby. They spring from the starting gate at 6:57 pm on Saturday (May 7).
Cumberland’s extended pari-mutuel meeting races each weekend through July 23.
(Cumberland)