With their seasonal hopes on the line, the Maine faithful sent this year’s group of freshmen sidesteppers out onto the Cumberland Raceway on Friday (July 10) for three $21,576 divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
With nothing but a qualifying race or two under their belts the fresh-faced youngsters provided some thrills, and some anxious moments, for the crowd and connections at the iconic Southern Maine oval.
Despite being rough gaited as the wings folded Agent James Bond (Kevin Switzer Jr.) rolled on aggressively and then inherited the point when the 4-5 favourite Dudeisadelight (Ron Cushing) made a speed break down the backstretch as the first division headed toward their very first pari-mutuel :30 opening panel.
Agent James Bond led the single file pack to a 1:00.4 half-mile marker with Dudeisadelight back on-stride tracking along in the pocket and Survive The Ride (Aaron Hall) poised in third. At the paddock draw gate Painters Treasure (Andy Harrington) tipped from fifth and nine lengths in arrears to start the outer flow. They reached the third stanza in 1:30.4 with Survive The Ride (Aaron Hall) providing Painters Treasure with second over cover as they rounded the turn for home. Harrington tipped Painters Treasure three-wide for the stretch drive and reeled in his combatants to prevail by a neck in 2:02.1. Agent James Bond finished second; Dudeisadelight was third.
Trained by Sara Harrington and owned and bred by Bill ‘Yarmouth Lumber’ Phipps of Yarmouth, Maine, the son State Treasurer-Unknown Artist is a half-brother to Glorilla p,3,1:56f ($139,836). He paid a whopping $28.60 to win the first race of his career.
The second division was a gate-to-wire romp by The Gucci Man and Kevin Switzer Jr.
Setting strategic early fractions of :29.1 and 1:01.1, the son of Dudes The Man-Gucci was able to gain separation after a 1:30.4 third panel and win by 6-3/4 lengths in 2:00.2, the swiftest division of the afternoon. Harriman (Nick Graffam) finished second, with favourite Rustysonlytreasure (Hall) third best.
Owned, trained and bred by Marc Tardif of Waterboro, Maine, the 2-1 second choice returned $6 to win.
In the third and final division of the Maine Sire Stakes it was another wire-to-wire triumph for Top Notch Treasure who completed the circuit in 2:02.2.
Driver Mike Stevenson set comfortable fractions of :30.4, 1:03, and 1:32.4 before drawing off to win by six lengths as the 3-5 favourite. Justcallmebuddy (Hall) finished second; Two Bolts (Mike Cushing) was third.
Trained by Christopher Dubois for owner Steven Moskowitz Racing of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Top Notch Treasure is a son of State Treasurer-Pembroke Perfect. He returned $3.20.
Racing continues on Saturday, July 11 in keeping with the track’s Friday-Saturday schedule for the remainder of the month. The only exception being a three day run from Friday, July 24 through Sunday, July 26 during the penultimate weekend of the meet.
First post is 12:15 p.m. (EDT) during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through Aug. 2.
(First Tracks Cumberland)