Three divisions of the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes (MSBS) for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings headlined the action at Cumberland on Saturday’s (July 3) holiday weekend 11-race card. Call Me Maverick returned to his home track after suffering broken equipment and finishing second during the previous leg at Bangor, and rewarded his backers with a 1:59.3 come-from-behind win and a $4.80 payoff.
Driven by Mike Stevenson for trainer Gordon Corey and owner-breeder Upland Farm, the son of Western Maverick now has two wins in his last three starts and has vaulted to the top of the point standings in his division. Leaving from post six to settle in fourth, and ultimately shuffled back to sixth, Call Me Maverick was forced to take matters in his own hands. While parked sixth and six lengths behind at the three-quarters, Stevenson came second-over with the handy sidewinder and proceeded to track down horses in the homestretch until he got the final call, winning by a half length in the fastest $9,918 division of the day.
Hollywood Skeeter (Nick Graffam) finished second and A Sweet Bidda Luck (Ron Cushing) was third.
American Maverick won his $9,692 division of the MSBS in 2:00.1 for driver Kevin Switzer Jr. Sent off as the 4-5 favourite from post three, the son of Western Maverick wired the field for trainer Marc Tardif and owner Leighton Property. He was bred by Leslie Leighton and paid $3.60 to win. Edelman (Ron Cushing) finished second; Downeast Spirit (Bruce Ranger) was third.
The final $9,918 division was captured by Whatawinwillie in 2:00.1, where driver Kevin Switzer Jr. wired the field from post two. The son of Western Maverick gave trainer Marc Tardif a training double, but he also owns and bred this sire stakes victor, moving the gelding to within a half measure of second place in the point standings.
Week six of the Maine Amateur Driving Club series, sponsored by Blue Seal Feeds, witnessed Joe Burke sweeping the action in both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ divisions.
In the $3,800 ‘B’ group, Burke won from post seven with his own Plus One, bursting from off the pace and charging three wide down the backside to draw off and win by 2-1/2 lengths in 2:00. Trained by Robert Marston, the six-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere now has 16 wins lifetime and paid $4.80 to win. Sunset Over Miami (Derek Howes) finished second; Putnams Storm (Bob Nadeau) was third.
For the $4,800 class ‘A’ bunch, Burke took a different approach: go to the front and never look back. Leaving from pylon position, Burke allowed no retakes as he dictated the fractions with his own Stonebridge Grand and cruised to a three-length victory in 1:57.3, the third win of the season for the six-year-old son of Camluck. He is also trained by Bob Marston and paid a whopping $30.60 to win. Rockin Ellie (Michael Girouard) finished second; Three Day Forecast (Todd Whitney) was third.
This was the first two seasonal MADC victories for Burke, who has now assumed command of the point standings, moving up quickly from fourth place.
Returning to Cumberland to make the presentations to the winning amateur connections was Melanie Locke, store manager for both the local Blue Seal feed stores. She presented the ‘swag bucket’ trophies of stable supplies on behalf of the Windham and North Yarmouth Blue Seal Feed stores.
The total cumulative handle at First Tracks Cumberland eclipsed $1 million, and total all-source wagering for the day’s card was $97,000.
Live harness racing from Cumberland is presented each Tuesday and Saturday through July 31 at 2:30 p.m., with two additional dates added — Aug. 4 and 5 — with 11 a.m. posts. For more information go to firsttrackscumberland.com.
(First Tracks Cumberland)