June 21, 2026, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
(Joe Shaw photo)
CUMBERLAND, ME – Brutalizer returned to his winning ways on Saturday (June 20) at Cumberland Raceway while taking the featured trot in wire-to-wire fashion.
After winning two-in-a-row back in May, the 5-year-old son of Alarm Detector was knocking on the door during his last three starts while being saddled with outside post positions.
This day would be different. Driven by Andy Harrington for trainer/partner Sara Harrington, Brutalizer was bet down to 1-5 and was given his head and encouraged to roll on from the start and proceeded to set a moderate :29.2 opening panel. Second choice Ghetto Boy (7-2, Hunter Lofthus) tracked loosely in the pocket while third choice and last week’s winner Little Macabee (8-1, Dave Ingraham) had some ground to make up in fourth.
Heading into the 1:00.2 half-mile marker Ingraham pulled Little Macabee and started his trek first over around the paddock turn and found himself engaged and at the wheel of Ghetto Boy as the field approached the 1:30.1 third station.
But this day belonged to the favorite. Around the final turn Brutalizer had gained some separation from his pursuers and rolled down the lane an easy 2-1/2 length winner in 2:00.2 of the featured $6,400 NW5000 Trot.
Owned by Kyle Gibbs, it was his fourth win of the season and 14th lifetime, increasing his career earnings to $153,192. Brutalizer returned $2.60.
Ghetto Boy hung on for second; Dusty Lane Darby (McGwire Sowers) was third.
Driver Aaron Hall enjoyed three wins on the program, including two wins with horses he also trains. Trainer Bob Marston picked up a hat trick of wins as well.
Looking ahead to the following race date, the Maine Sire Stakes for sophomore trotters sees two $14,000-plus divisions going postward on Sunday (June 21). The first is a 12:00 noon early non-wagering race for a troika of 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings. The second $15,486 division carded as race seven lines up six distaff trotters for their divisional debut. Last year’s freshmen trotting filly champion, Pembroke Lady (2-1, Heath Campbell) has rightfully been given the chalky nod. With $99,140 earned and eight wins for trainer Valerie Grondin, the daughter of Pembroke Slugger was bred by the late Bill Varney and is now owned by Brenda Varney.
On Sunday, 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 9-12), and the Pick-3 begins in race ten, and all boast a low 16% 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 will continue with Saturday-Sunday cards for the remainder of the month of June. During July the schedule reverts back to Friday-Saturday, with the exception of the three day run from Fri., July 24 through Sun., July 26 during the penultimate weekend of the meet.
First post is 12:15 pm (EDT) during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 2.
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