December 14, 2024 – by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
CUMBERLAND, ME – Maine-bred sophomore pacing filly My Sweet Revenge helped hot driver Drew Campbell grab four victories during the kickoff to Cumberland Raceway’s penultimate weekend on Friday (Dec. 13), defeating older mares in the process.
The 3-year-old daughter of Maine’s top pacing sire Western Maverick let Perfect Bloom and McGwire Sowers take the lead into a snappy :28.2 opening panel. Deedee Didit and Aaron Hall helped push the pacesetter into that taxing early fraction while they eventually donned the two-hole through the second half in a more pedestrian :59.2.
Campbell pulled My Sweet Revenge to the outside going down the backside and into the 1:28.3 third stanza, collaring pacesetter Perfect Bloom around the final turn. As the $6,000 fillies and mares pacing pop-up series field straightened out for home the even money favorite found another gear and scooted away from her colleague by two lengths and scored in 1:58.2.
Trained by Benson Merrill for owner Leighton Property, it was the fourth seasonal victory and a new lifetime mark for the distaff, paying $4.20 to win.
Perfect Bloom finished second; Virtual Success (Nick Graffam) got up for third.
Drew Campbell also won the daily double with Cash Crazy Express (1:59, $11.60) and Dancethebigdance N (1:58.3, $21.80), with the double returning a whopping $68.80. Campbell grabbed his four-bagger in the finale with Rise Above (1:59.2), and paid a healthy $15.60 for the win.
The staff and management of First Tracks Cumberland would like to take this opportunity to offer hearty congratulations to the 2024 inductees to the New England Harness Writers Hall of Fame. The esteemed group includes Walter Case Jr. and Kevin Switzer Sr., as well as posthumous honorees Mike Andrew and Bill Varney. The four individuals will be formally recognized at the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association annual banquet on December 28 in Auburn, ME.
The live harness racing action continues on Saturday (Dec. 14) with a 10-race card, which includes a $6,500 Winners Over Trot. The early morning line favorite is Jax Spratt (5-2, Kevin Switzer Jr.) who never looked back last week while leaving from pylon position. Empereurthebest FR (3-1, Walter Case Jr.) and Inquiring Mind (7-2, Steve Wilson) are also coming off of wins last week.
There is also a $6,000 Winners Over Pace on Saturday, led by Varney (2-1, Nick Graffam) who has earned $66,160 this year and been 18 times 1-2-3 in 32 outings. The second choice, and last week’s victor, is Sixfingerfreddie (3-1) who gave top reinsman Drew Campbell his 6,000th career victory.
Sunday’s (Dec. 8) card boasts nine divisions of the numerous pop-up series, with purses ranging from $6,000 to $8,000, along with the weekly $4,000 Maine Amateur Driving Club race.
On each of the three racing days the Pick 5 starts with the third race, continues with our Pick 4 and Pick 3 toward the tail end of the program, and concludes with our High-Five Pentafecta in the final race—all with low 16% takeouts.
The 19-day meet continues through Dec. 22, 2024, and post time is always 10:55 am. Our annual Au Revoir Retirement Ceremonies will take place on Saturday, Dec. 21, with a total of 13 entries to be paraded in front of their loyal Downeast fan base.
For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on Facebook: @FirstTracksCumberland
