Veteran reinsman Kevin Switzer Jr. put on a driving clinic on Friday, Dec. 8 at First Tracks Cumberland, winning five races on the 11-race program, including half of the six divisions of the first leg of the Gingerbred Late Closing Series.
Wasting little time, Switzer got the party started in the opener with Readyfortheladys, who sat a two-hole trip behind favourite Miss U Big Mike (Dan Deslandes) and popped out to win the first $4,800 Gingerbred in 1:58.2. Owned and trained by Eric Bickmore, the five-year-old son of Always A Virgin paid $9.40 to win. Collusion Illusion (Walter Case Jr.) finished second, with the aforementioned favourite hanging on to be third.
Under sunny skies Switzer continued his assault on the finish wire, grabbing the early double with Novella Seelster in 1:58.4. The four-year-old daughter of Sportswriter is trained by Mike Stevenson, owned by Dana Whittemore. He paid $3 to win in that $4,000 conditioned pace.
In the second $4,800 Gingerbred division, Switzer copped a natural hat trick with Bet On Joe. Coming from off the pace, the eight-year-old son of Bettors Delight posted the fasted mile of the day, scoring in 1:57.3. Owned by Sharon Goding and trained by Bob Marston, he allowed punters to cash a $13 ticket. Always A Mystery (Dan Deslandes) finished second and He Can Rock (Aaron Hall) was third.
Switzer’s fourth victory was aboard No Humble Jumble (2:01, $12.20) for owner-trainer Wilbur Brown. Then ‘Mr. Hot Hands’ came right back in the following race to finish out his quintet with Rockinwitharythm (pictured above) in 2:00. Paying $31.60 in the fifth Gingerbred division, the four-year-old son of Rockin Image gave trainer Mike Stevenson his second win on the card. Wagering favourite Head Of The Table (Aaron Hall) finished second and Cache All The Way (Steve Wilson) was third.
In other news, bettors who support young talent have found up-and-coming driver Garrett Mosher to be sort of a ‘cash cow’ on Friday. Mosher, the 34-year-old son of veteran New England reinsman Gary Mosher, won the fourth race with Amarittigone for trainer Hunter Moody, paying $18 to win. Then he came right back in the next race to win with his own Ultimate Flyer N in 1:57.4, paying $39.60. Benson Merrill was the conditioner in that Gingerbread division.
Aaron Hall won the remaining two Gingerbreds, scoring with his own Lucan Hanover (1:58, $2.40) and his dad’s (Craig Hall) Mr Blissfull (1:58.3, $13.60). The purse for this series will increase to $5,500 next week with a $10,000 final on Christmas Eve. The series drew a total of 46 entrants for the preliminary round.
Racing continues on Saturday, Dec. 9 at Cumberland.
The Winter Festival continues at First Tracks Cumberland with its ‘December to Remember’ three-day weekends of racing. The entire holiday month features a three-peat of Friday-Saturday-Sunday programs. First post is now a few minutes earlier, slated for 10:55 a.m. each day. Racing at Cumberland continues three days each week through Christmas Eve, 2023.
(First Tracks Cumberland)