Siblings finished one-two in the opener on Sunday (May 21) at First Tracks Cumberland, with brothers Heath and Drew Campbell virtually pushing each other to establish a new track standard for older pacing mares.
Heath Campbell set a track record in the $5,000 opener with Pembroke Ideal BJ while his older brother Drew Campbell finished second in that mile. Later in the day, Drew Campbell captured the $6,500 featured trot with Little Macabee, to give the orange-clad products of the Canadian Maritimes bookend victories on Sunday card.
Heath Campbell got away third in the opener and gave the lightly-raced four-year-old daughter of American Ideal a patient, but effective steer in the $5,000 conditioned pace. The pacesetting Hired Hand (Bruce Ranger) trail-blazed opening fractions of :27.4, :57.2, and then posted an eye-popping 1:24.4 third panel. Down the stretch, the younger Campbell fed the mare racetrack and she got up to win by a quarter length over Perfect Force and the elder Drew Campbell to set a new benchmark for four-year-old pacing mares of 1:55.3.
Owned by Bill Varney and trained by Campbell’s partner Valerie Grondin, wagering favourite Pembroke Ideal BJ picked up her fifth lifetime victory. She paid $5.40 to win the fastest race of the afternoon and also took a new lifetime mark. Perfect Force (Drew Campbell) followed that fast two-hole trip for second money. Hired Hand was third.
Fast forward to the $6,500 featured finale and Winston ‘Drew’ Campbell had his eyes on the prize as he blasted Little Macabee from post seven into the third position behind rail sitting pacesetter Mister Muscle (Kevin Switzer Jr.). As the leader set hasty fractions of :29.1 and 1:00.2 in the initial half, Campbell was not content to sit and allow things to unfold.
Pulling first-up heading into the third turn, Little Macabee challenged for the lead into a 1:29.3 third stanza. As the trotters were head and head around the final turn, it was a ‘tooth and nail battle’ according to track announcer Scott Ehrlich. Campbell shifted his nine-year-old son of Chapter Seven into another gear turning for him and gained some separation from Switzer Jr. and Mister Muscle, but the race was not won as of yet. Following a three-wide bid around the final turn, McStoned Again (Nick Graffam) was gaining ground on the new leader and getting closer with every stride.
The wire arrived just in time for Drew Campbell and Little Macabee, as the pair prevailed by a nose to stop the timer in 2:00. Broadway Giant (Ranger) was third.
Owned by Maryann Tompkins and trained by Erik Bickmore, the ultra-consistent Little Macabee won for the fifth time this year and paid $8.80 to win.
Bruce Ranger copped a three-bagger and Dan Deslandes had a driving double on the program, with the former moving back to the top of drivers’ standings with 20 trips to the winner’s circle, over Kevin Switzer Jr. who has 19. Ranger scored in three of four races in a row, including: American Fighter (2:01.2, $13.60), Shaw Town (1:59.2, $5.20) and his own PBR Street Gang (1:57.3, $2.60).
Jeff Deslandes and Chris Lefebvre are tied at 12 wins apiece in the Cumberland trainers’ standings after 13 racing programs with a total of 138 races contested. Twenty-eight winners have come from post position five, followed by post four with 24 and pylon position with 23, since the meet began on April 14.
Live harness racing resumes Friday, May 26 and Saturday, May 27, where First Tracks Cumberland and the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association are proud to present ‘Bruce Ranger Weekend’ at the fairgrounds.
To commemorate the special weekend, a collectible colour cover program wrap will be filled with seven pages of old and recent photos of one of Maine’s favourite sons. This, coupled with interviews and autograph sessions with leading reinsman Bruce Ranger, is a rare event that fans will not want to miss.
In honour of the occasion, First Tracks Cumberland will offer the Bruce Ranger Open Pace $10,000. Horses that have made a purse start in the state of Maine this season will be given preference. Horsemen should note that the box now closes an hour later at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 23 for the double draw.
(Cumberland)