Cumberland, ME – Millionaire world champion Dealt A Winner found the winner’s circle for the 50th time on Sunday (Nov. 23) at Cumberland Raceway, showing the Downeast’s top pacers that he still has what it takes.
The 13-year-old son of Cam’s Card Shark has been behind the starting gate on 242 occasions, winning Triple Crown events, Grand Circuit stakes races, and top class free-for-all events over his storied career. At 3, he won the Cane Pace at the Meadowlands in 1:47.3, defeating some of the top pacers of his generation, including Wiggle It Jiggleit, Dude’s The Man and Artspeak. He equaled that mark two years later by taking the Allerage Open Pace at the Red Mile, defeating future Hall of Famer McWicked in the process.
Now owned and trained by Scott Vickerson, the accomplished veteran sat a perfect two-hole trip in the $4,800 featured pace with driver Shawn Thayer.
Favorite Fern Hill Flight (8-5, Nick Graffam) took the field through an opening panel of :29, while Thayer wrestled Dealt A Winner into a tight pocket. Heading to the 1:00.1 mid-way point, Kevin Switzer Jr. had Gotta Minute N (9-5) rolling first over, followed by Chasing Goosebumps (14-1, Andy Harrington) picking up the outer flow cover.
Into the 1:29.2 third station Fern Hill Flight had gained some separation, with Chasing Goosebumps tipping three wide on the outside. Meanwhile, Dealt A Winner pulled the pocket around the final turn to engage the pacesetter. In deep stretch, the winner of $1.5 lifetime found an extra gear and stormed home in 1:59.3 to score by 1-1/2 lengths.
Bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, Dealt A Winner returned $11. Fern Hill Flight finished second; Airspinder (Dave Ingraham) got up for third.
Todd Whitney won the Maine Amateur Driving event with Celtic Tiger for trainer Ryan Berry, returning $4.
Red hot reinsman Kevin Switzer Jr. brought six horses to the winner’s circle, including the first four races, and increased his insurmountable 50-plus dash win lead in the driver standings.
Dave Ingraham got two wins closer to his 8,000 victory career milestone, with just two wins needed to eclipse the benchmark. Veteran Ingraham now sits at 7,998 lifetime wins after scoring with Reys N A Ruckus (1:59, $11.20) and So Unnsurreal (2:03, $8.60).
Racing resumes on Saturday (Nov. 29) at Cumberland. Our Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting enjoys weekend action throughout the month of November. Cumberland Raceway will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Friday-Saturday-Sunday) beginning Dec. 5. The 18-day meet runs until Dec. 21.
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