Cumberland, ME — Two $16,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts resulted in a shuffling of the deck for this crop of sidesteppers, with two new seasonal winners emerging on Saturday (June 29) at Cumberland Raceway.

Hesjustadelight (Ron Cushing) takes a new mark in his Maine Sire Stakes division. Joe Shaw Photo.

Carded as races one and three on the 12-race afternoon program, the Maine faithful bring their some of their best stock to these stakes events, and this week was no exception.  In the first $16,257 division trainer-driver Ron Cushing sent Hesjustadelight (7-2) on a forward trajectory right from the start.

Scoring from post five the son of Western Maverick rolled swiftly out from the start and was hung out by Thru The Fire (10-1, Andy Harrington-Marc Tardif) into a :28.1 opening panel.  With the pair gaining over 10 lengths of separation on the field, Harrington took back and Cushing settled in on the front end before they hit the three-eighths marker.

With a more forgiving half in :59, the rest of the field started to decrease their lengths behind the leader and move closer to the pace, while the leader hit the third panel in 1:28.2.

Down the backside the second time, 1-9 betting choice Ella V Fella (Kevin Switzer Jr.-Tardif) moved into second place but got rough gaited in the turn as he approached the pacesetter’s helmet.  That allowed Cushing and Hesjustadelight to scamper off and score unfettered by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:59, a new career best.  He paid $9.20 to win.

Owned by Ron Cushing, breeder Lynn-Marie Plouffe, Anthony and Joseph Romanelli, it was the gelding’s first seasonal victory and fifth lifetime win.

Ella V Fella finished second; Thru The Fire was third.

In the second $16,482 division of the Maine Sire Stakes the favored winner of the last two legs, Justcallmebuck (3-5, Heath Campbell-Gary Hall) left from pylon position and took command through a :28.4 opening panel.  With a more pedestrian half in 1:00.2 the outer flow materialized with Arts Flight (14-1, Harrington-Tardif) first up and stable mate Two Fold Cold (9-1, Switzer-Tardif) second over.

As the pace appeared to be stalling on the front end into a 1:28.4 third panel, Switzer tipped Two Fold Cold three-wide down the backside and set upon the leaders through the final turn.  With a bold move and the momentum behind them, the pair breezed down the lane and got up to win by a length in 1:58.4, a new lifetime mark.  He paid $20.80 to win.

Owned and trained by Marc Tardif, the son of Deuce Seelster was bred by Gary and Kristina Hall.  Justcallmebuck hung on to be second; Wes’s Challenge (Walter Case Jr.-Tardif) was third.

In other news, So Rock N’Roll extended his win streak to eight, taking the $6,000 featured overnight in 1:54.2, which was a new lifetime mark for the 4-year-old son of Western Maverick.  Trained by Benson Merrill and driven by Bruce Ranger, he paid just $2.20 to win.  Owned and bred by Leighton Property/Lesley Leighton, he came from off the pace once again and overpowered his foes.

Benson Merrill also won the $5,000 Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) with Velocity Sub Z in 1:59.  Owned and trained by Judson Merrill, he paid $16.60 to win. The MADC is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham, Maine.

Drew Campbell fashioned a driving double, and Benson Merrill enjoyed a training double.

The First Tracks Cumberland meet continues throughout the summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 3.

For additional information, visit our website at firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/FirstTracksCumberland/