by Michael Sweeney

Scarborough, ME – Mike Cushing kicked off the action on the afternoon Scarborough Downs card on Friday (April 25) — not from his familiar perch in the announcer’s booth but rather with a sulky-sitting appearance trackside from which he promptly paraded Pick Pocket Paige into the winner’s circle.

Scarborough Downs photo

Mike Cushing

Cushing, a popular race caller on the Pine Tree circuit decided to step down from his duties as Scarborough’s track announcer following the widely successful January race meet to instead concentrate his fulltime attention on his first love, training and driving Standardbred horses.

“I really appreciated the opportunity to call races at the Downs over the past few years and plan to continue my duties at Fryeburg Fair” Cushing said, “But it got to the point where I’d be in the announcer’s booth and see all the action on the track, and I just wanted to be part of it again.”

“The minutes between post gave me time to reflect and I finally decided I wasn’t ready to leave that part of my life behind yet — I really wanted to be out there.”

A native of Farmington, Maine, Cushing has been driving on the northeast harness circuit since 1985 and is the winner of 1204 races during his career.

Together with his wife Charlene, they condition and race a stable of fifteen, including many top participants in the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stake program.

“It was actually painful not to be an active part of all the work we were putting into the horses” Cushing went on to explain. “This is where I want to be. This is what gives me the greatest joy. I’m thankful everyday for the opportunity.”

Mike Cushing drove Pick Pocket Paige to her 2nd lifetime win to open up the Friday afternoon card at Scarborough Downs – her second consecutive trip down victory lane.

“She was very headstrong and tough to handle when we first got her” Cushing said, “She just wanted to go.”

“I spent a lot of time with her – training her – and basically told her, ‘Hey, we’re going at my speed, not yours!’ Eventually she caught on.”

In other news, Kerogen won his third straight Open-level contest on Friday as the pride and joy of the Kim and Wendy Ireland Stable continues to march undefeated into 2008.

Kerogen, a 5-year-old son of Lindy Lane and Maine’s reigning Trotter of the Year, took top honors in Scarborough’s $6,000 feature – forcing Jay Stewart’s REL Free Delivary to settle for runner-up status for the third straight week.