Cumberland, ME — Last year’s top dogs were up to their old tricks on Friday (May 20) at Cumberland, where Bruce Ranger won four races and Drew Campbell won three on the 10-race card.

Bruce Ranger won four races on Friday, including the featured $6,000 Open II Trot with Broadway Giant. Stephanie Gray photo.

Ranger started the day by picking up the opener with Magic Bob in 2:02.1. The 5-year-old son of Kadabra is owned and trained by Dennis Whittemore, and scored wire-to-wire for his first win of the season, paying $5.20. The Maine native came right back to take the second half of the double with heavy favorite Sugardaddycontrols, a 3-year-old son of Control The Moment owned by The Green Machine Stable and trained by David Crochere. It was the first pari-mutuel victory for the Ontario-bred sophomore pacing gelding, taking a seasonal mark of 2:00.4.

Ranger came back to take race five with Richsnortherndream in another front-end folly, scoring in 1:59.3. The Prince Edward Island-bred trotter, owned by Diane Dunn and Bradford Veilleux and trained by James Dunn, paid $7.80 to win.

Ranger returned to the Blue Seal Winner’s Circle in race nine, the $6,000 Open II Trot feature, with Broadway Giant. Utilizing another catch-me-if-you-can tour, the veteran reinsman put the 8-year-old son of Broadway Hall right on the front end and never relinquished the lead. Broadway Giant posted comfortable fractions of 29.2 and 1:00.2 for the opening two panels. Favorite Northern Skyway was the first to challenge, tipping first-over at the half and getting to within a nose of the leader into a 1:29.3 three-quarters. As that attempt never materialized, Little Macabee tipped off that cover to challenge to no avail.

Owned and trained by Ron Patoine, Broadway Giant paid $9.40 to win in 1:59.4, his second victory in a row. Little Macabee finished second, Warrawee Preferred was third.

Drew Campbell won the third race by 8-1/4 lengths with Mack’s Gold Band, the sixth with Gettin Gone by 6-3/4 lengths, and the eighth with Duck N Roll, all front-end efforts.

Tallying up the day’s events, four drivers have now moved to within one victory of first place in the Cumberland driving standings, which is currently held by Dan Deslandes at 16. Matt Athearn, Drew Campbell, Bruce Ranger and Kevin Switzer Jr. are all tied for second place with 15 wins a piece.

The featured $4,800 conditioned pace on the Preakness Day (May 21) card shows Readyfortheladys (Aaron Hall) looking to snap a string of three bridesmaid finishes. Moving up in class off of two consecutive victories is The Shining (Drew Campbell), who looks to keep his winning streak alive. Supreme Mach N (Bruce Ranger) is also fresh off a victory in a comparable lower class.

Racing fans and bettors will be able to watch and wager on the Preakness Stakes, the 147th renewal of the middle jewel of the Triple Crown from Pimlico Race Course.

Full Preakness Day programs will be available and betting windows will be open for the first post at 10:30 a.m., which will be broadcast live from the Maryland Jockey Club in Baltimore. There will be TV monitors covering all the Thoroughbred action, and the Trackside Pub concession stand will also be open in the Fairgrounds grandstand.

Post time for the Spring/Summer meet is now 4 p.m. on both Fridays and Saturdays, with the extended pari-mutuel meeting racing each weekend through July 23.

The final race on both Friday and Saturday features a 20-cent Hi-5 with a low takeout of 16 percent.

More information can be found at the track’s website.