Cumberland, ME — A group of Southern Maine’s best trotters line up behind the First Tracks Cumberland starting gate for the $6,000 Winners Over class on Saturday (May 15), kicking off the second week of full card, live harness racing at the iconic half-mile oval. Morning line favorite Awol Hanover invades from Monticello for the recently relocated driver/trainer McGwire Sowers, who comes back home to Maine to set up shop for the season.

McGwire Sowers charges to the lead last Tuesday at Cumberland. Chris Tully photo.

“He is by far the best trotter that I have in the barn. In fact, when he behaves himself he is faster than some of my pacers,” the 21-year-old up-and-coming driver said with a laugh. “He wants to be a good horse. We just have to be very careful with him behind the starting gate. He can get pretty worked up in the early going. We tow him during the week to keep him settled down and try not to push him beyond what he wants to do.”

With 20 lifetime wins, the 7-year-old son of Donato Hanover is approaching $200,000 in lifetime earnings and is out of the Lindy Lane mare Angel Fire Hanover. He was bred by the sport’s leading nursery, Hanover Shoe Farms, and is owned by Cliff Grundy.

Sowers is currently stabled at the Windsor Fairgrounds and has 11 horses in the barn, which he shares with girlfriend Sara Gibbs.

“We work together and plan on racing in Maine all year. We like Cumberland and will race at the fairs in between meets.”

Gibbs is currently the third leading trainer at Cumberland with three wins in nine starts and a UTR of .432. As a driver, Sowers has a win percentage of 25 at Cumberland, winning two of eight starts and has a UDR of .361.

After just three days of racing, Bruce Ranger leads all drivers with seven victories (.414). He is followed by Heath Campbell (.383) with six wins. Valerie Grondin leads all trainers with four wins in just six starts (.722).

Saturday’s nine-race card also features three $4,500 divisions of a non-winners of $3,500 or eight PM/Opt. $8,000 claiming pace races, and there is an $800-plus carryover in the Pick-4 (races six-nine).

Racing from Cumberland comes back Tuesday (May 18), first post 4:15 p.m. For more information go to our website at firsttrackscumberland.com and follow us on Facebook at @FirstTracksCumberland.