Cumberland, ME — Michigan native Dakota Jackson put his Ontario-bred stable star Sports Teen into the hands of Walter Case Jr., and together they captured Sunday’s (Dec. 18) $15,000 Polar Express Late Closing Series Final #3 at Cumberland Raceway in decisive fashion.

The 6-year-old son of Sportswriter had a different driver every week for the last four weeks, winning the first $6,000 preliminary leg with Ron Cushing two weeks prior. Nonetheless, Jackson’s instructions to Case were simply, ‘Leave with him.’ As the starting gate swung shut, Sports Teen and Case had effectively shut the door on the competition.

Leaving from post three, the pair shot to the front by 1-1/2 lengths in a :29 opening panel over a muddy surface. Nets Of Passion (Mike Stevenson) was content to sit in the two-hole. The first horse to pull was Twin B Impressive (Bruce Ranger), and was followed in the outer flow by Swellendam (Drew Campbell) into a 1:00.2 half-mile clocking.

Case pulled the plugs on Sports Teen past the 1:29.1 third panel, and, with Twin B Impressive stalling on the outside, Harrington found room with Commondiscourtesy to gain some momentum from a previously boxed-in position of fifth on the pylons.

As the field turned for home, Sports Teen found another gear and drew off to score by 3-1/2 lengths in 1:59 over the wet surface.

Walter Case Jr. gave Sports Teen a perfect wire-to-wire drive in Sunday’s $15,000 final of the Polar Express series #3 at Cumberland. Stephanie Gray photo.

Nets Of Passion finished second; Commondiscourtesy was third.

In the Blue Seal Winner’s Circle, owner-trainer Jackson was surrounded by family, including his twin brother, Zach, and exclaimed, “aside from winning two at the Meadowlands, this has been the greatest thrill of my life.”

Sports Teen paid $7.60 to win.

The race was sponsored by the Windham and North Yarmouth (Maine) Blue Seal Feeds stores.

Lisa and Wally Watson won the $7,500 consolation with their own Terror Hall, who had no issues with the moist surface, and went home a winner in 1:59.4. Lisa Watson trained and husband Wally Watson drove the 9-year-old son of Western Terror, who paid $7.20 to win. Librado Hanover (Aaron Hall) finished second; Touch Of Dragon (Nick Graffam) was third.

Over a dozen trainers, drivers and track staff filled the winner’s circle for the fourth race, the “Thank You Marc Reynolds” event. The track bids farewell to their inaugural racing secretary, who is moving on after this meet, and thanked him for his steadfast support of Maine harness racing.

Walter Case Jr. and Mark Athearn each had driving doubles on the program.

Looking ahead, racing continues Monday (Dec. 19), and features the $12,000 Polar Express Final #2.

Also part of the day’s festivities will be the Au Revoir Retirement Showcase, featuring 18 Standardbreds all approaching their 15th birthday. Sporting impressive combined earnings of $5.7 million in purse earnings with an average of $317,000, these retiring or retired Standardbreds will be the shining stars of the day. With a combined win total of 784, these ‘monsters of the midway’ have averaged 43 trips to their respective winner’s circles. Combined, these horses have started 5,552 times in races all over the world.

Every race has a 50-cent trifecta, and the final race each day also features a 20-cent pentafecta.

Racing resumes at Cumberland’s Winter Festival harness meet on Thursday (Dec. 22). The final weekend of racing continues on Friday (Dec. 23), and concludes for the season on Christmas Eve (Saturday, Dec. 24). Daily post time is 11 a.m.