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Fewer than 10 per cent of the horses racing on Saturday (June 5) at Cumberland have won their last start. Sixty-five per cent of them, however, hit the board in their last two outings. This makes for competitive racing as well as attractive opportunities for punters on the 10-race card.
The only sprint on the day’s program with fewer than seven horses entered is the featured conditioned trot, with six programmed starters vying for a $4,800 purse in the afternoon s opener. Looking for his second win in a row is Jimmy Dean (post 5, 5-2). The six-year-old by Break The Bank K makes a class jump for trainer David Crochere and driver Gary Mosher. The second choice on the morning line is Cherry Crown Jewel (post 2, 3-1), a nine-year-old RC Royalty mare that won her next to last start for trainer Gretchen Athearn and driver Matt Athearn. She drops down from the Winners Over class, where she raced last week.
Veteran driver Dave Ingraham needed a little luck and a little racing room to avenge his previous loss in the $6,000 Winners-Over top pacing class at Cumberland.
On May 18, in his first start back since shipping north from Pompano, Rocksapatriot finished second to Tuesday’s (June 1) betting favourite Airspinder. But, after the latter got caught behind a tiring Twomacsoneshadow going to three-quarters in 1:27.2 and was forced three-wide, Ingraham found racing room and ducked off the pylons in the final turn, brushing the six-year-old son of Rockincam home in 1:57.
Pacesetter Bet On Joe held on for second and Airspinder was third.
Rocksapatriot picked up his 16th win of his career, which has accounted for $109,198 in earnings. This was his third victory of the season, the fastest of which was a 1:53 romp at the Pomp .