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HARNESS RACING

Role Reversal at Windsor

All Pro Hall avenges loss at Windsor Invitational

By Gary Hawkins ghawkins@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

WINDSOR -- Just a month ago, Rodeo Du Ruisseau caught All Pro Hall down the stretch to set a state record for harness horses in a one-mile pace at the Hight Invitational.

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DOWN THE STRETCH: All Pro Hall, left, driven by Ron Cushing, crosses the finish line just ahead of Rodeo Du Ruisseau, driven by Drew Campbell, at the Windsor Fair Invitational on Monday.

Staff photo by Andy Molloy

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Payout

All Pro Hall, R. Cushing    8.00    3.00
Rodeo Du Ruisseau, W. Campbell        2.60
Redstone Ruckus, S. Gray           
T-1:54.4; Quinela 1-5, $3.80; Exacta 1-5, $10.20

Monday, it was All Pro Hall's turn. The 5-year-old gelding pulled even with Rodeo Du Ruisseau just past the three-quarter mile mark and passed it down the stretch to capture the $12,000 Windsor Invitational on Monday before a large Labor Day crowd at the Windsor Fair.

All Pro Hall, driven by Ron Cushing, finished the race in 1 minute, 54 4/5 seconds, three fifths of a second off the track record. It paid $8 to win and $3 to place. There was no show betting since there were only four horses in the race.

"Since he came to Maine with the new owners and the new trainer, Joe Nelson, it's definitely the biggest win for him," Cushing said. The horse is owned by Scott Dillon of North Anson.

The field began on a record pace with Rodeo Du Ruisseau making a move to the front at the quarter mile mark and holding it for the next half mile.

"When he cleared me just past the quarter, I knew his horse wasn't quite like he was the first week and that kind of hurt both of us a little," Cushing said. "Down the backside when Drew (Campbell) asked his horse and his horse didn't respond I had no choice but to pull out of the two hole . . . and thankfully it worked out."

Campbell, who drove Rodeo Du Ruisseau to his record-breaking time in Skowhegan, had a big day with four wins and two seconds, breaking two track records in the process. This, however, was not Rodeo Du Ruisseau's day.

"I took a shot and got the lead early and Ron got a good trip, like he did in Skowhegan and his horse was better today," Campbell said. "My horse wasn't himself.

"(Trainer) Dick Robertson and I were talking just now and he's going to take his blood and make sure he's not coming down with something. Horses are animals and they're like people, they get sick, too."

The track record might have had a better chance with Shady Sabrina in the field. The 8-year-old mare, owned and driven by Kevin Switzer, was scratched Sunday because of a pulled tendon. It set a track record of 1:53.1 at Scarborough Downs last week, beating Rodeo Du Ruisseau by a nose.

"If Shady Sabrina had been in the race, she might have crushed the track record today, who knows?" Campbell said.

Around the track: Campbell set two records Monday at Windsor. He drove Victory Tax in 1:58.1 to set a new mark for 4-year-old trotters in the $7,500 Harold C. Ralph Memorial. He later posted the fastest time of the day, 1:54.2 behind Keystone Natalie to set a track record for fillies and mares . . . Campbell's younger brother Heath won a $300 bonus for most wins at Windsor this year while trainer Shawn Nye also won $3,000 for most wins by a trainer . . . Windsor Fair recouped some of the losses it suffered because of last week's heat with good weather on the weekend. "Senior citizens day on Thursday we normally do very well," race director Bill McFarland. "They couldn't tolerate that kind of heat so consequently the handle was down." The track dodged the rain Friday and had three big days in a row, led by Sunday when it set a record for paid attendance with over 12,000.

Gary Hawkins -- 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com