Southern Maine ‘Winter Festival’ begins

CUMBERLAND, ME – Harness racing resumes at the iconic Cumberland Raceway on Sunday (Nov. 2) for the first of 18 Southern Maine racing dates, knows as the “Winter Festival,” with some of the Pine Tree State’s top trotters and pacers kicking off the ten-race card.

The $5,000 featured conditioned pace pits Wolftrax (2-1, Heath Campbell) against Arts Flight (5-1, Aaron Hall) in the seventh race skirmish.

Ironically, Hall sat behind both horses during their last trip to the winners circle.  For Wolftrax, who is trained by Eric Bickmore and has five wins on the season and $34,873 earned, his last victory was just two weeks ago at Bangor in 1:56.4.  The 6-year-old son of Betting Line leaves from pylon position.

For Arts Flight, a former, multiple Maine Sire Stakes winner last year at three, he last wowed the crowds at the famous Fryeburg Fair on October 1, scoring in 1:58.  The 4-year-old son of Artistic Fella scores from post five for trainer Sara Harrington.

Race six marks the return of the ‘greatest side show’ in harness racing, the $4,000 Maine Amateur Driving Club event.

Most of the usual suspects are back behind the Wes Brown starting gate, including: Jason Bertolini (P1, DT Petlot), Joe Burke (P2, Plus One), Hunter Lofthus (P3, Skyway Ballet), Todd Whitney (P4, Keystone Maxim) and Johnathan Bresnahan (P8, Smartys Filly) who is back from his big 1:53.3 score with Manny at the Delaware (OH) County Fair in the Tim Fouts Memorial Standardbred Driving Championship.

Overall, the entire program has a lot of action for horse players with eight events boasting full seven or eight horse fields.  The Pick 5 starts with the third race; our Pick 4 highlights the seventh, and our High-Five Pentafecta in the finale—all with low 16% takeouts.

For the fifth season in a row First Tracks Cumberland will present the Au Revoir Retirement Showcase, slated for Saturday, December 20.  The event is open to 14-year-old horses that are racing, or have recently retired, and have Maine connections.  Horses will parade in front of the fans in either harness or halter and be featured in a half-page bio with their photograph in the special commemorative program.  Equine honorees must be present to participate and need to ‘declare’ by Dec. 3.  To enter your horse, or for more information, send an Email of interest to Chris Tully at: tullytrot@yahoo.com.

Racing continues at First Tracks Cumberland for our Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting, which enjoys weekend action throughout the month of November.  Cumberland Raceway will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Fri-Sat-Sun) beginning December 5.  The 18-day meet continues through Dec. 21, 2025.

For more information go to our website: https://firsttrackscumberland.com/

Follow us on Facebook at @FirstTracksCumberland.

For complete race entries, click here: US Trotting entries.

by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland