Cumberland has tough fields on Saturday

CUMBERLAND, ME – Less than ten percent of the horses racing on Saturday, June 5 at First Tracks Cumberland have won their last start.  Sixty five percent of them, however, hit the board in their last two outings.  This makes for completive racing as well as attractive opportunities for punters on the ten race card.

The only sprint on the day’s program with less than seven horses entered is the first race NW $4000feature trot, with six programmed starters vying for the $4,800 purse.  Looking for his second win in a row is Jimmy Dean (post 5, 5-2), the 6-year-old by Break The Bank K makes a class jump for trainer David Crochere and driver Gary Mosher.

Second choice on the morning line is Cherry Crown Jewel (post 2, 3-1), a9-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 last week.

The first race marks the start of the Pick 5 and is also the first half of the daily double.  The third race NW $3000 trot finds J-S For Justice (post 3, 5-2) looking for his second win in a row, following a bump up in competition.  Trained by Mike Cayouette and driven by Andy Harrington, the 8-year-old son of Justice Hall is a fresh horse with only three seasonal starts.

Race five is the third and final trot race of the day, with each of the seven diagonal gaiters looking for their first win of the season.

The top pace of the day is carded as race seven, is the start of the pick four and is a NW $4,0

00.  This heat sports a full field of eight starters looking to grab the lion’s share of the $4,800 purse.  Buckeye invader Chumlee A (post 5, 2-1) shows a mile in 1:53.2 on April 18 around the flying turns of Northfield.  The 10-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere is now in the barn of Heidi Gibbs and gets the services of Ron Cushing.  He is sure to be tested by Plus One (post 2,9-2), who is looking for a softer landing strip after his last few outings at Plainridge for trainer Bobby Marston and regular pilot Mike Stevenson.

Often called the greatest side show in harness racing, the amateur drivers take center stage in race eight.  Gunning for bragging rights and a $4,200 purse the Maine Amateur Driving Club returns for round two with seven reinsmen going behind the starting car.

Charles “Butch” Eaton drew the rail (again) with his own Keystone Camaro (5-1).  Last week he won the event with stablemate Hoboken Hanover, and looks to keep up his winning ways. Top trainer-turned-driver Benson Merrill drops in with Kreacher (post 6,5-2), who won his last start at Cumberland on May 22, and has raced twice since that date at Bangor.

Clearly a bunch of savvy veteran horses in this event, they collectively share 186 lifetime wins.  The winningest of the bunch are Master Of Puppets (post 2, 7-2) with 41 wins lifetime, and Led Schneppel in (post4, 4-1) with 34 trips to the winners circle, who is also the richest of the bunch with $312,637 earned.  They will be driven by David Crochere and Michael McGee respectively.

Once again, Blue Seal Feeds will provide the “swag bucket” trophy, with a representative from either the Windham or North Yarmouth stores making the presentation in the winner’s circle.  The eighth race is also the start of the Pick three.

Live harness racing from Cumberland is presented each Tuesday and Saturday through July 31, post time is 2:30 pm.  For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com

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by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland