Top pacers set to clash at Cumberland

CUMBERLAND, ME – Saturday’s (July 15) $6,000 featured harness racing pace at Cumberland looks to be a clash of the region’s top pacers fighting against one another, with the successful perpetrator looking for a summons to the $25,000 Pine Tree Invitational Pace on August 5.

Already the two top finishers in the $25,000 Fred Nichols at Bangor on July 2 have been tapped, while Racing Secretary Rob Pennington is watching the area’s top pacers carefully to select the next invitees.

Saturday’s $6,000 eighth race is where the track’s upper echelon will collide, with the trackman installing Nineteenth Man A (Captaintreacherous, Ron Cushing-Heidi Gibbs) as the early morning line favorite at 3-1 from post 3.

The recent immigrant from Down Under has two wins and a third since landing on American soil, and has his sights set on another victory while leaving from his inner-most post position to date.  A 5-year-old gelding, on June 16 he won his first start of the season at Cumberland, and came right back to score in a lifetime best of 1:54.4 at Bangor nine days later.

Just outside the early favorite is Dragonology (Nick Graffam-Karl Butterfield) who has been seven times 1-2-3 in 11 seasonal starts.  He is listed at 7-2 from post 4.  Last week’s victor, Rocksapatriot (Dave Ingraham-Kelly Case) drew post 7 and is just inside El Jacko N (Kevin Switzer Jr.-Candace Brandstatter) who is always a threat with three wins in his last five outings.

With the closing day of the Spring-Summer meet just three weeks away, and running concurrently with Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands, First Tracks Cumberland has pulled out all the stops and is offering a bounty of attractions for horsemen and fans alike.

In addition to the aforementioned featured invite on August 5, there will also be a pop-up series with an increased purse structure, as well as a substantial prize for the Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) Spring-Summer Final.  Plus, all the Maine Sire Stakes eligible trotters are slated for several divisions that afternoon.  In fact, with all of the on-track activities, coupled with import wagering from both Saratoga Race Course (flats) and the entire Hambo Day card, first post has been set an hour earlier at 2:15 pm.

But wait, there’s more!  For fans there will be a Hambletonian hat giveaway, as well as the return of our popular Cumberland Derby.  Patrons who enter the contest select a horse in a designated race and will have a chance to win a total of $500 in cash.

This week’s $4,400 Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) carries full field of eight horses and drivers, many of whom are looking to increase their point total for a spot in the lucrative final in three weeks.

Luke Varnum, who won last week’s edition, is back with his own Pembroke Ranger (Post 3, 3-1), as is the second choice behind Todd Whitney and Quick Fun N who is listed at 2-1 from the rim.  Last year’s MADC champion Benson Merrill brings A List (5-1) into the mix and is looking to catch lightning in a bottle, once again.  The MADC is carded as race 2, and as always, this series is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of Windham and North Yarmouth, Maine.

Saturday’s (July 15) program carries 12 races, plus one early $14,948 non-wagering Maine Sire Stakes event for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings, which goes off at 2:45 pm.

The wagering menu always includes a 50-cent trifecta in every race, as well as the standard collection of lucrative wagers with low 16% takeouts scattered throughout the card.

With the NYRA Thoroughbred platform switching to upstate New York, Cumberland will offer Saratoga viewing, programs, and wagering every Saturday until Aug. 5.

Live harness racing continues at Cumberland on Saturday (July 22) and then offers a three-day weekend of racing Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 28, 29 & 30.  Regular post time is 3:15 pm (EDT).  The final summer weekend of racing is scheduled for Friday (Aug. 4, 3:15 pm) and Saturday (August 5) with a special early post time of 2:15 pm.

For complete Saturday race entries, click here.

by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland