May 25, 2021 – by Chris Tully for First Tracks Cumberland (Stephanie Gray photos)

CUMBERLAND, ME – On a warm and sunny Tuesday (May 25) afternoon at Cumberland, Photo King did the same thing he has done on 56 previous occasions-won a pari-mutuel trot race.  Not to be outdone, his navigator Dan Deslandes won four of the five races that he drove in.

Photo King, an elder statesman with nearly $500,000 in lifetime earnings, is a 14-year-old son of S J’s Photo from the Valley Victory mare Musical Victory.  Today marked his 57^th lifetime victory, the fastest of which he took at age five in 1:53.2 at Pocono.  Today’s romp was a wire-to-wire walk in the park from post five, tripping the timer in 2:01.1.

Also trained and co-owned by Dan Deslandes (with Danny King), the classy campaigner paid $6.20 to win.

Driver Deslandes started his day by wiring the field from post seven with Love Love Me Do in 1:58.1.  The 28-year-old native New Englander began his reign of conquest in race two, providing the 7-year-old Rocknroll Hanover mare with her third win in a row for trainer Karl Butterfield. 

The next time ‘Double D’ was behind the gate was a win with his aforementioned trotter in race five.  The following event he went right down the road again, giving Mighty American N his second win in a row in the $4,500 purse 8000 claiming pace in 1:55.2.  Trained by Karl Butterfield for owner Jose Cervantes, the 9-year-old son of American Ideal paid $3.60 to win.

The eighth race saw the team of Deslandes-Butterfield dominate the action once again.  Ima Tragedy N went coast-to-coast in 1:57, drawing off to win by four and a half lengths.  The 11-year-old son of Sands A Flyin now has two victories at the Southern Maine oval.  Ima Tragedy N paid $2.80 to win.

Although dominant in today’s action, Deslandes’ exploits were enough to move him into second place in the driver standings, but he still remains a few wins below New England’s leading driver Bruce Ranger.  Karl Butterfield won three races and now usurps Ben Merrill as the meet’s current leading conditioner.  Kevin Switzer Jr had two victories on the program.

For Saturday, May 29, a new addition to the condition sheet marks the beginning of the Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) series, with a purse of $4,000.  The conditions allow for pacers that are non-winners of $2,000 in their last five starts.  Extra purse money has been added to that class, and Standardbreds that are Maine-bred get an allowance of $2,500.  Aimee Nichols of Blue Seal Feeds of Windham and North Yarmouth will present the trophies.

Qualifiers will now be held following the Saturday pari-mutuel card, at approximately 5:45 pm.

Racing from Cumberland is presented LIVE each Tuesday and Saturday, through July 31, with a NEW post time of 2:30 pm.  For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com

Follow us on Facebook at @FirstTracksCumberland.

May 22, 2021 – by Chris Tully for First Tracks Cumberland (Stephanie Gray photos)

CUMBERLAND, ME – Three times is a charm for trotter Caulfield, as the classy campaigner trotted the fastest mile of the season Saturday (May 22) at Cumberland, winning the $6,000 Winners Over class in 1:59.2.

Driven by Mike Stevenson for trainer Bob Marston, the nine-year-old son of Kadabra was in command the entire mile, throwing in a :29.3 last quarter to seal the deal and win his third start in a row in Maine.  Owned by George Tzikas, Caulfield now has 25 wins and $375,311 lifetime.  In fact, the ‘honest trotter’ has won every start this season that has been held in the Pine Tree State, enjoying four victories in his last five starts overall.’

Caulfield paid $3.60 to win, and took a new seasonal mark on the half-mile track at Cumberland.

Opening the card, Maine harness racing legend Donnie Richards got his first win of the meet with his own trotter Wind Current.  The five-year-old Maine-bred son of Current Cast, from the Muscles Yankee mare Flourescent, won the $4,500 NW3500 trot in 2:01.2, a new seasonal mark. 

The 88-year-old trainer is approaching 1,000 wins lifetime, with $3.8 million in earnings and Richards now enjoys a .472 UTR at the Southern Maine oval.

Wind Current was driven by Mark Athearn, bred by Tom Dillion, and paid $15.00 to win.

On the pacing side, the fastest mile of the day was clocked by Bet You, taking the $4,500 NW3500 pace in 1:55.2.  Bet down to ten cents on the dollar, the fast son of Bettor’s Delight showed the punters several miles paced in 1:52 or faster at Plainridge to warrant such attention. 

Driven by Kevin Switzer Jr. for trainer Joe Nelson and owner Scott Dillon, the nine-year-old winner of over $575,000 appeared to find the Cumberland surface to his liking.  Bet You was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms and paid $2.20 to win.

Both Bruce Ranger and Kevin Switzer Jr., had driving doubles on the Saturday card.  Ben Merrill added a win to his total, keeping him one step ahead of Karl Butterfield in the trainers standings with six and five respectively.  In fact, 28 different trainers have won at least one race at First Tracks Cumberland after six race dates.

Racing from Cumberland is presented LIVE each Tuesday and Saturday, through July 31, with a NEW post time is 2:30 pm.  For more information go to our website firsttrackscumberland.com and follow us on Facebook at @FirstTracksCumberland.