December 19, 2024 – by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland

CUMBERLAND, ME – World Champion Lucan Hanover leads an all-star cast of 14-year-old pensioners as First Tracks Cumberland hosts the fourth annual Au Revoir Retirement Showcase slated for Saturday (Dec. 21) of closing weekend, which runs from Friday (Dec. 20) through Sunday (Dec. 22).  In addition, several pop up series finals sprinkled around the three-day weekend boast purses well into the five figures.

Saturday (Dec. 21) is a big day in the Maine harness racing industry as twelve 14-year-old Standardbreds will parade in front of the stands, recognized by the announcer, and feted and photographed in the winners circle with gifts and prizes.  The Au Revoir Retirement Showcase includes a special $6,000 Auld Lang Syne Race, exclusively for 14-year-old pacers.

Lucan Hanover p,3,1:48f, a world champion and winner of an elimination heat of the Little Brown Jug, will lead the post parade, in the opener.  The son of Western Ideal is now owned and trained by Aaron Hall, and has accrued $1.4 million in purse earnings.  During his storied career he was the first sub-1:49 Standardbred on a five-eighths mile track, and also won an elimination of the Breeders Crown during his sophomore campaign.

The entire day is dedicated to these special horses, with the first race marked for the soon-to-be retirees. Overall, the 12 horses have combined earnings of $4.9 million, which is an average of $414,082.  The combined start total is 3,692 with an average of 308 starts per horse.  Total combined wins for these foals of 2010 is 561, which is an average of 47 victories per horse. 

The fastest record belongs to the aforementioned Lucan Hanover, who is also the most decorated Standardbred with 74 trips to the winners circle.  Eleven pacers and two trotters will parade in front of the stands individually, with the average win time of all the honorees an equally impressive 1:51.4.

A special commemorative program has been produced and contains biographies and photos of the equine stars.  The additional eleven soon-to-be retirees are: Calvin B, Goin Manstyle, Heart Breaking, Ideal Rowan, Machtu N, R T Lange, Rockaholic, Rockin Rambaran, Scottish Blue, Ugly Stick and Urbana Bayama.

Sunday’s (Dec. 22) final card of the year features two $12,500 pop up finals, as well as five races with purses of $10,000 each.  There is also the $8,000 Maine Amateur Driving Club final in race eight.

On each of the three racing days the Pick 5 starts with the third race, continues with our Pick 4 and Pick 3 toward the tail end of the program, and concludes with our High-Five Pentafecta in the final race—all with low 16% takeouts.

Harness racing at the Southern Maine’s iconic oval will reconvene in April 2025.

For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on Facebook: @FirstTracksCumberland