May 11, 2025, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
(Joe Shaw photos)
CUMBERLAND, ME – As the Pine Tree State’s horse people prepare for the start of the Maine Sire Stakes in a few weeks, a pair of the lucrative program’s graduates added to their respective bankrolls on Saturday (May 10) at Cumberland Raceway.
Perhaps last season’s best known pacer was Two Fold Cold who dominated his 3-year-old colt division with an impressive 12 for 12 seasonal tally. Trained and owned by Marc Tardif during his unblemished campaign, the son of Deuce Seelster earned $140,772 and took a mark of 1:55.2 on the historic Bass Park half-mile oval.
Tardif has retained ownership, however his industrious taskforce is concentrating on babies so he sent the now-4-year-old gelding up north with Kelly Case. Improving with every start, Two Fold Cold got his first seasonal victory after being parked to the quarter in :29.1 and powered through the middle splits of :59 and 1:27 before blasting home a winner in 1:57.4 in the $5,500 featured pace.
Driven by Dave Ingraham to a 1-1/2 length victory, Two Fold Cold was bred in Maine by Gary and Kristina Hall and paid $4.20.
Kount Blaster (Wally Watson) finished second; Heavensway A (Zach Vickerson) was third.
Another Tardif protégé that had the misfortune of racing against Two Fold Cold last season is Arts Flight. The now-4-year-old son of Artistic Fella did hold his own last year at three, and hit the board in 12 of 15 starts while earning $67,399.
Driven by Aaron Hall, and despite being saddled with the outermost post seven, the swift sidestepper left powerfully and assumed command through an opening fraction of :29.1. His command was short lived as Arts Flight yielded to the 6-5 favorite Mornin Captain and Walter Case Jr. who clearly had a ton of pace.
Approaching the 1:01.3 half in the off-going On Line (2-1, Jason Bertolini) pulled first over, with Salute America (25-1 Kevin Switzer Jr.) grabbing that cover second over.
Mornin Captain took the field through the 1:30.3 third panel with Arts Flight locked in the box right behind him. The battle ensued around the turn and into the home stretch where the first over On Line stalled which gave Arts Flight room to come off the pegs and challenge the leader.
Track announcer Scott Ehrlich exclaimed, “In deep stretch, here comes Arts Flight…too close to call.”
Back in the sport’s heyday, the judges would have been forced to call for a ‘print’ of the photo finish, however, due to advances in technology the racing officials were able to quickly determine that Arts Flight prevailed by a nose over Mornin Captain. Greysons Pacin (Dave Ingraham) was third.
Trained by Andrew Harrington for owner Mac Stables, it was the second win in a row for Arts Flight, who was bred by one of Maine’s leading breeders Lynn-Marie Plouffe. He paid $9.60 for the 2:01.1 triumph, where the judges allowed 3 seconds due to track conditions.
Hunter Lofthus returned to his winning ways in the $4,000 Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) event in race two, scoring with Benson Merrill’s Ten Beaches Later in 2:03.4.
Coming from off the pace to win in dominant fashion, bettors must have forgotten the reinsman’s prowess in last season’s series and sent him off at 13-1. The duo paid $28.40 for the score. The MADC is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed stores of North Falmouth and Windham, Maine. Todd Whitney drives the favorite Hoosier Shark from post four.
Driver Zach Vickerson grabbed a driving double, one of which he also trained.
Racing resumes at Cumberland on Friday (May 16).
First Track’s Cumberland Spring/Summer meet continues throughout the Spring and early Summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend. First post is always 3:15 pm (EDT) during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 2.
