June 27, 2025, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
(Joe Shaw photos)
CUMBERLAND, ME – A host of late closing series finals and consolations, coupled with a pair of Maine Sire Stakes events, add up to nearly $150,000 in total purses over this weekend’s harness racing at Maine’s Cumberland Raceway. The action starts on Friday afternoon (June 27) with ten races and rolls on through Saturday (June 21) with a full, eleven race program of big purses.
Friday’s $5,000 featured trot engages recent winner Dynamical Tad (7/2, Dave Ingraham) against several equally matched high steppers in the opener. Matt So Sure (2-1, Aaron Hall) and Maplewood Slugger (5/2, John Nason) all start from the center of the racetrack making this event an exciting sprint from start to finish.
Race three sees the start of the Pick-5 which carries a $5,000 guaranteed pool and a low 16% takeout. The exotic wager is included on the slate of the USTA’s Strategic Wagering offerings, with a link to the program here: http://www.trackmaster.com/usta
Racing continues on Saturday (June 21) with 11 races, including four $12,000-plus finals of various late closing series, as well as two $12,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers. The total purses for the card equal $104,049.
In the glamour boys division for Pine Tree State-bred male pacers, the first $12,162 division will likely be a dash to beat the even money favorite Massive Speed (Walter Case Jr.). Although it is early in the season, the 3-year-old son of Dude’s The Man appears to be the real thing for the powerful Tardif Taskforce, who is looking for his second in a row. Dude’s Wanted Man (5-2, Heath Campbell) will probably be the horse to give the favorite a run for his money, as he is coming into form for trainer Valerie Grondin.
In the second $12,387 division of the Maine Sire Stakes Ridgecrest Dan (8/5, John Nason) is also looking to extend his winning streak from post four. Dawn To Dark (5-2, Kevin Switzer Jr.) looks to be the ‘dark horse’ of the race and could pop a big mile at any moment, having paced in 1:58 last week right next to his stable mate Massive Speed.
In overnight action, the richest of the four late closing series finals, the $15,000 Portland Pacing Series could see a repeat performance by the winner of the $12,500 Rockland series final, Dinner Party (5/2, Drew Campbell). The 6-year-old son of American Ideal boasts five wins, four seconds and $25,540 in earnings this year. He will have to tangle with the peaking Sheriff N (3-1, Switzer Jr.) who has won his last three but scores from post seven. Gate speed may tell the tale, as Always At My Place (9-2, Bruce Ranger) has shown he possesses while winning last week’s leg in 1:56.3
The action kicks off at 3:15 pm on both Friday and Saturday, with a Trifecta in all 10 races, and the program also features a plethora of exotic wagers. Cumberland’s Pick 5 begins with the third race (Friday $5K guar.), and 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.
Live video and replays can be found on our website: firsttrackscumberland.com on the Live Racing / Video Replays tab.
First Track’s Cumberland Spring/Summer meet will continue throughout the Spring and early Summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend. First post is slated for 3:15 pm (EDT) during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 2.
