July 3, 2025, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland

CUMBERLAND, ME – Friday’s (July 4) Independence Day card at Cumberland Raceway gets an earlier 2:15 pm start, and the Saturday (July 5) program gets a ‘do-over’ following the cancellation of last week’s races and lucrative late closer finals.

The Fourth of July program kicks off at 2:15 pm with two $10,500 divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for freshmen pacing colts.  For all of the entrants, it marks their first foray into purse racing.

Not surprising is that the Marc Tardif stable is loaded for bear and brings six colts and geldings to fray.  All the participants appeared to have behaved themselves in their first qualifiers, pacing around the Cumberland oval with ease. 

With sons and daughters of Dude’s The Man dominating the sophomore pacing ranks in the Pine Tree State, it is also not a shock that Real Horrorshow is the early 5/2 favorite.  A son of the aforementioned Adios-winning stallion, who is trained by Kevin Switzer Sr. and will be driven by Kevin Switzer Jr., he won his qualifier handily in 2:05.

In the second $10,500 division Dude’s The Jet is the 5/2 morning line choice, based up his 9-plus length romp in the slop to win his qualifier last week.  Trained and co-owned by Marc Tardif, he will be piloted by McGwire Sowers.

Due to heavy rain last Saturday, a host of late closing series finals and consolations, were postponed and rescheduled for this week.  The Saturday (July 5) purses add up to $110,000 over the twelve-race card, which starts at the regular time of 3:15 pm.

The live harness racing includes four $12,500-plus finals of various late closing series, as well as three $10,500 divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old trotters. 

In Pine Tree State-bred action, three horses (two fillies and one colt) will try to maintain their current two-stakes race winning streaks.  Lady Lake Marty (2-1, Ken Watson) in race one; Pandemic Princess (2-1, Heath Campbell) in race three; and Liberty’s Wildcard (1-1, Kevin Switzer Jr.) in race five, have all had everything their own way leading up to this week.  Only time, and perhaps the different venue, will tell the tale.

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 six.  Gate speed may tell the tale, as Always At My Place (9-2, Bruce Ranger) has shown he possesses while winning his previous leg in 1:56.3

For punters, there is a Trifecta in all races, and the program also features a plethora of exotic wagers.  Cumberland’s Pick 5 begins with the third race, 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) (except July 4 which is 2:15 pm) during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 2.