September 24, 2025, by Chris Tully for First Tracks Cumberland
(Joe Shaw photos)
CUMBERLAND, ME – Aaron Hall got an extended ride on the Ferris Wheel on Tuesday (Sept. 23) at the Cumberland (ME) Fair, capturing both co-featured Pop Up series of the same name.
Hall started the day by winning the first half of the daily double with Yankee Sparkle (1:58.4, $2.20) for trainer Kate Gerow.
Then, in the first $6,000 Ferris Wheel Pop Up series leg Hall got away on top but 1/2 favorite Sheriff N (Shawn Thayer) brushed off the three hole and made a hard charge for the lead, ultimately taking command past the :28.1 opening panel.
Hall sat in the pocket with Fly Away BB (5-1) through the :59.2 half with Gotta Minute N (Mike Stevenson, 12-1) first over and just a length off the leader by the time the pack hit the 1:28.1 third station.
Down the lane, the pacesetting Sheriff N drifted out allowing Hall to skim the cones and get up in the final strides to score by a head in 1:57.2.
Trained by Jonathan Bresnahan for owner Amanda Ward, the 4-year-old son of Heston Blue Chip paid $12.20 to win for the seventh time this year.
Gotta Minute N finished third.
Two races later in the second $6,000 division of the Ferris Wheel, Hall took the shortest distance between two points and scored a wire-to-wire victory with Velocity Sub Z in 1:57.4.
Trained and owned by Judson Merrill, the 11-year-old son of Art’s Chip grabbed his fourth win of the year, and 44th of his lengthy career. He returned $5.00.
Dinner Party (Dave Ingraham) finished second; Aintnobettor A (Hunter Lofthus) was third.
Although he won three races on the afternoon card, Aaron Hall had to share those bragging rights with fellow reinsmen Mike Stevenson who also enjoyed a hat trick on the program.
23-year-old Kyle Athearn, a full brother to Matty ‘Ice’ Athearn, and from the Mark and Gretchen Athearn stable, got his first driving win aboard Ga Speed Matrix. Trained by Michelle Lefebvre, he won in pillar-to-post fashion in 2:01.4 and returned $6.80.
Racing resumes at the Cumberland Fairgrounds on Wednesday (Sept. 24) with full cards scheduled for the remaining racing dates through Sunday (Sept. 28).
Post time is slated for 1 p.m. for the Wednesday and Thursday (Sept. 24-25) programs, and drops backs to 12:00 noon for the remaining weekend dates of Friday through Sunday (Sept. 26-28).
Exotic wagers start with Cumberland’s Pick 5 in 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.
Always a highlight of the ‘Always in September’ Fair, the Maine Sire Stakes continue at Cumberland with 3-year-old filly pacers on Wednesday (Sept. 24), and then roll into the 3-year-old male pacers on Thursday (Sept. 25), with the 3-year-old trotters completing the sophomore divisions on Friday (Sept. 26).
Once again, Cumberland will host the $300,000 Est. Maine Sire Stakes 2-year-old finals on Saturday, September 27, with two freshmen pacers, Massive Speed and Snowonthepines, putting their unblemished records on the line in their respective showdowns.
First Tracks will also host the popular Cumberland Derby where fans can enter to win $500 in total cash prizes based on their picks and the official order of finish in the designated race.
After the fair, the track’s 18-day Winter Festival begins November 2 and then follows a two-day Saturday-Sunday schedule throughout the month of November. The month of December picks up Fridays for 3-day weekends of racing through December 21. Our annual Au Revoir Retirement Ceremonies are slated for Dec. 20.
For additional information, visit our website at firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/FirstTracksCumberland/
