August 3, 2026, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
(Joe Shaw photos)
CUMBERLAND, ME – The final program for the Spring-Summer meet at First Tracks Cumberland on Sunday (August 2) saw Arts Flight and Big Al M take their respective $12,000 Pine Tree Opens with records falling as the curtain closed on another successful harness racing season.
In the Pine Tree Open Pace the public’s third choice, Arts Flight (4-1, Andy Harrington), sprinted swiftly to take command from the start and set a snappy opening panel of :28.1. Touch Of Character (9-1, Aaron Hall) was headstrong in the pocket with the favored Married Man (1-1, Dave Ingraham) getting away in third.
The outer flow had begun right at the start as Jones Hanover (Wally Watson) had been parked every step of the first half in a swift :57.1. P L Pasquale (3-1, Kevin Switzer Jr.) picked up that second over cover with Graysons Pacin (Nick Graffam) third up from the back of the pack at the midway marker.
With Married Man gapping in third and Hall finding Touch Of Character eager to march onward, the pacesetting Arts Flight let out a notch into a torrid 1:25.4 third stanza. Around the final turn P L Pasquale found himself first over and ready to challenge the leader, as Touch Of Character had the same idea, the chasers appeared poised to pounce.
But Arts Flight still had a little left in the tank and held off the late chargers to prevail by half a length in 1:55, a new lifetime mark.
Trained by Sara Harrington for owner Mac Stables, the 5-year-old son of Artistic Fella picked up his sixth seasonal victory. Bred in Maine by Lynn-Marie Plouffe, he returned $10.40. Picking up the lion’s share of the $12,000 purse, Arts Flight now has $130,295 earned lifetime.
P L Pasquale got up to be second; Married Man finished third.
In the $12,000 Pine Tree Open Trot it was all Big Al M who led from pillar to post with no threats in sight.
Driven by Kevin Switzer Jr. the 8-year-old son of Anders Bluestone set opening fractions of :28.2 and 58.2 before kicking into high gear past the half. By the 1:26.4 third panel Big Al M was on top by six lengths and the track record appeared to be in jeopardy.
At the head of the stretch ‘Al’ had ten on the field and the race was being fought for second between Brutalizer (Andy Harrington), Twoscoopsforjack (Mark Athearn) and the favored Party At Seven (Nick Graffam).
Down the lane Big Al M cruised to a 16 length score in 1:56.2, which equaled the all-age trotting track record and established a new standard for an Aged Gelding Trotter.
Owned and trained by Zach Vickerson, it was the fourth seasonal victory for the winner of $541,430 lifetime. He returned $7.20 for the 36th win of his career.
TCS Brenda (McGwire Sowers) swooped the battle for second in deep stretch the take the place position; Party At Seven finished third.
In Maine Sire Stakes action the 2- and 3-year-old trotters competed in four $14,000-plus legs for their respective divisions. U Know I Know (Ken Watson) took the freshmen colt trot in 2:05.3; Princess Caledonia (Gary Hall) got her second seasonal score in 2:04.4; Hayden (Gary Hall) won again in 2:02.1 in the 3-year-old filly trot; and the male sophomore trot went to Gus’s Workout (Heath Campbell) in 2:00, a new lifetime best.
Kevin Switzer Jr. led all drivers on the program with three scores, and finished the Spring-Summer meet as the leading reinsmen with 98 visits to the winners circle. Nick Graffam (74) and Aaron Hall (62) finished second and third respectively.
Michelle Lefebvre concluded the meet with 54 wins as the leading conditioner, closely followed by Bob Marston with 48.
Racing resumes at the Cumberland Raceway at the annual “Always in September” Cumberland Fair for an eight day meet starting Sunday, September 27. The Winter Festival at First Tracks Cumberland starts on November 8 for a fifteen-day meet through December 13.
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