October 4, 2026, by Chris Tully for First Tracks Cumberland
(Joe Shaw photos)
CUMBERLAND, ME – There were plenty of fans on hand to witness the 2026 edition of the $320,000-plus Maine Sire Stakes Freshmen Finals on Saturday (October 3) at the Cumberland Fair with some likely favorites prevailing, along with an upset, which made for a great day of New England harness racing.
In the first $80,760 final for 2-year-old colts and geldings the battle was on again off again between Pembroke Zagursky (Heath Campbell) and U Know I Know (Ken Watson). Before and after the start every horse except the pacesetting favorite Pembroke Zagursky broke stride at one point or another in the race.
Heath Campbell protected his pylon position but Ken Watson wanted the top and drove his trotter right off his feet heading toward the blistering :28.4 opening panel in a failed attempt to take command.
Watson ultimately ducked U Know I Know into the pocket with the tempo reduced to 1:01.1 at the half. Half in, half out heading into the 1:32 third station, Watson finally committed to the outer flow while going around the final turn. Back two lengths at the head of the stretch U Know I Know had one last valiant effort to catch Pembroke Zagursky, but to no avail as the pacesetter prevailed by three parts of a length in 2:02.3.
Trained by Valerie Grondin for owner Brenda Varney, the son of Pembroke Slugger picked up his third, and most important win of the year. Bred by the late Bill Varney, he returned $2.80.
Come On Charlie (Mark Athearn) finished third.
In the third race, which was the $80,456 final for 2-year-old trotting fillies, it was all Princess Caledonia and trainer-driver-co-owner Gary Hall who made every call a winning one, winning in 2:04.1 by 2-1/2 lengths. Also owned by James Kelley Jr., Betsey Kelley and Kristina Hall, the daughter of To The Hilt returned $2.80.
She was bred by Anita ‘Bunny’ Anastosopoulos. Stable mate Mikella Bella (Heath Campbell) finished second; Cape Cod Friday (Dave Ingraham) was third.
The fifth race $81,016 final for 2-year-old pacing fillies, was led by the Pine Tree State-bred star No Small Wonder, who heretofore sported an unblemished record going into this event.
Driven by Kevin Switzer Jr., wearing the blue and yellow colors of the recently deceased Alex MacDonald, the filly phenom and heavy 1-9 favorite left swiftly from post five and took the lead in the usual fashion.
The daughter of State Treasurer continued to pace unfettered through opening panels of :28.3 and :59.4 with Showfaith Showdown (Nick Graffam) sitting in the garden seat. However, heading to the half driver Aaron Hall moved Feel The Fury first over and was advancing swiftly toward the lead.
The 16-1 longshot Feel The Fury blasted down the backside the final time to look No Small Wonder right in the eye at the 1:28.3 third station. Those two fillies battled toe to toe around the final turn, leaving the rest of the field in their wake by five open lengths.
Somewhere during that final quarter of a mile No Small Wonder broke her check rein, which was dangling in the breeze but did not deter the filly from fighting back against her aggressor. The pair fought with equal tenacity down the stretch with Feel The Fury making one last momentous lunge to the wire to prevail by a neck and defeat the previously undefeated filly by a neck in a track record equaling 1:59.
Trained by Marc Tardif for owner-breeder Mr. Lesley Leighton, the daughter of State Treasurer had just one prior victory, but had been knocking on the door all season. She returned a whopping $35.20 to win the MaryEllen Stevenson Memorial. The winners circle was jammed packed with horse people and friends of local driver-trainer Mike Stevenson who lost his beloved wife last month.
The sixth race concluded the Maine Sire Stakes events with the $81,110 final for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings, and, of course The Gucci Man who was the 3-5 favorite having had has just one defeat in eight seasonal outings. Switzer Jr. drove the son of Dude’s The Man to another pillar to post romp from post six, stopping the timer in 1:58.1, which was a new track record.
Owned, trained and bred by Marc Tardif, he returned $3.20
Top Notch Treasure (Bruce Ranger) finished second; Painter’s Treasure (Andy Harrington) was third.
Our treasured outrider Sherry Cushing took the Harnessing Hope $5,500 All Women Drivers Breast Cancer Awareness Invitational with her own Gazitarena in 2:00.1. Co-owned with her step-daughter Jessica Clouser, they returned $5.40 in the wire-to-wire circuit.
Driver Aaron Hall enjoyed three wins on the afternoon program and now sits within one win of Andy Harrington who leads with 14 wins at the Fair.
Racing concludes at the Cumberland Fairgrounds on Sunday (Oct. 4) with a 12:30 post time.
After the fair, the track’s 15-day Winter Festival begins November 8 and then primarily follows a three-day Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule throughout the season, until December 13. Our annual Au Revoir Retirement Ceremonies are slated for Dec. 12.
For additional information, visit our website at firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/FirstTracksCumberland/
