April 18, 2025, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
CUMBERLAND, ME – Two entrants from the Eric Bickmore stable will battle for trotting supremacy on ‘Good Friday’ (April 18) at Cumberland Raceway in the featured $5,500 conditioned trot.
The action kicks off at 3:15 pm on Friday with a ten race card, and pits Casanova Hall (2-1, Drew Campbell) against Little Macabee (5-2, Kevin Switzer Jr.) in race three.
Last season, the pair combined for earnings of $100,612, with the pylon positioned Casanova Hall individually at $60,767. Coming off a win in his last start on opening day, the 4-year-old son of Greenshoe is moving up in class, yet has been installed as the early morning line favorite.
Little Macabee finished first or second on 14 occasions last year, all while battling the top trotters in Maine. The veteran 11-year-old son of Chapter Seven has accrued $268,933 lifetime and now has a new driver for owner Maryann Tompkins.
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.
Saturday’s (April 19) card also carries ten races and kicks off with the season’s second Maine Amateur Driving Club event. The $4,000 purse attracted a full field of eight entrants and is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed stores of North Falmouth and Windham, Maine. Michael Girouard, fresh off a win with his own Menlo Park last week, and has been installed as the 5-2 favorite while aboard Kate Gerow’s Yankee Sparkle this week.
The early meet’s better pacers meet in the $5,000 fifth race conditioned pace. Zack Vickerson brings Sheriff N (2-1, Switzer Jr.) who is fresh off a win as a $10,000 claimer last week. The 11-year-old son of Bettor’s Delight has been tagged at $12,000 this week and looks to earn the respect of the punters with his strong mile last outing.
Looking ahead to the first Saturday in May, bettors and fans of Thoroughbred racing will be able to watch and wager on the entire Kentucky Derby card from Churchill Downs, right in the Cumberland grandstand.
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.
