December 1, 2024 – by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
(Joe Shaw photos)

CUMBERLAND, ME – Diminutive trotter Little Macabee made his Thanksgiving homecoming a memorable one, winning the $6,000 featured winners over trot at Cumberland Raceway on Saturday (Nov. 30).

Scoring from pylon position, leading reinsman Drew Campbell was content to let Broadway Giant (15-1, Wally Watson) and High Gear No Fear (11-1, Nick Graffam) take the early lead while he took a seat in third with the 10-year-old son of Chapter Seven.

Watson and his charge led the field into a :29.1 opening panel under the bright, morning sun.  When the trotters turned to pass the stands going to the half, Campbell tipped Little Macabee to the outside and set his sights on the leaders into a 1:00.4 second stanza.  Nearing the three-quarter pole the ‘little horse that could’ was inching up on the outside, and by that 1:30.1 third panel was looking Broadway Giant right in the eye.

With the momentum in his favor and the heart of a lion, Little Macabee responded with a final surge down the lane and won handily in 2:01.4 by 1-1/2 lengths.

Trained and owned by the Skowhegan-based husband and wife team of Chad and Maryann Tompkins, it was Little Macabee’s sixth seasonal victory and 41^st in his lengthy career.  The win pushed his lifetime bankroll to $266,208, while he paid $6.00 to win.

High Gear No Fear finished a fast closing second; Broadway Giant hung on for third.

In other news, ‘Mighty’ McGwire Sowers picked up a driving grand slam on the 13-race program, two of which being harnessed by his girlfriend Autym Robinson.   The 24-year-old rising star is now at 999 wins lifetime and has a drive in all but three of thirteen races on Sunday (Dec. 1).  His victories included: Shes A Sassy Beach (1:59.3, $2.80), Perfect Bloom (2:00, $7.60), Vel Miss Taylor (2:00.3, $7.00) and Its Just Numbers (2:04.3, $15.40).

Who’s having more fun than 86-year-young harness racing trainer-driver-owner Bob Nadeau this holiday weekend?  Not only did his mare Azariya draw the rail two weeks in a row, but this week he grabbed his second consecutive victory right on the front end.  Scoring in 2:01 by 3-1/2 lengths, everyone’s favorite Octogenarian was all smiles in the winner’s circle where his supporters received a nice $6.00 win ticket to go with their Pumpkin Pie.  For the 4-year-old daughter of Lazarus N, it was her fifth win of the season, as well as the pilot’s.

The meet’s leading driver, Drew Campbell, had a pair of victories on the mid-day card which gives him 26 for the Winter Festival meet.  He is now at 5,994 lifetime, putting him just six wins away from the six grand threshold.  Sowers sits second in the standings with 18 victories, and Aaron Hall is third with 12.  Hall also enjoyed two trips to the Cumberland winner’s circle on Saturday.

The action continues on Sunday (Dec. 1) with a 13-race card of full fields, which includes a $5,500 conditioned pace and a $4,000 leg of the Maine Amateur Driving Club with series leader Hunter Lofthus scoring from post six with 3-2 favorite Real Thing.

First Tracks Cumberland will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Fri-Sat-Sun) beginning, next week on December 6.  The 19-day meet continues through Dec. 22, 2024, and post time is always 10:55 am. This is the last call for entries for our popular Au Revoir Retirement Ceremonies are slated for Saturday, Dec. 21, contact Chris Tully for more information.

For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on Facebook: @FirstTracksCumberland

November 29, 2024 – by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
(Stephanie Gray photo)

CUMBERLAND, ME – This weekend’s 26-race Thanksgiving feast at Cumberland Raceway starts right off with the main course, as the $6,000 featured winners over trot is carded as the opener on Saturday (Nov. 30).

Leading the pack in the marquis event is Chad and Maryann Tompkins’ Little Macabee (9-5, Drew Campbell) who scores from pylon position.  Installed as the early morning line favorite, the 10-year-old son of the sport’s leading trotting sire Chapter Seven, the five-time seasonal winner has found a softer landing following his last three outings at Plainridge.  With 40 wins lifetime, the ‘little horse that could’ will be the one to catch.

Voted ‘most likely to upset’ is the 5-2 Jax Spratt (Aaron Hall) who has four wins in his last five starts.  The 4-year-old son of Devious Man has won nearly half of his 26 seasonal starts, and gets around his home track with ease.  Also in top form is French-bred trotter Empereurthebest FR (3-1, Walter Case Jr.), who hails from the Dunn stable and won his last two efforts by open lengths.  In fact, all but one of the entrants have taken a victory lap in their last two starts.

There is also a pair of $5,000 conditioned events, a trot and a pace, carded as races four and eleven respectively.  The fourth race trot sees Kimberly Vafiades’ Squable (9-5, Drew Campbell) seeking his second consecutive victory against this bunch.  The 6-year-old son of Trixton has five wins in 22 seasonal outings, with another nine second and third place finishes.  Owned by Jason Vafiades, the horse has missed one check in his last nine programmed lines.

Another French ex-pat Empire City FR (3-1, Benson Merrill) is moving up in class after a win last week and will try to take advantage of his early gate speed.

Two Maine-sired mares will renew their sophomore rivalry when the distaffs met in battle half a dozen times in last season’s pacing filly ranks.  South St Dottie (4-1, Nick Graffam) and Katelyn’s Angel (2-1, Aaron Hall) will face off once again in the $5,000 conditioned pace toward the latter part of the program.

The entire program has a lot of action for horse players with 10 of 13 events boasting full seven or eight horse fields.  The Pick 5 starts with the third race; our Pick 4 highlights the tenth, and our High-Five Pentafecta in the final race—all with low 16% takeouts.

The action continues on Sunday (Dec. 1) with a 13-race card of full fields, which includes a $5,500 conditioned pace and a $4,000 leg of the Maine Amateur Driving Club with series leader Hunter Lofthus scoring from post six with 3-2 favorite Real Thing.

First Tracks Cumberland will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Fri-Sat-Sun) beginning, next week on December 6.  The 19-day meet continues through Dec. 22, 2024, and post time is always 10:55 am.  Our popular Au Revoir Retirement Ceremonies are slated for Saturday, Dec. 21.

For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on Facebook: @FirstTracksCumberland

November 25, 2024 – by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland (Joe Shaw photos)

CUMBERLAND, ME – The Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) was back in action on Sunday (Nov. 24) at Cumberland Raceway, with former national champ ‘Too Tough’ Todd Whitney blasting to a wire-to-wire victory with the odds-on favorite Nagle.

Under bright sunny skies with a brisk breeze the 1-2 public choice left swiftly when the gate sprung amidst a flurry of activity into the first turn.  After avoiding the fracas, Whitney and Nagle led the $4,000 MADC field into a :29.1 opening panel and remained in command by a comfortable margin.  Lilys Penelope (17-1, Joe Burke) tracked along in the two-hole, with Cache All The Way (7-1, Benson Merrill) sitting anxiously in third.

Merrill tipped Cache All The Way at the 3/8’s pole, with Bass Player (8-1, Marianna Monaco) gapping second over while heading to the 1:00 half-mile marker.  Around the 5/8’s turn, Merrill ducked into the gap left by a fading Lilys Penelope leaving Bass Player with no cover.  While moving to the 1:28.4 third panel Ryan Berry pulled 29-1 longshot Easteriffic three deep around the stalling outer flow and grabbed the three-hole before the leaders hit the final turn.

From the head of the stretch on homeward, Whitney was sitting chilly and steered Nagle to an easy three length victory in 2:00.1.  Trained by Chris Lefebvre for owner Mlefevre Racing LLC, the 8-year-old son of Dali grabbed his 34^th career victory.  He paid $3.00 to win.

Easteriffic got up in the final strides to be second; Cache All The Way was third.

The $5,500 featured conditioned pace was captured by Bare Bone in 1:59.1.  Driven by Walter Case Jr. for trainer Marianna Monaco and owner Room4040 LLC Stables, the 3-year-old son of Lather Up got the ninth win of his career.  He paid $3.40 to win.

Drew Campbell picked up another three wins on the mid-day card, inching ever closer to the 6,000 win threshold (now at 5,990).  Campbell scored with Twin B Jays (1:58, $2.60), the swiftest race of the day with Sherrif N (1:56.1, $2.80), and Miki De Vie (1:57.2, $3.60).

McGwire Sowers, Aaron Hall and Steve Wilson each grabbed a pair of victories, with Sowers approaching his own 1,000 win milestone, currently at minus five.

Racing resumes on Saturday (Nov. 30) as First Tracks Cumberland’s Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting enjoys weekend action throughout the month of November.  Then, Cumberland Raceway will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Fri-Sat-Sun) beginning December 6.  The 19-day meet continues through Dec. 22, 2024, and post time is always 10:55 am.

For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on Facebook: @FirstTracksCumberland

November 24, 2024 – by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland (Joe Shaw photos)

CUMBERLAND, ME – Veteran trainer Mark Harris secured his 500^th career training victory on Saturday (Nov. 23) at Cumberland Raceway, grabbing a pair of races on the mid-day card with trending reinsman Drew Campbell at the controls.

Harris harnessed Excelant Chance in the $3,600 sixth race, a conditioned pace where Campbell held fast in the garden spot behind pacesetter Yes Oui Si (Nick Graffam) to tip out and the stretch and score by a measured length in 2:04.2 on the track rated ‘good.’

It was the 42^nd lifetime victory for the 11-year-old daughter of Mannart Howard, who owned by Dereck Robishaw, and gave Harris is 499^th career winner.  She paid $4.80 to win.

Fast forward to race 10 and Drew Campbell put Cash Crazy Express right on the engine in the $5,000 co-featured conditioned pace, where he set a snappy :28.1 opening panel to grab command and never looked back.  Cruising home in 2:03, the 8-year-old daughter of Art Major got her eighth seasonal victory for trainer Mark Harris and owner-daughter Kathryn Duran.  She paid $6.80 to win.

After the race ‘Katie’ was quick to share her Dad’s milestone on social media, “My father has been training horses for 20+ years and it’s amazing to see his hard work and dedication pay off by reaching this outstanding accomplishment!  My dad has been doing what he absolutely loves, and that’s being with his horses every single day. I’m very proud of you dad and love you so much!”

Harris has 42 victories this season, which is his best seasonal total since 2009 when he had 43.  Born in Dover, Maine, the 61-year-old conditioner has harnessed the winners of over $1.8 million since 2004.  Mark Harris, and his wife Gayle, reside in Bangor.

Walter Case Jr. drove the French-bred trotter Empereurthebest FR to an easy 2:08 open lengths victory for trainer Jim Dunn and owner Stanley Bubier Jr.  He paid $4.00 to win for the 18^th time in his career in the $5,000 co-featured conditioned trot.  Case grabbed a driving double on the card with Moonlightandroses (2:01.4, $2.80).

Driver Nick Graffam had a hat trick on the program with Granny’s Girl (2:03, $6.80), High Gear No Fear (2:04, $13.60) and his stable’s Maine Sire Stakes star South St Dottie (2:02.3, $5.00).

Two older stars made their way to the winners circle on Saturday as well.  14-year-old pacer Rockin Rambaran won the 12^th race for Team Watson.  Driven by Wally Watson for owner-trainer Lisa Watson, the son of Rambaran is slated to participate in Cumberland’s Au Revoir Retirement Ceremonies on Dec. 21.  He paid $9.60 for the neck victory over Cutter Loose (Aaron Hall) in 2:03.4.

In addition, everyone’s favorite Octogenarian Bob Nadeau (age 86) copped the finale with his own Azariya in 2:02.4.  Sitting a perfect two-hole trip behind 2-5 favorite Vel Stormy (McGwire Sowers, age 24), the 4-year-old Lazurus N mare got up to win by a half-length and paid $6.20.  It was both horse and driver’s fourth win of the season.

Racing continues on Sunday (Nov. 24) with a 12-race card of full fields, which includes a $5,500 conditioned pace and a $4,000 leg of the Maine Amateur Driving Club with series leader Hunter Lofthus scoring from post seven with Hunting Angels.

First Tracks Cumberland’s Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting enjoys weekend action throughout the month of November.  Then, Cumberland Raceway will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Fri-Sat-Sun) beginning December 6.  The 19-day meet continues through Dec. 22, 2024, and post time is always 10:55 am.

For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on Facebook: @FirstTracksCumberland

November 22, 2024 – by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland

CUMBERLAND, ME – The 13-race Saturday (Nov. 23) card at Cumberland Raceway is bursting with entries, with local favorite Katelyn’s Angel leading the $5,000 co-featured conditioned pace, and the similarly prized conditioned trot comprised of horses that hail from a wide variety of jurisdictions.

Leading the pack in the seventh race trot from pylon position is Jim Dunn’s Empereurthebest FR (2-1, Walter Case Jr.) who is coming off a win in his last start.  The French-bred trotter is owned by Stanley Bubier and immigrated to the United States as part of the Joe Faraldo-led, Yonkers Raceway horse exchange of 2022.  Since his time stateside, the 10-year-old son of Un Amour D’haufor has earned well over $70,000 and trotted in 1:54 at Philly.  A winner of 17 races lifetime and four this season, he is moving up in class from last week’s victory against a softer group.

To My Credit (4-1, Steve Wilson) also won his last outing on Maine soil, and the 4-year-old son of New York’s preeminent Credit Winner has five wins on the season.  The always powerful Team Athearn sends Royally Raised (4-1, Mark Athearn) into the mix, who has been alternating between his home track and Plainridge.  Sires of the other entrants come from as far west as Indiana, and from the opposite direction in Prince Edward Island.  All-in-all, Saturday’s seventh race is shaping up to be a very competitive group.

The co-featured tenth race $5,000 conditioned pace sees Katelyn’s Angel (5-2, Aaron Hall) installed as the early choice.  Freshened up after a three-month hiatus, the 4-year-old daughter of Western Maverick looks to return to her previous, summer-time form where she paced in 1:55.4 over the iconic Southern Maine oval.  Finishing 1-2-3 in 12 of 14 seasonal outings, the Benson Merrill-trainee is owned and was bred in Maine by Leighton Property.  She has earned $171,590 lifetime, with 15 career victories.

Cash Crazy Express (7-2, Drew Campbell) is listed as the early second choice.  The 8-year-old daughter of Art Major was beaten by just a half-length last week by Vel Miss Taylor (9-2, McGwire Sowers) who drew post seven this week.  The 4-year-old black Ponder mare hails from the barn of red-hot trainer Autym Robinson, who has grabbed eight wins in 20 starts at Cumberland during the current Winter meet.  The fresh-faced, twenty-something conditioner boasts an impressive .517 UTRS.

The entire program has a lot of action for horse players with 11 of 13 events boasting full seven or eight horse fields.  The Pick 5 starts with the third race; our Pick 4 highlights the tenth, and our High-Five Pentafecta in the final race—all with low 16% takeouts.

The action continues on Sunday (Nov. 24) with a 12-race card of full fields, which includes a $5,500 conditioned pace and a $4,000 leg of the Maine Amateur Driving Club with series leader Hunter Lofthus scoring from post seven with Hunting Angels.

First Tracks Cumberland’s Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting enjoys weekend action throughout the month of November.  Then, Cumberland Raceway will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Fri-Sat-Sun) beginning December 6.  The 19-day meet continues through Dec. 22, 2024, and post time is always 10:55 am.  Our popular Au Revoir Retirement Ceremonies are slated for Saturday, Dec. 21.

For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on Facebook: @FirstTracksCumberland

November 18, 2024 – by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
(Joe Shaw photo)

CUMBERLAND, ME – Steve Wilson came from off the pace on Sunday (Nov. 17) to capture the $5,000 top pace at Cumberland Raceway with George Fenno’s Instant Replay. 

Scoring from post four, Wilson left swiftly to assume command before the field hit the first turn, but was content to let Denver Seelster (Kevin Switzer Jr.) pop the deuce and take the top when the field straightened out going down the backstretch.

As Denver Seelster led the sidesteppers past the opening panel in :28.3, the outer flow started to materialize early in the form of Axion Hanover (Drew Campbell) who has won his last three outings and was the public choice at 4-5.

As the pack passed the stands into a :59.2 half-mile time, Grand Galop Semalu (Andy Harrington) was second over with Instant Replay sitting alongside in the cat bird seat.  Not much changed at the 1:27.3 third panel as the front-end battle made for some tight quarters as the pacers rounded the final turn.

Through the stretch the pacesetters drifted out enough to allow Instant Replay to skim the cones and advance past the head strong duo.  Wilson had only Axion Hanover to out-step at the wire, as the pair held on to win by half a length.

Trained by Christopher DuBois for owner George Fenno III, the 4-year-old son of Lazarus N picked up his sixth win of the season after finishing second in three of his last four outings.  Paying $9.00 to win, he split the beam in 1:58.1.

Axion Hanover finished second; Denver Seelster was third.

Drivers Kevin Switzer Jr. and Drew Campbell each picked up a hat trick on the Sunday program.  For Drew Campbell, his 6,000th victory watch now stands at minus 17 with 5,983.   McGwire Sowers is also on our radar with the 24-year-old reinsman now just seven shy of the 1,000 win threshold.

Racing resumes on Saturday (Nov. 23) with another card of full fields.

First Tracks Cumberland’s Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting enjoys weekend action throughout the month of November.  Then, Cumberland Raceway will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Fri-Sat-Sun) beginning December 6.  The 19-day meet continues through Dec. 22, 2024, and post time is always 10:55 am.

For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on Facebook: @FirstTracksCumberland

November 17, 2024 – by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland

CUMBERLAND, ME – Wally Watson went from pillar to post with 35-1 longshot Broadway Giant to slay the $5,500 featured trotters at Cumberland Raceway on Saturday (Nov. 16), lighting up the tote board in the process.

Broadway Hall took matters into his own hands and scurried to the front as soon as the wings folded, with Watson easily grabbing the point before the eighth pole.  Valyrian Steel (Drew Campbell) was stuck on the outside heading down the backstretch and forced himself into the three-hole, while Inquiring Mind (Dave Ingraham) stuck close to the leaders helmet into the :28.3 opening panel.

The first to move into the outer flow was High Gear No Fear (Nick Graffam), who was reluctantly followed by 1-2 favorite Buddy Earl (Steve Wilson).  Just past the 1:00.1 softer half, Drew Campbell ducked into the second over gap with Valyrian Steel.

On the outside through the 1:29.2 third panel High Gear No Fear battled neck-and-neck with Broadway Giant, with the favored Buddy Earl now three-wide around the final turn.  As the field turned for home there were five horses across the racetrack with less than a length separating them as the finish.

Broadway Giant maintained his composure and the advantage to win by half a length in 2:01.1 over High Gear No Fear.  Driven by Wally Watson for owner-trainer Ron Patione, it was the 10-year-old Broadway Hall gelding’s seventh win of the season and 35^th lifetime.  He paid $72.60 to win, and now boasts earnings of $181,963.

Valyrian Steel finished third.

Driver McGwire Sowers enjoyed a grand slam on the program and Drew Campbell picked up another three winners, edging him to within 20 wins of the 6,000 career victory plateau. 

Trainer Autym Robinson had three victories on the card, Kim Vafiades and Dalton Lee each picked up a pair.

Racing continues on Sunday (Nov. 17) with another 13-race card of full fields.

First Tracks Cumberland’s Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting enjoys weekend action throughout the month of November.  Then, Cumberland Raceway will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Fri-Sat-Sun) beginning December 6.  The 19-day meet continues through Dec. 22, 2024, and post time is always 10:55 am.

For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on Facebook: @FirstTracksCumberland

November 15, 2024 – by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
(Joe Shaw photo)

CUMBERLAND, ME – According to a 17^th century nursery rhyme, ‘Jack Sprat could eat no fat.’  Despite its antiquity, that 400-year-old adage may still apply to Standardbred Jax Spratt, who is looking for his fifth consecutive victory at First Tracks Cumberland on Saturday (Nov. 16).

Jax Spratt has enjoyed a banner season winning 12 of 25 starts while doubling his win total from the previous year.  Yet, owner Bill ‘Yarmouth Lumber’ Phipps claims his 4-year-old son of Devious Man is a lean, trotting machine.

“He’s a nice little horse and always stays trotting,” Phipps noted.  “All the credit goes to his trainer Aaron Hall and caretaker Jason Bertolini.  They have done a fabulous job handling him.”

The gregarious proprietor of a Maine-based trucking company, Phipps has owned hundreds of race horses with many different trainers.  But he was quick to point out that Hall doesn’t just race his horses, ‘he manages them.’

“My horses don’t have to win for me to be happy.  I just want them to race good and stay healthy.  Aaron [Hall] has a great work ethic, and he and his team keep their horses sound and happy,” Phipps stated.  “I am just the guy with my name on the registration.”

Purchased as a yearling by Phipps, the New York bred gelding has a mark of 1:56.3 taken at Plainridge this year, and total lifetime earnings of $105,465.

While modest, Phipps has a lot to be happy about as Jax Spratt has earned $38,261 this season, racing primarily in Maine.  This week he scores from post six and has been installed as the 9-5 second choice in the $5,500 featured conditioned trot, carded as race eight on the 13-race card.

Now with Cumberland the only track currently racing in the state, the entire program has a lot of action for horse players with eight of 13 events boasting full seven or eight horse fields.  The Pick 5 starts with the third race; our Pick 4 highlights the tenth, and our High-Five Pentafecta in the final race—all with low 16% takeouts.

The action continues on Sunday (Nov. 17) with another 13-race card of full fields.

First Tracks Cumberland’s Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting enjoys weekend action throughout the month of November.  Then, Cumberland Raceway will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Fri-Sat-Sun) beginning December 6.  The 19-day meet continues through Dec. 22, 2024, and post time is always 10:55 am.  Our popular Au Revoir Retirement Ceremonies are slated for Saturday, Dec. 21.

For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on Facebook: @FirstTracksCumberland

November 11, 2024 – by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
(Joe Shaw photo)

CUMBERLAND, ME – Red hot reinsman Drew Campbell won four races at Cumberland (Maine) on Sunday (Nov. 10) including the $5,000 featured conditioned pace with Axion Hanover.

When the wings folded for the bright, early afternoon event the 4-5 favorite Art Scene was sent scurrying out for the lead by Walter Case Jr.  Longshot Through The Fence (26-1, Aaron Hall) begrudgingly yielded into a :27.2 opening panel, with the rest of the field strung out down the backstretch.  Case stepped on the breaks and led the tightening pack into a :59 half with Tobins Burke (7-2, Andy Harrington) first over, and Axion Hanover taking advantage of the live cover.

The pace hastened into a 1:27.1 third quarter, which prompted Campbell to tip Axion Hanover three-wide around the final turn as the front end started to stall.  With the momentum in his favor, the 5-year-old son of Betting Line strode home a 1-1/4 length winner in 1:57.1.

Trained by Mark Harris for owner Gayle Harris, it was Axion Hanover’s ninth win of the season, and third in a row.  Paying $10.40 to win, his lifetime earnings have now reached $85,365.

Tobins Burke finished second; Through The Fence picked up third.

Drew Campbell’s three additional victories on the card were: Reys N A Ruckus ($11.40, 1:58.2); Timbo Slice ($4.80, 1:57.4); and We’re Gonna Rock ($18.60, 2:00.2).

McGwire Sowers had three wins on the program including the Late Double, and Walter Case Jr. won the Daily Double.

Racing resumes on Saturday (Nov. 16), with First Tracks Cumberland’s Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting enjoying weekend action throughout the month of November.  Then, Cumberland Raceway will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Fri-Sat-Sun) beginning December 6.  The 19-day meet continues through Dec. 22, 2024, and post time is always 10:55 am.  The popular Au Revoir Retirement Ceremonies are slated for Dec. 21.

For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on Facebook: @FirstTracksCumberland

November 8, 2024 – by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
(Photo Credit: Rockingham Park Archives / Scott Oldeman)

CUMBERLAND, ME – First Tracks Cumberland will honor the iconic and daring Maine harness driver Leigh Fitch with a memorial race on Saturday (Nov. 9).  The purse of $7,592 reflects the dash win total of his storied career, with a large contingent of family and friends expected to be on hand to pay homage to Fitch who passed away on Oct. 26 at the age of 79.

Journalist Jay Burns wrote, “his daring, rail-hugging driving style propelled him to 7,592 victories and more than anyone’s share of driving spills during a 53-year career. Fitch was one of the first great catch drivers in Maine, emerging a few years before Billy Parker Jr.”

Burns continued, “But speed and the front end were not what made Fitch famous in Maine. Instead, his style was iconoclastic, in keeping with his personality: independent, stubborn, and cagey. ‘I didn’t want to be like the others. I wanted to be myself.’ At a time when the perfect drive was the gentlemanly second-over trip described by Billy Haughton in the harness racing manual Care and Training of the Trotter and Pacer, Fitch’s insurgent style disrupted that model, gaining him the nickname ‘The Fox.’ Rarely flushed off the rail, Fitch instead was often a rail skimmer who mastered the art of anticipating the opening of a seam late in the mile, using athletic reflexes and exquisite timing to feed his horse open racetrack. Fitch once said that ‘winning was life or death for me,’ and his driving style, safe but daring, meant brushes with the latter. It was the era of the wooden hub rail, and any driver working the inside late in the mile needed steely nerves.”

The Leigh Fitch Memorial, slated as race eight, features a group of top class of ‘winners over’ pacers who have collectively earned over $1.17 million and three with sub-1:51 time badges.  The early morning line favorite is Hespoisedtopounce (3-2, Aaron Hall) who scores from post five.  Trained by Jimmy Nickerson for owners Tim Bojarski and Tony Gruppo, the 8-year-old son of Bettor’s Delight has two wins and eight checks in his last ten starts.

Inside of the favorite is Vel Letsroll South (5-2, McGwire Sowers) who is trained by Autym Robinson for Mo Coo Inc., and enters the fray off a win in his last start.  A horse who also warrants consideration is Denver Seelster (9-2, Nick Graffam) who leaves from pylon position for trainer Chris Dubois and owner Mary Fernald.

The presentation will be made by special guest Chaplain Lee Alphen from the Christian Harness Horsemen’s Assoc.

Of course, the entire program has a lot of action for horse players with eight events boasting full seven or eight horse fields.  The Pick 5 starts with the third race and has a $605 carryover; our Pick 4 highlights the seventh, and our High-Five Pentafecta in the tenth and final race—all with low 16% takeouts.

The action continues on Sunday (Nov. 10) with another 10-race card of full fields.

First Tracks Cumberland’s Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting enjoys weekend action throughout the month of November.  Then, Cumberland Raceway will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Fri-Sat-Sun) beginning December 6.  The 19-day meet continues through Dec. 22, 2024, and post time is always 10:55 am.

For more information go to our website: firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on Facebook: @FirstTracksCumberland