Cumberland, ME — Aaron Hall captured both Ferris Wheel Pop-Up Series events on Tuesday (Sept. 23) at the Cumberland Fair.
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 with Fly Away BB, 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. Gotta Minute N finished third.
Trained by Jonathan Bresnahan for owner Amanda Ward, the 4-year-old son of Heston Blue Chip paid $12.20 for his seventh win this year.
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. Dinner Party (Dave Ingraham) finished second; Aintnobettor A (Hunter Lofthus) was third.
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.
Although he won three races on the afternoon card, Aaron Hall had to share those bragging rights with fellow reinsman Mike Stevenson, who also enjoyed a hat trick on the program.
Kyle Athearn, a full brother to Matty ‘Ice’ Athearn, 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 noon for the remaining weekend dates of Friday through Sunday (Sept. 26-28).
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 3-year-old male pacers on Thursday (Sept. 25) with 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 (Sept. 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 Nov. 2 and then follows a Saturday-Sunday schedule throughout the month of November before adding Fridays in December for three-day weekends of racing through the meet’s closing day, Dec. 21. The annual Au Revoir retirement ceremonies are slated for Dec. 20.
For additional information, visit firsttrackscumberland.com.