Cumberland, ME — Racing resumes at Cumberland Raceway on Sunday (Nov. 2) for the first of 18 Southern Maine racing dates, known as the Winter Festival, with some of the Pine Tree State’s top trotters and pacers headlining the 10-race card.
The $5,000 featured conditioned pace, carded as race 7, pits Wolftrax (2-1, Heath Campbell) against Arts Flight (5-1, Aaron Hall).
Ironically, Hall sat behind both horses during their most recent trips to the winner’s circle.
For Wolftrax, who is trained by Eric Bickmore and has five wins on the season and $34,873 earned, his last victory was just two weeks ago at Bangor in 1:56.4. The 6-year-old son of Betting Line leaves from pylon position.
For Arts Flight, a multiple Maine Sire Stakes winner last year at 3, he last wowed the crowds at the famous Fryeburg Fair on Oct. 1, scoring in 1:58. The 4-year-old son of Artistic Fella scores from post 5 for trainer Sara Harrington.
Race six marks the return of the Maine Amateur Driving Club with a $4,000 event.
Most of the usual suspects are back behind the Wes Brown starting gate, including: Jason Bertolini (post 1, DT Petlot), Joe Burke (post 2, Plus One), Hunter Lofthus (post 3, Skyway Ballet), Todd Whitney (post 4, Keystone Maxim) and Johnathan Bresnahan (post 8, Smartys Filly), who is back from his big 1:53.3 score with Manny at the Delaware (Ohio) County Fair in the Tim Fouts Memorial Standardbred Driving Championship.
Overall, the entire program has a lot of action for horseplayers with eight events boasting full seven- or eight-horse fields. The Pick-5 starts with the third race; the Pick-4 highlights the seventh, and the Hi-5 takes place in the finale — all with low 16% takeouts.
For the fifth season in a row, First Tracks Cumberland will present the Au Revoir Retirement Showcase, slated for Saturday, Dec. 20. The event is open to 14-year-old horses that are racing, or have recently retired, and have Maine connections. Horses will parade in front of the fans in either harness or halter and be featured in a half-page bio with their photograph in the special commemorative program. Equine honorees must be present to participate and need to ‘declare’ by Dec. 3. To enter your horse, or for more information, send an email of interest to Chris Tully at tullytrot@yahoo.com.
Cumberland’s Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting enjoys weekend action throughout the month of November. Cumberland Raceway will transition to three days of harness racing each week (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) beginning Dec. 5. The 18-day meet continues through Dec. 21.
For more information, visit firsttrackscumberland.com.