Cumberland, ME — Maine’s top trotters will go postward just after the famed Kentucky Oaks winning filly dons her blanket of roses on Friday (May 3) at Cumberland.

The afternoon card features 11 races, with the $6,000 featured trot slated as race nine with Knight Angel (3-1) listed as the early morning line favorite, and runs in concert with racing from Louisville, Ky.

Knight Angel emerged from the fog to capture a leg of the Jack Frost series last winter. Joe Shaw photo.

Owned, trained and driven by Aaron Hall, the 8-year-old son of Archangel landed in New England from the Team Miller–Orange Crush Stable in December of last year. He won his first two starts in the Pine Tree State, legs of the Jack Frost series. With just two starts under his belt this season, Knight Angel finished second against this group last week, timed in 1:58.3. He scores from slot four, Cumberland’s winningest (23.2%) post position.

Hall likes his horse and is happy with how he has come back from his break.

“He is in with a tough group. He will have to be even better this week to have a shot,” noted the prominent Maine horseman.

Looking to upset the apple cart is J S Peyton (7-2), who sports two wins in his last three starts, and is the close second choice, scoring from post five. Trained by Jeff Deslandes, he will be driven by North America’s leading UDR (.436, less than 300 starts) driver Dan Deslandes. So far this season the Deslandes clan has dominated the leaderboard at First Tracks Cumberland with 15 training wins and 16 driving victories.

Not to be overlooked from the pylon position is Power Mitt (4-1) who won handily last week in 1:58.3 against a softer bunch. Trained by Bob Marston, he gets the return services of last season’s leading driver Kevin Switzer Jr.

With horse racing’s Kentucky Derby taking center stage in the national spotlight this weekend, Cumberland Raceway offers live harness racing on both Friday (May 3) and Saturday (May 4), along with coverage of two of the biggest days on the Thoroughbred Triple Crown calendar.

Fans and bettors can watch and wager on all the action from Churchill Downs, including Saturday’s 150th Run for the Roses. Doors open at noon on Saturday for the full-card simulcast of horse racing’s biggest day, with a host of food and beverage options available all day at the iconic Cumberland Fairgrounds.

In addition, fans and patrons may also watch and wager on Friday’s Kentucky Oaks card from Churchill Downs, while the harness racing action opens the horse-centric weekend on Friday (May 3). First post is at 3:15 p.m. Both harness and Thoroughbred programs will be available.

First Tracks Cumberland’s Spring/Summer meet continues with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through Aug. 3. For additional information, visit our website at firsttrackscumberland.com.