Pine Tree State-bred and sired trotters will make their final appearance at Cumberland on Saturday (Aug. 5) before the series starts its summer-long tour of Maine’s pari-mutuel fair circuit.

Saturday’s (Aug. 5) $25,000 Pine Tree Invitational headlines the richest overnight race program in the history of First Tracks Cumberland. Coupled with nine additional $10,000 Pop-Ups, the total non-stakes race purses equal $115,000, the most ever for an overnight card. Add in four Maine Sire Stakes events and the total purses for the day exceed $175,000.

With Hawthorne’s summer downstate meeting in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to look ahead at the upcoming Illinois State Fair at Springfield session that gets underway next Thursday (Aug. 10).

The Thursday night (Aug. 4) program at Running Aces was loaded with Minnesota-sired freshman and sophomore pacing events and the evening saw several standout performances.

Two-year-old fillies took the stage Thursday (Aug. 3) at Eldorado Scioto Downs in Ohio State Fair action. Iam Independent took the $54,500 first division for trotters, tying the 1:55.1 track record.

Alan Schwartz carved his path to the winner’s circle in both $10,000 divisions of the North American Amateur Drivers Association trots at Yonkers Raceway on Thursday night (Aug. 3).

The father-son duo of trainer Brett Pelling and driver Jack Pelling teamed up with Earthwindfire and Southwind Bella to win both $84,000 New York Sire Stakes divisions for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Thursday night (August 3) at MGM Yonkers Raceway.