CUMBERLAND, ME – Harness racing resumes on Sunday (Nov. 2) at the iconic Cumberland Raceway for the first of 18 race dates in Southern Maine known as the “Winter Festival,” with some of the Pine Tree State’s top trotters and pacers kicking off the ten-race card.
The $5,000 conditioned pace pits Wolftrax (2-1, Heath Campbell) against Arts Flight (5-1, Aaron Hall) in the seventh race skirmish.
Ironically, Hall was behind both horses on their final journey to the winner’s circle. For Wolftrax, who is trained by Eric Bickmore and has five wins on the season and earnings of $34,873, his last win was just two weeks ago at Bangor in 1:56.4. The 6 year old son of Betting line departs from pylon position.
For Arts Flight, a multiple winner of the Maine Sire Stakes last year at the age of three, he last wowed the crowd at the famous Fryeburg Fair on October 1, with a time of 1:58. The 4 year old son of Artistic guy scores from post five for trainer Sara Harrington.
Race six marks the return of harness racing’s “biggest sideshow,” the $4,000 Maine Amateur Driving Club event.
Most of the usual suspects are back behind Wes Brown’s starting gate including: Jason Bertolini (P1, DT Petlot), Joe Burke (P2, Plus One), Hunter Lofthus (P3, Skyway Ballet), Todd Whitney (P4, Keystone Maxim) and Johnathan Bresnahan (P8, Smartys Filly) who is back from his big score of 1:53.3 with Manny at the Delaware (OH) County Fair in the Tim Fouts Memorial Standardbred Driving Championship.
Overall, the whole program offers plenty of action for horse players, with eight events featuring full seven or eight horse fields. The Pick 5 starts with the third race; our Pick 4 highlights the seventh, and our High-Five Pentafecta in the final – all with a low takeout of 16%.
For the fifth season in a row, First Tracks Cumberland presents the Au Revoir Retirement Showcase, scheduled for Saturday, December 20. The event is open to 14-year-old horses who are racing or recently retired and have connections to Maine. Horses will parade in front of fans in harness or halter and be included in a half-page biography with their photo in the special commemorative program. Honorary horses must be present to participate and must ‘declare’ before December 3. To register your horse or for more information, send an interesting email to Chris Tully at: tullytrot@yahoo.com.
Racing continues at First Tracks Cumberland for our extended pari-mutuel meeting at the Winter Festival, hosting weekend action throughout the month of November. Cumberland Raceway will transition to three days of racing per week (Friday-Saturday) beginning December 5. The 18-day competition lasts until December 21, 2025.
For more information visit our website: https://firsttrackscumberland.
Follow us on Facebook at @FirstTracksCumberland.
For full race entries, click here: American Trotting Entries.
Through Chris Tullyfor First Tracks Cumberland
#Southern #Maines #Winter #Festival #begins