When Race Secretary Rob Pennington and his assistant Andrew Topham opened the ‘virtual’ box for First Tracks Cumberland’s opening weekend, they were pleased to find 160 horses had been dropped in for the double draw for Saturday and Sunday (April 13 & 14).
“With eight qualifiers on Tuesday, and the added purse incentives on the condition sheet, we anticipated full participation from the Maine horsepeople,” noted Topham. “And they did not disappoint, as we have carded 11 races for both harness racing dates.”
While the spring opener has brought the Pine Tree State faithful back to Cumberland, there are a myriad of Standardbreds that show their last starts at Saratoga, Monticello, Buffalo, The Meadows, Pocono, Northfield, Freehold and the Meadowlands.
Saturday’s card features three $7,500 USD divisions of horses who raced in the 2023 holiday series with nine of the day’s races showing full fields of either seven or eight horses with their noses on the Wes Brown starting gate.
The co-featured $7,500 USD sixth race carries a host of veteran trotters, led by the McKenzie Sowers-trained Warrawee Preferred. Coming off a win last week at the Mighty M, the 13-year-old winner of $363,983 will be driven by Walter Case Jr. from post seven and has been installed as the 3-1 favourite.
Looking to steal some of his thunder will be Prescott (driver Andy Harrington, 4-1 morning line odds), who has drawn post two and has not missed a cheque in his last eight starts. He earned $25,559 last season for trainer Sara Harrington and owner Gibbs Racing.
Sunday’s card features a Winners Over $10,000 USD handicap vying for $7,000 USD in purse money, with all the usual suspects looking for their piece of the pie in race eight.
The Bird Dance N, fresh off an eye-popping 1:57.1 qualifier on Tuesday, has been listed as the 6-5 early choice. Driven by Dan Deslandes (post five) for trainer Karl Butterfield, the nine-year-old son of a Rocknroll Dance earned $68,491 last season with 10 wins in 27 starts. He already has nine starts this season and appears to be in top form.
The second choice is Alex Having Fun (Aaron Hall, post six), who has been freshened up by owner/trainer Kimberly Vafiades and looks to expand upon his 2023 $90,740 seasonal total.
The Maine Amateur Driving Club will also make its spring debut in race six, with fan favourite Putnams Storm (and 86-year-old Bob Nadeau) taking on the younger whipper-snappers in the $5,000 USD event sponsored by Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham, Maine.
Sunday’s card features 11 races. Post time for both days is 3:15 p.m.
Horsepeople are reminded to check the U.S. Trotting Association’s online condition sheet for next week’s double draw, which will be held Tuesday, April 16 for the Friday and Saturday (April 19 & 20) race dates. Additional information, plus live coverage and replays and is available on the First Tracks Cumberland website.
First Tracks Cumberland's meet will continue throughout the spring and early summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend. First post continues to be scheduled for 3:15 p.m. (EDT) during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through Aug. 3.
(With files from First Tracks Cumberland)