Two dozen races comprise the second full weekend of racing at First Tracks Cumberland in southern Maine, with full and competitive fields providing horsepeople and bettors alike something to cheer about.
The Friday, April 19 card features five trotting races, with the $6,000 USD featured class going postward in the opener. Nick Graffam gets the call on the 6-5 favourite McStoned Again, who will score from post five. Trained by Chris Hitchcock, the six-year-old son of Wishing Stone earned $69,981 last year, winning eight races locally and in his native Buckeye State. To his left is Broadway Giant (Bruce Ranger, 3-1), who will be looking to return to Cumberland’s Blue Seal winner's circle, which he had visited on several occasions last winter. Elegant Dulupin FR, a French-bred trotter who is now harnessed by the powerful Deslandes clan, has post two and comes off a sharp qualifier, which was an open-length winning effort last week.
The top filly and mare pacers enter the fray in race 11, with three recent winners vying for the $6,500 USD purse. Grannys Girl (Dan Deslandes, 6-5) will look to repeat her wire-to-wire 1:59.1 effort last week. She will score from post five and is the freshest of the bunch with this being just her second seasonal start. Pretty Gorgeous (Kevin Switzer Jr., 4-1) appears to be race-ready as she will make her 13th seasonal start and shows 1:57 speed in many of her recent lines.
Looking ahead, the upper echelon male pacers will tussle in the third race on Saturday, April 20, with Second Bruiser (Drew Campbell, 2-1) set as the early morning line favourite from pylon position in the $6,000 USD event. Trained by Eric Bickmore, the six-year-old is looking for two in a row, having defeated a softer group last week. Second choice is Art Of Endurance (Switzer Jr., 7-2) with post four, who won five in a row at Cumberland last winter. Lexus Witha View (Nick Graffam, 9-2) rounds out the top three contenders.
The Maine Amateur Driving Club goes postward as Saturday’s race 11, with some of the series’ most popular horses and drivers competing for purses and bragging rights. Jason Bertolini will drive his trusty Led Schneppelin (7-1) from pylon position, with Southwind Terror (Benson Merrill) leaving from post three as the early 2-1 favourite. Just outside of him is the fan favourite Putnams Storm (Bob Nadeau) and then perhaps the season’s most seasoned entry, Polyester (Hunter Loftfus, post five), who has 10 seasonal starts under his belt and is now listed at 5-2. The $5,000 USD event is faithfully sponsored by the helpful folks at Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham, Maine.
Saturday’s card features 12 races. Post time for both days at 3:15 pm.
(With files from First Tracks Cumberland)