June 20, 2024, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland

CUMBERLAND, ME – First Tracks Cumberland hosts four $16,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes on Friday (June 21) when the southern oval begins a stretch of 30 races over the weekend.

The action starts Friday with a single non-betting race at 2:45 pm for Maine-sired 3-year-old male trotters.  Then the 13-race card opener features the $16,208 3-year-old filly trot, led by last year’s frosh filly champion Pembroke Breeze.  The Valerie Grondin-trained lass by Pembroke Slugger has been listed as 6-5.  Heath Campbell gets the call from post 4.

Pine Tree State racing continues in races 3 and 4 with the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old male pacers which was rescheduled due to the cancellation of the Wednesday (June 19) Bangor program. 

Last week, the fastest of the two divisions of sophomore pacing boys was captured by Gary Hall’s Just Call Me Buck in 1:57.4.  The 3-year-old son of Deuce Seelster won his last pair of outings and will be looking to make this race a three-peat performance.  Installed as the 6-5 early morning line favorite, Heath Campbell gets the assignment.

Second choice What’s For Suppah (3-1, Aaron Hall) will try to crash the party from his outermost post position five.  Owned and trained by Michelle Hardin, he is also a son of Deuce Seelster and would like to get the lion’s share of the $16,191 purse in race 3.

In the second $16,416 division in race 4, Ella V Fella got pushed to the outside, but was still installed as the 7-5 favorite with Kevin Switzer Jr. driving.  With victories in all three of his seasonal starts, the son of Artistic Fella was bred by Marc Tardif, who also owns and trains. 

Looking to upset the apple cart will be Wes’s Challenge (3-1, Walter Case Jr.).  Another Tardif disciple, this is the colt’s first inside post position since Labor Day, so look for him to fire out of there swiftly.

Friday’s (June 21) regular card (post time 3:15 pm) carries 13 races with all of the standard and exotic betting options, including our popular 50-cent Pick-5 (races 3-7) with a low 16-percent take out.

Saturday (June 22) brings the Learn & Earn 2-year-old races back with four non-wagering events starting at 1:30 pm.  The regular card begins promptly at 3:15 pm with a 12-race program of full fields, including the featured $6,000 top pace in race 11.

A single $5,000 division of the Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) rings the bell for the opener on Saturday.  The MADC is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham, Maine.

The First Tracks Cumberland meet continues throughout the Summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 3. 

For additional information, visit our website at firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/FirstTracksCumberland/