August 3, 2024, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland (Joe Shaw photo)
CUMBERLAND, ME – Several of the six fillies in the $16,171 Maine Sire Stakes for 2-year-old pacing fillies tried valiantly, but none could reel in wire-to-wire winner Chasing Dudes on Friday (Aug. 2) at Cumberland Raceway.
Scoring for the second straight week, the daughter of Dude’s The Man never had an anxious moment as driver Nick Graffam set comfortable fractions of 30.1 and 1:02.4 in the opening half. 9-5 wagering favorite Glorilla (Ron Cushing) was the first to pull to the outside and challenge going past the stands to the 5/8’s marker. Thinkin Bout Life (Walter Case Jr.) was also thinking about improving her position as she was second over.
By the swifter 1:33 third panel Glorilla was at the wheel of the pacesetting Chasing Dudes, with the field stacked up behind them heading into the final turn. Graffam let out a notch through the apex and got a little breathing room from the rest of the pack.
Down the stretch Glorilla took one more shot at the leader, but to no avail. Chasing Dudes tripped the timer in 2:03.3, winning by measured length margin.
Trained and co-owned by Mike Graffam with breeder Bob Marston, it was the filly’s second win in a row from just five lifetime starts. She paid $7.60 to win.
Glorilla finished second; Audry (Steve Wilson) was third.
Nick Graffam picked up another two wins on the program, and leading reinsman Kevin Switzer Jr. had a grand slam.
Saturday’s 14-race closing day card (special post time 3:25 pm) includes all of the track’s regular betting options, including 50-cent Pick-5 (races 3-7 & 9-13); 50-cent Pick-4 (races 11-14); 50-cent Pick 3 (races 12-14), all with a low 16-percent take out. The 14th race Pentafecta (High 5) has a $228.15 carryover.
There is also full card simulcasting of Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands and Whitney Stakes Day at Saratoga. Gates open at 11 am and programs from those two big tracks will be available.
The action at Cumberland starts with two $16,000-plus divisions for Maine-sired freshmen male pacers. The opener pits Jax Attack (7-5, Walter Case Jr.) against Cheatin Fate (3-1, Andrew Harrington) who both hail from the powerful Tardif Taskforce. Just Aftermidnight (3-1, Switzer) completes the stable’s troika.
The second $16,161 Maine Sire Stakes division shows Massive Speed (3-5, Case-Tardif) as the heavy favorite, with that third race named in memory of tack shop man ‘Ridgecrest’ Dan Chamberlin.
Race seven is the $12,500 Frank Dubreuil Jr. Memorial which is a winners over class of top pacers led by former Maine Sire Stakes champion Call Me Maverick (2-1, John Beckwith). Other contenders are Lifes A Puzzle (5-2, Case) and Bet On Joe (9-2, Switzer).
Race eight is the $8,000 Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) final with runaway point leader Hunter Lofthus looking to secure his spot in the Tim Fouts Memorial Amateur Driving Championship at Delaware during Jug week. The MADC is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham, Maine.
In addition to the $12,500 winners over trot and several $10,000 pop up series finals, the highlight of the day may be the $25,000 Pine Tree Invitational Pace, which presents some of the best pacers in the state of Maine. The early favorite is Heinikin Bythebay (9-5, Switzer) who scores from pylon position. He is followed by The Wild Card (4-1, Graffam) and So Rock N’ Roll (5-1, Bruce Ranger).
The live action resumes during the annual Cumberland Fair for a week of racing beginning September 22 and continuing through Sept. 29. The track’s 19-day Winter Festival begins November 2 and races through December 22 and will include the popular Au Revoir Retirement Ceremonies.
For additional information, visit our website at firsttrackscumberland.com, or find us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/FirstTracksCumberland/
