July 13, 2025, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
(Joe Shaw photos)
CUMBERLAND, ME – With the Maine Sire Stakes in full swing, the 3-year-old pacing fillies made their second visit to Cumberland Raceway on Saturday (July 12) featuring two $11,926 divisions for the fourth leg of the lucrative Pine Tree State program.
Co-favorites Chasing Dudes (4/5, Nick Graffam) and Leanne Marie (4/5, Mike Cushing) got away from the car in one-two position, with Graffam taking point into a :31 opening panel. The field remained in perfect alignment through a 1:02.3 half, with Leanne Marie opting for the outer flow as the field approached the 1:33.2 third station.
With Cushing moving his filly right alongside Graffam’s charge, the fans were treated to lengthy battle to the wire as the pair matched strides and traded positions around the final turn and down the stretch. With the give and take nearly exhausted, and the wire approaching quickly, Leanne Marie made one more final brush and overtook Chasing Dudes to prevail by a scant quarter length in 2:01.2.
Trained by Charlene ‘Sherry’ Cushing and owned and bred by the trio of Pamela Smith, Jane DiPompo and Charlene Cushing, the daughter of Artistic Fella picked up her second win of the season, paying $3.80.
Glorilla (11-1, Aaron Hall) finished third.
In the second $11,926 division the race saw a flurry of activity in the first quarter with Audry (23-1, Steve Wilson) protecting pylon position, Whisper Of Luck (10-1, McGwire Sowers) charging up between horses, and the series leader, Lysiun (1/9, Aaron Hall), moving swiftly on the outside in an effort to take command. However that advantage was short-lived as the heavy favorite made an early uncharacteristic miscue at the :28.4 quarter pole and was no longer a factor.
Audry continued to show the way past a pedestrian 1:00.3 half, with Dudes Pretty Chick (9-1, Heath Campbell) in the pocket, followed by Whisper Of Luck. Around the paddock turn and heading into the 1:32.2 third panel, Thinkin Bout Life (27-1, Kevin Switzer Jr.) had pulled first over and then poked a head in front as the field rounded the final turn.
Down the stretch Switzer Jr. was high-lining the homebred daughter of Dude’s The Man, with the filly keeping all of the would-be spoilers at bay, scoring by a half-length in 2:03.1, a new lifetime best. Owned, trained and bred by Marc Tardif, it was a maiden breaking victory for the filly that is finally doing more ‘doin’ than ‘thinkin.’ She paid a whopping $56.60 to win.
Dudes Pretty Chick was a fast closing second; pacesetter Audry was third.
Bruce Ranger won the day’s top $5,000 overnight race with Velocity Sub Z in 1:55.4, which was a seasonal best and second in a row for the 11-year-old son of Art’s Chip who is owned and trained by Judson Merrill. He paid $13.40 to win.
Both Bruce Ranger and Switzer Jr. enjoyed driving triples on the program.
The Maine Amateur Driving Club race was captured in overland style by James Douchette driving his own Ahoy Hanover to a nose victory over Rockaholic (Scott Farley) in 1:59.1. Trained by Jimmy Nickerson, the 4-year-old son of Captaintreacherous paid $7.80 to win.
Live video and replays can be found on our website: firsttrackscumberland.com on the Live Racing / Video Replays tab.
Racing resumes at Cumberland on Friday (July 18) and features Maine’s freshmen trotters, and continues on Saturday (July 19) with Pine Tree State-bred 2-year-old pacing fillies.
First Track’s Cumberland Spring/Summer meet will continue throughout the Summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend. Sunday, July 27 has been added to accommodate Maine’s Freshmen Filly Pacers. First post is at 3:15 pm (EDT) during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 2.
