July 26, 2026, by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland
(Joe Shaw photos)
CUMBERLAND, ME – While the industry’s attention may have been on the 60th Delvin Miller Adios on Saturday (July 25), Cumberland Raceway hosted their own showcase for sophomore pacers as two $15,000-plus divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies featured the current, undefeated divisional star Snowonthepines.
The first $15,209 division, an early non-betting race, was another down the road performance for the daughter of Dude’s The Man who has never seen the back of a helmet. Scoring from pylon position regular pilot Kevin Switzer Jr. sent the fast filly right out to the front, right where she likes it, and proceeded to set moderate opening fractions of :30 and 1:02.1.
Just Delightful (Ron Cushing) sat a comfortable pocket trip, and as the field went toward the 1:31.1 third panel Joey Mosher tipped Heymickeyyousofine from fifth to improve his position. However, there was no catching Snowonthepines as she threw down a :28.2 final quarter to put the finishing touches on a 1:59.3 score, winning by a measured 1-1/2 lengths.
Owned and bred by Leighton Property, and trained by Marc Tardif, it was the fifth win of the season. While maintaining her unblemished record, and obtaining her 14th lifetime triumph, she increased her career earnings to $137,513.
Just Delightful finished second; She’s A Firefly (Nick Graffam) was third.
In the second $15,209 Maine Sire Stakes for sophomore pacing distaffs it was all Dudelookslikeafily who put the field in her rearview mirror from post one, and never looked back.
Aaron Hall handled the driving duties for this member of the Tardif Taskforce, setting opening splits of :29.1 and 1:01 before any outer flow had developed. With Ekorus (Nick Graffam) sitting a tight pocket, Andy Harrington moved Race Me Ireland from third to engage the pacesetter as the field hit the third station in 1:30.4.
Down the lane the daughter of Dude’s The Man hit the afterburners and drew off by 4-1/2 lengths to win in 2:00. Trained by Marc Tardif for owners Leighton Property and Victoria Leighton, it was her third seasonal victory. Bred in Maine by Stephanie Gray, her lifetime earnings got a boost to $43,316.
Ekorus finished second; Race Me Ireland was third.
On the regular, pari-mutuel program drivers Nick Graffam and Kevin Switzer Jr. traded punches through the first eight races, with each taking four. Graffam came back to win two more to lead all drivers with six wins on the 13-race program.
Racing resumes on Sunday (July 26) with four $15,000-plus non-wagering events for 3-year-old filly pacers in the Maine Sire Stakes, featuring The action continues with another 13-race pari-mutuel card.
First post is 12:15 pm (EDT) during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 2.
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