Maine harness horsemen should be looking forward to the abundant racing opportunities following the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, with six racing dates over a nine-day span.

With the expanded racing hoofprint, First Tracks Cumberland race secretary Marc Reynolds has been working overtime to develop additional classes and conditions to meet the needs of the local horsepeople.

“We are very grateful for the support that the Cumberland-area horsemen and women have given our entry box during the first few weeks of our Winter Festival meet,” noted Reynolds. “Moving forward we have added classes for young horses who are finished with their stakes schedules, as well as some older horses who may be in need of some class relief.”

Three new classes for young horses are as follows:

• Tuesday, Nov. 23 - four-year-olds and under, Trackmaster 60 or less;

• Friday, Nov. 26 - five-year-olds and under, Trackmaster 75 or less;

• Saturday, Nov. 27 - five-year-olds and under, Trackmaster 70 or less.

In addition, two new classes for our older horses are:

• Friday, Nov. 26 - "Senior Citizens Pace" - 10-year-olds and older, Trackmaster 68 or less;

• Saturday, Nov. 27 - "Grumpy Old Man Pace" - 10-year-olds and older, Trackmaster 76 or less.

Also, added money enhances these two straight claimer events:

• Saturday, Nov. 27 - $4,000 / $4,500 claimer, and a $5,000-5,500-6,000 claimer.

Reynolds added that with the increased dates, the race office will be flexible with horses that want to race back quickly or that may be stuck between classes. “Ultimately, we are going to do everything in our power to ensure that available horses get raced and that the public gets a solid wagering product.”

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the draw schedule has been adjusted to reflect the long weekend.

UPCOMING RACE/DRAW DATES

• Tuesday, Nov. 23 - Post Time 11:00 a.m. (Draw on Sat., Nov. 20, Box closes at 9 a.m.).

• Friday, Nov. 26 - Post Time 11:00 a.m. (Draw on Mon., Nov. 22, Box closes at 9 a.m.).

• Saturday, Nov. 27 - Post Time 11:00 a.m. (Draw on Tues., Nov. 23, Box closes at 9 a.m.).

• Sunday, Nov. 28 - Post Time 11:00 a.m. (Draw on Wed., Nov. 24, Box closes at 9 a.m.).

• Tuesday, Nov. 30 - Post Time 11:00 a.m. (Draw on Sat., Nov. 27, Box closes at 9 a.m.).

Saturday’s (Nov. 20) card features a 50 cent Pick-5 which starts with the opener, a $5,000 conditioned pace with four of the six entrants having finished either first or second in their last start. The popular Pick-4 kicks off with the sixth race, a $3,500 Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) event. Every week appears to draw new participants to the fray. Race six sees the new face of Cain MacKenzie (Post 5, SB Angelindisguise, 5-2) who makes his MADC debut. Jason Bertolini (Post 7, Led Schneppelin, 9-2) takes his second crack at the Blue Seal Swag Bucket, after a solid place performance last week.

With the second of two club races on the card, AKA the “Greatest Sideshow in Maine Harness Racing,” the fun continues in race eight. The $4,500 MADC Group ‘A’ lists current point leader Dakota “Action” Jackson, who will try to reclaim the weekly bragging rights with his own Rockaholic, after he scored with the pacer on Nov. 3. Benson Merrill claimed local lightning rod Southwind Terror (Post 5, 4-1) last week and has dropped him into the MADC mix. Add Karl Butterfield on the outside with So So De Vie (Post 6, 5-2), the race is shaping up as quite the cavalry charge. The Maine Amateur Driving Club is sponsored by Blue Seal Feeds.

Cumberland's Winter Festival extended pari-mutuel meeting continues with live harness racing several days each week through December 31, 2021.

(Cumberland)