World champion Lucan Hanover leads an all-star cast of 14-year-old retired Standardbreds that will honoured when First Tracks Cumberland hosts its fourth annual Au Revoir Retirement Showcase on Saturday, Dec. 21 of the meet's closing weekend.

The final weekend of the meet includes racing from Friday, Dec. 20 through Sunday, Dec. 22. Several Pop-Up Series finals will be sprinkled throughout the three-day weekend.

Saturday will be a big day in the Maine harness racing industry as 12 Standardbreds aged 14 years old will parade in front of the stands, be recognized by the announcer and feted and photographed in the winner's circle with gifts and prizes. The Au Revoir Retirement Showcase includes a special $6,000 USD Auld Lang Syne Pace, exclusively for 14-year-old pacers.

Lucan Hanover, a world champion and winner of an elimination heat of the 2013 Little Brown Jug, will lead the post parade in the opener. A career winner of 75 races and $1.4 million from 339 starts, the son of Western Ideal is now owned and trained by Aaron Hall. During his storied career, he also won eliminations of the Breeders Crown (in a career-best 1:48 at Pocono Downs) and Messenger Stakes.

The entire day is dedicated to these special horses, with the first race marked for the soon-to-be retirees. Overall, the 12 horses have a  combined start total is 3,692 with an average of 308 starts per horse. Total combined wins for these foals of 2010 is 561, which is an average of 47 victories per horse. 

The fastest record belongs to the aforementioned Lucan Hanover, who is also the most decorated Standardbred with 75 trips to the winner's circle. Eleven pacers and two trotters will parade in front of the stands individually, with the average win time of all the honourees an equally impressive 1:51.4.

A special commemorative program has been produced and contains biographies and photos of the equine stars. The additional 11 soon-to-be retirees are: Calvin B, Goin Manstyle, Heart Breaking, Ideal Rowan, Machtu N, R T Lange, Rockaholic, Rockin Rambaran, Scottish Blue, Ugly Stick and Urbana Bayama.

The track's final card of the year on Sunday features two $12,500 USD Pop-up Series finals, as well as five races with purses of $10,000 USD each. There is also the $8,000 USD final for the Maine Amateur Driving Club in race eight.

On each of the three racing days, the Pick 5 starts with the third race, continues with the Pick 4 and Pick 3 toward the tail end of the program, and concludes with the High-Five Pentafecta in the final race—all with low 16 per cent takeouts.

Harness racing at the Southern Maine’s iconic oval will reconvene in April 2025.

(With files from First Tracks Cumberland)