Cumberland Fair hosted the 2026 edition of the Maine Sire Stakes freshman finals on Saturday, Oct. 3, with two track record performances by a pair of Marc Tardif trainees in the mix, which made for a great day of New England harness racing.

In the first $115,371 final for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, the battle was on again off again between Pembroke Zagursky, driven by Heath Campbell, and U Know I Know, with Ken Watson in the bike. Before and after the start, every horse except the tempo-setting favourite Pembroke Zagursky broke stride at one point or another in the race.

Campbell protected his pylon position with Pembroke Zagursky as Watson wanted the top but U Know I Know broke stride heading toward the blistering :28.4 opening panel in a failed attempt to take command. Watson ultimately ducked U Know I Know into the pocket with the tempo reduced to 1:01.1 at the half. Heading into the 1:32 third station, Watson finally committed to the outer flow while going around the final turn. Back two lengths at the head of the stretch, U Know I Know made one last valiant effort to catch Pembroke Zagursky but to no avail as the tempo-setter prevailed by three parts of a length in 2:02.3. Come On Charlie (Mark Athearn) finished more than 17 lengths behind in third.

Trained by Valerie Grondin for owner Brenda Varney of Bangor, Maine, the Pembroke Slugger-Pembroke Mistress colt picked up his third, and most important win of the year, in nine starts sending his bankroll to $108,030. He returned $2.80 as the 2-5 bettors' choice.

In the $114,937 final for two-year-old trotting fillies, trainer/driver Gary Hall's Princess Caledonia made every call a winning one, leading the three-horse field through panels of :31.1, 1:03 and 1:33.4 to a career-best 2:04.1 score by 2-1/2 lengths. Stablemate Mikella Bella (Heath Campbell) followed in the pocket to place and Cape Cod Friday (Dave Ingraham) finished third after an unsuccessful late bid.

Owned by her trainer in partnership with James Kelley Jr. and Betsey Kelley of Millinocket, Maine and Kristina Hall of Newport, Maine, the daughter of To The Hilt-Wild Pine Princess is now seven-for-nine in her career with earnings totalling $153,782. She returned $2.80 as the 2-5 favourite.

The $115,737 final for two-year-old pacing fillies featured the Pine Tree State-bred star No Small Wonder, who heretofore sported an unblemished record going into this event. Driven by Kevin Switzer Jr., wearing the blue and yellow colours of the recently deceased Alex MacDonald, the heavy 1-9 favourite left swiftly from post five and took the lead in the usual fashion.

No Small Wonder continued to pace unfettered through opening panels of :28.3 and :59.4. Heading to the half, driver Aaron Hall moved the Marc Tardif-trained Feel The Fury first-over from fourth and advanced swiftly toward the lead. The 16-1 longshot Feel The Fury blasted down the backside the final time to look No Small Wonder right in the eye at the 1:28.3 third station. Those two fillies battled toe to toe around the final turn, leaving the rest of the field in their wake by five open lengths.

During that final quarter of a mile, No Small Wonder broke her check rein, which was dangling in the breeze but did not deter the filly from fighting back against her aggressor. The pair fought with equal tenacity down the stretch with Feel The Fury making one last momentous lunge to the wire to prevail and defeat the previously undefeated filly by a neck in a divisional track record-equalling time of 1:59. Wine For The Lady (Ron Cushing) was the best of the rest, finishing more than seven lengths behind in third.

Owned by Mr. Lesley Leighton of Waterboro, Maine, the homebred daughter of State Treasurer-So So Sweet had just one prior victory, but had been knocking on the door all season, and now has $94,847 earned from nine career starts. She returned a whopping $35.20 for the upset win.

The race was named the Mary Ellen Stevenson Memorial. The winner's circle was jammed packed with horsepeople and friends of local driver/trainer Mike Stevenson, who lost his beloved wife last month.

In the $115,871 final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings, trainer Marc Tardif's homebred The Gucci Man was the 3-5 favourite with just one defeat in eight seasonal outings heading into the championship tilt. Kevin Switzer Jr. drove the son of Dudes The Man-Gucci in another pillar-to-post romp from post six, stopping the timer in 1:58.1, which was a new divisional track record.

The Gucci Man set fractions of :28.3, :58.4 and 1:27.1 on his way to the 1-1/2-length victory over Top Notch Treasure (Bruce Ranger), with Painters Treasure (Andy Harrington) third. He returned $3.20 to win.

The lion's share of the purse boosted The Gucci Man's bankroll to $142,341.

(With files from Maine Sire Stakes; photo of The Gucci Man winning on Oct. 3)