The Pine Tree State’s best trotters just got a pay increase this week, as the Winners Over class of over-achievers will go for $7,000 USD this Friday, May 10 at First Tracks Cumberland.
New arrival Kilauea leads a group of Maine’s fastest diagonally gaited set to go postward for the salary bump as Race 9 on the afternoon’s 12-race card.
Fresh off a 1:56.4 victory at Ohio’s Miami Valley Raceway, the six-year-old son of Kadabra has moved to the barn of Chris Hitchcock and looks for his third win of the season for his new connections. Named for an active volcano on the Island of Hawaii [pronounced kee-lou-ey-ah], Kilauea has been installed as the early 2-1 morning line favourite with Bruce Ranger down to drive from post four.
The second choice from post six is Armagedon Seelster (5-2, Kevin Switzer Jr.), who is local leading seasonal money winner with $30,860 on his card.
One of Maine’s favourite daughters, Pickmepickme, has come home to roost. Racing earlier in the day, the now four-year-old multiple stakes winner by Western Maverick has drawn pylon position in Race 2 and gets the return services of Walter Case Jr. for trainer Mark Tardif. With lifetime earnings of $160,546, she is listed at 5-2, just behind Humor Me (2-1, Aaron Hall), an older mare with $181,190 in her career bankroll.
Looking ahead to the Saturday, May 11 card, the opener features week five of the Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) with six part-time drivers vying for bragging rights. The early favourite is Rest Assured (David Zuckerman) listed at 2-1 from the eurorail. Last week’s winner Furious Beach (Mike Girouard) has been assigned post six and is pegged at 4-1. Fan favourite Putnams Storm (Bob Nadeau) will score from post two. As always, the $5,000 MADC is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham, Maine.
The featured $6,000 USD pacing event is programmed as Race 8 and features six of the state’s faster side-steppers, including the return of Gordon Corey’s Call Me Maverick.
Next week, horse racing enthusiasts can watch and wager on 149th Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Considered the “middle jewel” of the Thoroughbred Triple Crown, the race is known as the ‘Run for the Black-Eyed Susans’ with Cumberland hosting the full-card simulcast on Saturday, May 18.
First Tracks Cumberland's Spring/Summer Meet continues with regular racing on Fridays and Saturdays during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through Aug. 3. Post time is always 3:15 p.m.
(First Tracks Cumberland)