Soggy Weather dampens summer finale

Bangor, Maine …. A massive front of severe thunderstorms made steady progress through northern New England and southeastern Canada on Sunday (July 20), even as the faithful gathered for the summer finale at Bangor Raceway. Hopes of completing the twelve-race coda were thwarted, however, as low clouds gave way to torrential rain, resulting in excessive standing water on the track, and necessitating the cancellation of the card following the first seven races.

Before the deluge, however, driver Drew Campbell and trainer Mark Harris hooked up to float a pair of winners on Sunday, starting when Axion Hanover (2:00.3-$2.60) made a triumphant homecoming following his recent Plainridge Racecourse swing, powering his way to the lead just past the half before gliding over the gooey-going to secure his third win of the season.

AXION HANOVER REPLAY

The Harris homecoming continued to pay dividends as he harnessed his second winner just two races later. Returning from an extended campaign at First Tracks Cumberland, Astaire (2:03-$6.00) feasted on home cooking as Campbell engineered a strategic second-over journey before waltzing free through the stretch. The win was first seasonal score for the Derek Robishaw owned veteran.

Homecoming heroics continued on the card as Miss Quality (2:01.2-$14.00) overcame post seven to wire a field of optional $5,000 claimers while securing her fourth consecutive top-tally for driver/owner McGwire Sowers.

The nine-year-old mare had been romping through similar classifications at First Tracks Cumberland for the past month before returning to the scene of her first win for the Autym Sowers roster after venturing up from Monticello Raceway in June.

MISS QUALITY REPLAY

In other news, despite the rain shortened Sunday card, the business numbers at Bangor Raceway continued on a record setting pace as the summer meet concluded.

Through the 23 day summer session, Bangor paid out an average of $43,170 in daily purses while recording a record breaking average daily handle of $100,537, highlighted by an attractive $10,857 average per race handle.

Bangor also experienced daily handles in excess of $100,000 on a record 13 occasions during the recently concluded summer portion of its meet as compared to 12 such occurrences over the course of the totality of the 40 day meet in 2024. And with 26 days of fall racing still scheduled to be held during the months of September, October, and November, Bangor Raceway is well positioned to build upon its record setting pace.

Bangor Raceway will present a special encore summer performance on Thursday (July 24) when it headlines the activities at the Bangor State Fair. Racing will be conducted under the lights with post time slated for 6:00 pm (EDT) and will feature a nine-race program anchored by two splits of Maine Sire Stakes action for three-year-old filly pacers, contested for purses of $11,701 per dash.

For those not able to come to the track, wagering and live video for Bangor Raceway, as well as hundreds of harness and thoroughbred racetracks across the world, is available on Hollywood Races at www.hollywoodraces.com.

For complete information regarding live racing, simulcast wagering, gaming, dining, and hotel accommodations at Bangor’s Hollywood Casino and Raceway, please visit the website at www.hollywoodcasinobangor.com.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Mike Sweeney, for Bangor Raceway