Switzer swats five at Bangor

Bangor, Maine …. Driver Kevin Switzer, Jr dominated the harness racing action at Bangor Raceway on Sunday (July 13), running roughshod over the well-groomed stone dust while accumulating five winners from the twelve-race program.

Switzer proved a master of controlling the tempo on Sunday, frolicking in gate-to-wire fashion with his first four scores, starting with Golden Tree (2:00-$2.40), who was well-meant, well-positioned and confidently steered to his sixth win of the season; Liberty’s Wildcard (2:04.3-$2.20), who remained undefeated in Maine Sire Stakes action by posting his fourth win of his sophomore season; Word Out (1:58.1-$3.80), who discouraged his pursuers by exploding through a :57.2 back-half to emphatically claim his eighth win of the season; and Zen Da Ballykeel (1:59-$5.00), who refused to be passed as Bush Man N (Bruce Ranger) and Lord Of Misrule (Andy Harrington) came along either side of him at the wire.

Switzer’s lone, off-the-pace score, came in the afternoon’s finale, as he steered Screenshot (2:00.2-$3.20) through a determined overland journey to secure the fourth lifetime win for the Eric Bickmore trainee.

Switzer’s Sunday quintuplet solidified his status as the current top-stick at Bangor Raceway. He continues to reside at the apex of the leaderboard with 32 Queen City scores this season, seven more than the triple-dead-heat for second place with Drew Campbell, Heath Campbell, and McGwire Sowers all knotted up with 25 wins apiece.

SCREENSHOT REPLAY

In other news, the business numbers at Bangor Raceway continue in ascendant mode this season, with Sunday’s total live handle coming in at $158,059, the largest live handle number since May 2, 2021. Bangor Raceway continues to present horse players a viable and profitable option, offering full cards, full, fields, competitive racing and strategic post times, all coupled with a state-of-the-art simulcast broadcast which puts Bangor’s signal on par with many of the major international venues.

Maine Sire Stakes action returns to Bangor Raceway on Sunday (July 13) when the two-year-old colt pacers invade the Queen City. The freshman fellas will contest twin-splits carded as races 3 and 7 for purses of $11,449 and $11,623 respectively.

Bangor Raceway will showcase live harness racing throughout the mid-summer season, featuring sessions on Wednesday afternoons with a 3:00 pm post time, and the popular Sunday matinees going to post at 12:10 pm.

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