Bangor Raceway busy prepping for extended meet

Clayton Smith, racing consultant at Bangor Raceway, is busy pulling a bunch of loose ends together for Bangor’s extended harness meet which begins on Saturday, May 29. There are approximately 200 horses now stabled at the Bass Park barns. That number should increase this weekend as more horsemen, including some from Canadian stables, move in.

Smith said races on opening weekend would head to post at 1:30 p.m. both days. Each race program on opening weekend will have 10 live dashes with no simulcasts. After the first weekend, the racing format calls for Wednesday, Friday races at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Saturday racing is an option for late June or July if enough horses are available. There will be no season passes for sale this year.

The racing office at Bangor opens on May 24 and qualifiers will be held at 11 a.m. on that day, also. The second qualifying session will be at 11 a.m. May 26. Smith said track standards for Bangor will be 2:12 on the pace and 2:14 on the trot.

Three-year-old youngsters will be allowed an additional second and 2-year-old entries allowed an additional three seconds.

Smith said Thursday that most of the officials had been hired, except those that are state appointed. “Ken Sumner and myself will share the duties of race secretary,” he said. “Sumner will be the race secretary when I am not here, but we will share that responsibility.”

Other familiar names filling key positions are Bangor this year are: Anna Blackwood, assistant race secretary; Faye Nichols, clerk of course; Llewlyn Bubier, paddock judge; Zilla Witman, program director; George Witman, mutuels director; Sherman Clary, starter; Shane Bacon, announcer; and Gary Gray, starting car driver.

WHILE BANGOR continues the final preparations to open its extended meet, horsemen in Aroostook County and eastern Canada are preparing for another extended meet at County Raceway in Presque Isle. Beginning Friday, June 18, County Raceway will hold harness races at the Presque Isle track on eight consecutive Fridays, according to Clayt Murchison, president of the Raceway. “Right at the present time, everything looks good and on schedule,” Murchison said Wednesday. Murchison said there would be eight Friday nights of racing, with the final Friday night being part of Northern Maine Fair.

Traditionally, according to Murchison, the track races a minimum of eight dashes each Friday, with a double dash if necessary. To fill the program, the track needs approximately 75 to 80 horses.

“Normally, we get the same people back about every year,” Murchison said. “It’s a mix of Maine and Canadian horses.”

County Raceway has made a significant change in its wagering systems this year. For several years, both County and the Northern Maine Fair used the”key punch” ticket system, loaned to Presque Isle from Connell Park in Woodstock, New Brunswick.

This year, however, County opted to install the new United Tote Co. wagering system (the same as Bangor and Maine fairs) for its racing fans. This system offers bettors the ability to wager all straight and exotic wagering, including quinielas, exactas and trifectas.

“We usually don’t operate during Old Home Week at Woodstock,” Murchison said. “But with the new machines, we will go right straight through without any Friday interruption.”

Woodstock races three nights during it Old Home Week. Fredericton Raceway is closed the week of Woodstock’s agricultural exhibition and horses from Fredericton and Prince Edward Island are available to Woodstock that week.

PACING BITS – Harness racing at Springfield was revived two years ago. Years ago, it was a staple at Springfield Fair. But interest wained and it was dropped. Now, a group headed by Harvey Hannington, has brought racing back to Springfield for one day each year. Unfortunately, the date requested by Springfield and issued by the Maine State Harness Racing Commission is the same day as Bangor’s opening day – May 29.

It was not a problem when Springfield raced afternoon and Bangor raced at night. That schedule allowed both tracks to utilize the same officials and equipment. However, this year Bangor will open its meet racing Saturday afternoon with post time in opposition to Springfield’s scheduled race day.

Hannington said Wednesday he would request the MSHRC to change the date, moving racing at Springfield fairgrounds on Monday, May 31, Memorial Day. The commission will take up the request at its next meeting at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Somerset Room, Augusta Civic Center.

Other agenda items the commission will address are: three positive test findings; appointment of presiding and associate judges for Bangor Raceway and fairs for 1993; final approval of Breeders Stakes schedule; to act on the report and recommendation by the Medication Study Committee whether or not to expand the Lasix rule; approve additional racing officials for Bangor Raceway; and an update on legislative issues.

A HORSE AND EQUIPMENT sale will be held Monday in the paddock area at Cumberland Fairgrounds by Pine Tree Sales. There are about 35 horses (some from Ohio) going through the sale. Equipment sale begins at 10 a.m. aOhio) going through the sale. Equipment sale begins at 10 a.m. and horses head through the ring at noon.