Bangor cancels for second straight week

For the second straight week, Bangor Raceway has had to totally postpone its opening weekend of harness racing.

Soft track conditions including spongy spots and shallow holes ranging from one to four feet in length that have been caused by frost under the course melting much later than usual this spring.

“The Maine Harness Horseman’s Association executive director [Jonathan Seavey], [state racing steward] Ralph Canney and [Penn National general manager for Bangor operations] Jon Johnson and I met at the track today,” said Corey Smith, Bangor’s raceway director. “This is the first time we’ve had to deal with this situation and we’re doing the best we can.

“It came along great today and we have great weather coming up, but everyone agreed to err on the side of caution.”

Smith said Bangor Raceway will request four additional race dates, all on Wednesday nights, in October to make up for the four dates lost so far to the frost situation. That request will be made before the Maine State Harness Racing Commission in July.

That’s small consolation to horsemen like Smithfield native Joey Mosher.

“Now I have to wait another week with five horses in my barn ready to qualify that won’t even be able to run qualifiers until next Wednesday,” Mosher said. “They should have been more on the ball a month and a half ago to prevent this current situation. Several horsemen told management they should dig those frost holes out three to four weeks ago.”

“By Bangor canceling these four dates, it obviously affects everybody,” said Seavey, “but I understand nature has to take its course and we’re glad Bangor will try to add those dates to make up for the lost days.”

Horsemen can race at Scarborough Downs, but Mosher said the decision to cancel Sunday’s Bangor races was made too late for him to get his horses into Scarborough’s Wednesday morning draw for Saturday.

“We have no control over Mother Nature and we canceled on Sunday, just in case, so they could go to Scarborough if they wanted,” Smith said. “I don’t know how many, but I know there are some people signed up to race at Scarborough.”

Bangor’s opening day is now April 25 (7 p.m. post).

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