Ken Sumner, race secretary at Bangor’s 34-day extended race meet, summed it up succinctly.

“Horses, horses, we always need more horses,” said Sumner of Bangor’s 34-day extended race meet which begins Friday, May 27.

It’s a universal cry of tracks at the beginning of each summer racing season and it’s a tough job finding horses enough to fill each daily racing program.

An adequate horse supply compliments the race secretary’s ability to write conditions to more evenly match horses into competitive classes for the bettor. A generous supply of horses means classifying a horse where he belongs rather than where he fits in. It creates better wagering races and that trickle-down theory improves the sport on all levels.

Warren Strout, Bangor’s assistant manager, said he has requests for 380 stall applications. “The barns are filling up,” Strout said, “but we still have additional space for more horses.”

The condition sheets for the Friday-Sunday opening weekend are out and each day 11 races are planned, Strout said. In addition to overnight events, the late-closing events schedule is available.

The late-closer series include:

The Roy Gartley Memorial, (begins on opening night) a pace for 4-year-olds and under has three legs and an estimated $1,950 final on Friday, June 10.

The Margaret Dillion Pacing Series for mares who were non-winners of $5,000 in 1993, three preliminary legs on consecutive Saturdays and an estimated $2,150 final on Saturday, June 25.

The Joseph P. Bass Pacing Series non-winners of $3,500 in 1993 and mares with under $4,000, three legs and a $2,000 final.

All series events carry a $50 nominating fee, but no starting fees.

There is also a Bangor Claiming Championship Pace ($1,000) which must show five legs raced during the Bangor meet to be eligible and a final of $2,500 with a consulation of $1,500.

Qualifying races will be held at 6:30 p.m. May 23 and 6:30 p.m. May 25. Qualifying standards are 2:12 on the pace and 2:14 on the trot.

Sumner said Thursday that the race secretary’s office will be open every day beginning May 17 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The office phones are 941-0872 and 941-0874. Sumner also said the opening minimum purse will be $700, with the average purse at $900.

So, who is going to be at Bangor this season?

The following is a partial list of horsepeople who have applied for the 380 stalls or are already stabled in Bangor: Nancy Allen, Randy Bickmore, Glen Boulier, Vern Brann, Wes Brown Jr., Chet Carter, Mike Cushing, Rick Cushing, Val Grondin, Don Hodge, Lance Hudson, Basil Huff, Gary Hall, Harvey Hanington, Victor Hanington, Frank Hall Jr., Elmer Johnson, Russ Lampher Jr., Bruce McGee, Norm Murray, Wendy Mosher, Bill McKenzie, Kevin Merrill, Butch MacKenzie, Ed Reynolds, Charles Scribner, Bernie Steeves, Harry Stevens, Carl Smith, Sheridan Smith, Arnold Stanhope, Earl Standhope, Aaron Tuttle and Steve Vafiades.

From neighboring Canada: Doug Beckwith, Dean Bustard, Heath Campbell, Bernie Charlton, Ivan Davies, John Davies, John Davidson, Clayt Dickison, Galen Dempsey, Warren Hallet, Shirley Lewis, Dean Mills, Steve Mahar and Lonny Stokes.

And the ship-ins:

Ken Underhill, Debbie Strout, Ron Estes, Jim Witt, Roosevelt Susi, Steve Mancine, Sean Branagan, Dirk Duncan, Gary Robinson, Cecil Blackwood, Bill Hanscom, Bob Tondreau, Albert Smith, Ray Rogers, Cliff Matherin, Ed Pinkham, Harry Badger, Dick Obrey, Kevin Switzer, Don Richards and Wally Watson.

PACING BITS – Bob Haskell, sports editor at the Bangor Daily News, said Thursday that in keeping with its long-standing policy of community service, the NEWS will continue to carry the starters and results from Bangor Raceway each race day.

“We have an obligation to our readers and to racing fans,” Haskell said. “We recognize that harness racing is a great part of the summertime sport scene in Maine.”