Bangor, ME – JK Objection rolled to his third consecutive win on Wednesday (May 20) at Bangor Raceway, with driver Heath Campbell plying the strategy behind the Valerie Grondin owned and trained pacer.
Heavily backed and bristling at the gate, Campbell seemingly allowed the fan favorite his head from the get-go, unabashedly clipping the quarter in :28.2 as the well-gapped competition struggled to remain within two lengths of the rabbit. There were no breathers required as the leader threw in an identical second panel to reach the half in :56.4 but the gasps from the stands were audible as they clocked three-parts in a dazzling 1:25.
With Wichita Lineman (Walter Case Jr.) tightening up in the pocket and Vel Larry (David Ingraham) launching a rally from mid-pack, Campbell began some earnest cajoling from the sulky as the tempo noticeably deadened around the final turn. The cajoling proved adequate though as JK Objection ultimately withstood the late barrage, persevering by a quarter-length margin while stopping the timer in 1:56.3.
Returning $4 to win, the victory was the 30th career score for the 8-year-old son of JK Endofanera.
Campbell then promptly garnered a consecutive driving double with a decidedly different strategy, sitting last for more than seven-eighths of the mile with the Scott Farley-trained Salute America (2:00, $33.20).
Tracking reasonable fractions, Campbell and his charge were still trailing the field well into the stretch before fanning out to the extreme outside of the course, picking the competition off one by one, and storming the wire in front by a three-quarter-length margin.
The win marked the second consecutive top-tally for the 5-year-old son of American Ideal.
In other Bangor news, Kevin Switzer Jr. continued his mastery of the driving colony, scoring three wins over the course of the 10-race program, and elevating his meet leading tally of wins to 17. After eight cards of racing at Bangor Raceway, Switzer sits atop the local leaderboard, four wins clear of Campbell and McGwire Sowers, who are knotted up in second place with 13 top placings apiece.
Live harness racing is proudly featured at Bangor Raceway on a two-day-per-week schedule, with the Wednesday cards going to post at 3 p.m. (EDT) followed by the popular Sunday matinees, which swing in behind the gate beginning at 12:10 p.m.
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.