Bangor, ME — The United States and Canada have long enjoyed a mutually beneficial and allied relationship with the two nations maintaining the longest undefended and peaceful border in the world. The state of Maine is fortunate to share borders with the provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick, thus enabling international trade that is crucial to the economic well being of all.

This tri-regional commerce suffered greatly with pandemic era border restrictions and the harness racing industry was particularly hard hit as horses and trainers were no longer allowed to cross the borders to compete. As protocols returned to the status quo in 2022, Bangor Raceway was pleased to welcome our Canadian friends back into the fold, once again to provided a crucial cog in the area horse supply.

Little did we expect though, that as a reward for our hospitality the Canadians would immediately start to Pillage And Burn.

David Ingraham is conquest bound with Pillage And Burn at Bangor Raceway. Shelley Gilpatrick photo.

The culprit, of course, is the splendid new addition to the Douglas Beckwith stable, an 11-year-old veteran named Pillage And Burn (Cam’s Card Shark). The stable star, claimed from the optional $10,000 ranks at Charlottetown Driving Park just before the New Brunswick based Beckwith set up summer residency at Bangor, has paid nothing but dividends since. Boasting two state-side wins, Pillage And Burn has not finished outside the top three in any of his four starts for Beckwith while recouping nearly two-thirds of his claiming price in just that short span of time.

Wednesday (July 20), Pillage And Burn ignored a jump in class while stridently marching down the highway to secure his 36th career victory with regular pilot David Ingraham controlling the tempo. The evenly rated jaunt through the $5,000 overnight event lowered the gritty campaigner’s seasonal mark to 1:56.1, the second fastest mile of the day at Bangor.

The Beckwith roster quickly revisited the winner’s circle in the very next race as the iron-sided Paris Beau (Neutralize) earned the 32nd win of his career. Driver Shawn Thayer’s prowess was certainly on display as the duo ducked, covered and pounced to the win, swooping three-wide off the final turn to capitalize on a strategic second over trip while stopping the timer in a respectable 1:59.4.

In other Bangor news, there were Americans enjoying success at Bangor too! Driver Dan Deslandes held the hot hand on Wednesday, teaming three winners down Victory Lane while driver Aaron Hall claimed victory twice on the card. Included in Hall’s tally was a zippy 1:54.4 score behind Star Speaker (Artspeak), a relatively new addition to the Kimberly Vafiades stable. The effort resulted in a seasonal best clocking for the rising star pacer who has now tasted victory in three consecutive starts.

Bangor Raceway will be dark this weekend as racing along the Pine Tree circuit now transitions to the Union Fair meet which will conduct racing Sunday (July 24) through Thursday (July 28) with a post time of 2 p.m. Bangor’s summer meet will then resume with 12:15 p.m. performances on Saturday (July 30) and Sunday (July 31) before concluding with a 3 p.m. card on Wednesday (Aug. 3).

Simulcast wagering will remain available at Bangor Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 7 p.m.