Bangor, ME – McGwire Sowers earned top billing during Bangor Raceway’s opening day festivities on Sunday (April 26), scoring four driving victories over the course of the 10-race program, while firmly stamping his name atop the early season Bass Park leaderboard.
All four winners came from familiar environments, hailing either from the well-conditioned roster that is aptly managed by McGwire’s wife, Autym Sowers, or from horses that were recently transferred from their roster back to Richard Allaby’s re-established Bangor barn.
The Sowers stable stampede included the second consecutive score for Demeter N (1:58.1, 2.60). Making the quick turnaround from a Friday (April 24) frolic at First Tracks Cumberland, the 11-year-old daughter of Art Major sat third to a 1:00 half before mounting a timely first-over challenge alongside the front-running Santa Fe Kat (driven by James Doucette). Matching strides up the backstretch, the tandem marched through a tempo-tempting :58.1 back-half before Demeter N slipped clear of her rival by a mere half-length at the wire.
The win marked the 32nd career victory for the Kimberley Zabielski owned pacer.
Skyway Freakshow (2:01, $5.60), who is co-owned by McGwire and Autym Sowers, doubled the family stable’s pleasure on Sunday, while securing her first win of the season. The daughter of Freaky Feet Pete tracked faltering speed to a tepid 1:02.3 half while Sowers sat patiently at the pegs. After allowing others to react to the dearth of pace, the duo escaped the pylons late, pouncing to an extending 2-1/2-length margin at the wire.
Turning his attention to his catch-driving assignments, Sowers soared gate-to-wire behind Ys Do It Right (1:58, $2.40), holding off a stern third panel challenge from Chasing Goosebumps (Andy Harrington), before securing the training double for the Allaby barn with a pocket-rocket thriller behind Walk It Talk It (1:57.3, $9.40), who escaped the pylons in deep stretch to overcome the odds-on, class-dropping Bare Bone (Heath Campbell) in the final strides.
Other multiple winners on the Sunday program included drivers Campbell and Kevin Switzer Jr., along with trainer Mark Harris, who each secured a pair of wins to kick off the 2026 season.
In other Bangor news, Quick Fun N made short shrift of a TrackMaster 58 field as driver Doucette executed a flawlessly rated gate-to-wire strategy en route to a 30-1 long shot score. Traveling the course in 2:00 flat, the 14-year-old son of Real Desire returned $62.20 to win while keying $1 exacta and trifecta returns of $553.10 and $2,224.80, respectively.
The win marked the 38th career victory march for the James Heap owned and trained campaigner.
Live harness racing resumes at Bangor Raceway on Wednesday (April 29) with post time slated for 11:45 a.m. (EDT) followed by the popular Sunday (May 3) matinee, which swings 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.