Bangor, ME — Bangor Raceway will reawaken from its mid-summer slumber on Wednesday (Sept. 7) as harness racing excitement resumes at historic Bass Park. The two-week-long September soirée, which serves as a gateway to Maine’s fall fairground season, will feature racing on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. (EDT) with the popular Saturday matinees getting underway at 12:15 p.m.

Bangor management is also pleased to announce a 10 percent increase to the fall purse structure, an increase which has allowed an attractive 10-race program with purses totaling $49,250 to be carded for Wednesday. In addition to Wednesday’s regularly scheduled pari-mutuel program, two $18,000-plus Maine Sire Stakes legs (carried forward from Windsor Fair’s Labor Day cancelation) will be contested as non-wagering events beginning at 2 p.m., allowing Bangor’s Wednesday purse offering to top out in excess of $85,000.

“There is a lot of positive momentum for harness racing in Maine and Bangor Raceway is once again pleased to play a leading role,” said Michael Hopkins, Racing Operations Manager at Bangor Raceway. “Our wagering handle continues to show steady improvement and we are confident that this most recent purse increase will encourage greater participation, generating full, competitive cards, which will, in turn, provide attractive betting opportunities for our wagering fans.”

Bangor’s two-week September soirée will conclude on Saturday (Sept. 17) as Maine’s harness racing circuit make its final fairground swing with week-long meets scheduled at Farmington (Sept. 18-24), Cumberland (Sept. 25-Oct. 2) and Fryeburg (Oct. 4-9).

Bangor Raceway will then return to action on Oct. 12, offering a three-week-long meet with racing featured on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. with Friday and Saturday cards getting underway at 12:15 p.m.

The highlight of the fall meet will be the Maine Sire Stakes 3-year-old finals, scheduled for Oct. 15 for purses totaling more than $240,000. The undercard of the sophomore Championship Day card will be anchored by the inaugural edition of the $20,000 Fred Nichols Memorial. The invitational event, featuring local top-class pacers, will pay homage to Nichols, a longtime racing secretary and racetrack executive at Bangor Raceway.