Bangor, ME – Despite riding a two-race win streak into battle, Instant Replay wasn’t shown much love at the windows on Friday (July 14), as the Bangor Raceway punters dismissed the precocious son of Lazarus N at rather steep 11-1 odds.

He was up in class, drew the eight hole and was losing his regular driver too; so it seemed there were just too many obstacles for the lightly-raced 3-year-old to overcome

Instant Replay won his third in-a-row on Friday at Bangor Raceway. Thomas Smith.

Instant Replay doesn’t pay attention to tote boards though.

With Walter Case, Jr manning the lines, Instant Replay was sent immediately into the mix, settling in fourth after avoiding a brief moment of confusion exiting the first turn as the heavily-favored Paxxton (Heath Campbell) cut the mile. Patient at the pylons, Case flushed The Devil’s Cash (Bruce Ranger) at the 3/8th pole, securing a strategic second-over journey behind live cover as the field reached the half in a decelerating :59.2.

With traffic evident in his side-view mirror, Campbell stomped on the throttle through a zippy :28.1 third panel, but was unable to deter his pursuers who stuck close to him.

Off the final turn, Case allowed Instant Replay a brief glimpse of daylight as they fanned off for the expected stretch battle and the colt swelled up at the chance to escape confinement. Grabbing the bit but barely straining in harness, he propelled himself to the front of the pack, literally tugging Case to a 2-1/2 length margin at the wire in a lifetime best 1:57 clocking.

Trained by Kimberly Vafiades for owner George Fenno III, Instant Replay has now won four of his nine career starts and remains undefeated since moving his harness bag to Maine for his last three races.

“He’s just a gorgeous animal,” Vafiades remarked after the winning effort. “He’s only three but he acts like an aged horse. He’s so easy to be around and we’re thankful to George Fenno for entrusting him to us”.

The win was one of two on the program for driver Walter Case, Jr who also took top honors with My Sweet Revenge (2:03.2) in a non-wagering $14,486 Maine Sire Stakes split for 2-year-old filly pacers.

Kevin Switzer, Jr and Nick Graffam joined Case with two driving wins apiece on the day while Heath Campbell left the Bass Park paddock with bragging rights in hand after scoring three wins on Friday.

Maine Sire Stakes action returns to Bangor Raceway on Sunday (July16) with $57,781 in purse money divvied up among four splits of freshman and sophomore trotters, three of which go postward as non-wagering events beginning at 11:30 a.m. (EDT). The fourth will lead off the pari-mutuel program, which is slated to commence at 12:15 p.m.

Bangor Raceway proudly presents live harness racing every Wednesday at 3 p.m. (EDT) while the Friday and popular Sunday matinees get underway at 12:15 p.m.