Bangor, ME – Driver Kevin Switzer, Jr chose wisely at Bangor Raceway on Wednesday (Oct.15), electing to drive the Ryan Berry trained Ronaldo N from the eight-hole over the four other horses he had been listed on when the overnight sheets were published. The choice paid handsome dividends to trainer, driver, and horse but also to the shrewd punters who were able to stack the eventual top three finishers in the correct order of finish.
Following the insistent choice of the driver, the fans ignored both the treacherous post and Ronaldo N’s wildly known cantankerous ways, making the Kiwi import the 9-5 post time favorite.
Responding positively to the pressure of expectations, Switzer rifled his charge off the gate, easily gaining the point, and promptly discouraging the field through a torrid :57.3 opening half. Gliding through a decelerating 1:00 back-half, the competition gained glimmers of hope as they bunched in around the front-running fan-favorite, only to be thwarted in the end as Ronaldo N willed himself to a three-quarter length margin at the wire, aided in kind by an old-fashioned, high-line drive by the ever-resourceful Switzer, while stopping the clock in a respectable 1:57.3.
As Ronaldo N paraded, the cashier’s busied themselves paying out plentiful $5.80 win tickets but the winning gimmick slips proved to be a rarer commodity to find as the 47-1 Papa Clare (McGwire Sowers) finished second and the 15-1 Jo Pa’s Sweet Lou finished third, laying the groundwork for a handsome $4415.60 trifecta return on a $2 investment.
The win was one of three on the card for Switzer who earlier secured the 11th seasonal score for Odds On Brexit (1:59.1-$3.40) and later engineered yet another eight-hole triumph with still another Ryan Berry trainee, mounting a deep rally bid to rein in the 11th seasonal victory for June Parker (1:59.1-$4.80).
In other Bangor news, drivers Andy Harrington and Aaron Hall both recorded driving doubles on the Wednesday program, while the pacer Rip Roy (1:59.1-$10.00) reached a benchmark of sorts, securing his 35th career victory with trainer/driver Benson Merrill at the helm.
Live harness racing at Bangor Raceway will be featured on a three day per week schedule in October with 3:00 pm (EDT) post times for the Wednesday twilight cards and with 12:10 pm starting times for the Saturday and Sunday matinees.
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 (http://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 (http://www.hollywoodcasinobangor.com/).
Photo by Holianne Niles – a strong-willed Ronaldo N returns to the Bangor Raceway winners circle on Wednesday.