Bangor, ME — After driver Nick Graffam won the first three races at Bangor Raceway on Wednesday (May 7), powering his charges through daunting gate-to-wire barrages, it seemed a foregone conclusion that the headlines would prominently proclaim his name. But fellow teamster McGwire Sowers deftly defied the conventional consensus, scoring wins in four of the remaining six races, and demanding top-dog billing at the Queen City oval.
Sowers launched his campaign while escaping near-calamity, utilizing his strong right arm to pull KP’s Magic Macy (1:58.3-$12.60) clear of the confusion caused when Venice Blue Chip (Walter Case Jr.) broke stride on the engine just past the eighth-mile marker. As his heart-rate returned to normal, Sowers then sat the pocket behind Whatchagonnadoboo (Heath Campbell) before pouncing to the lead in mid-stretch and extending out to a 3-1/4 length margin. The win was the first of the season for the Kandace Niles trainee.
Sowers then employed less dramatic (yet equally effective) gate-to-wire strategy en route to securing his next two wins, steering a pair of Benson Merrill trainees, Prophet Blue Chip (1:58.2-$9.60) and Wes’s Challenge (1:58-$2.80) down Victory Lane, before securing yet another win for the Merrill roster, putting a brand new lifetime mark on Powerful Entity (1:59.3-$23.00) to close out his grand slam day.
The Sowers four-bagger elevated the 25-year-old into the top spot on the Bangor Raceway leaderboard with eight local wins secured thus far this season, while Graffam’s triple moved him into second place in the standings. Both drivers motored past Drew and Heath Campbell who entered the day tied for top honors but who were then relegated to third place status after appearing winless on Wednesday.
In other Bangor news, Wednesday’s nine-race program delivered only one winning favorite with the average $2 win ticket returning $11.93. After four performances, the Bangor meet proudly boasts an eye-popping winning favorites percentage of 36.11, one of the lowest in the industry, and making Bangor Raceway one of the value play venues for punters to consider.
Live harness racing resumes on Sunday (May 11) with the Mother’s Day card going to post at 12:10 p.m. (EDT). Bangor Raceway will then be dark until May 21 at which time live harness racing will be showcased throughout the mid-summer season on Wednesday afternoons with a 3 p.m. post time, and with the popular Sunday matinees going to post 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.