Holymotherofmoses delighted the Queen City moms and the hunch players alike with a rousing rally score on the Mother’s Day card at Bangor Raceway on Sunday, May 10.

In the $6,575 fourth race for conditioned and claiming mares, trainer Logan Lanpher's Check Six mare overcame a jump in class, an outside draw and the rejection of regular pilot Kevin Switzer Jr. to pull off the Mother’s Day miracle, barrelling first-over at the behest of driver Shawn Thayer, before sling-shooting three-wide off the final turn to secure the half-length margin at the wire in 1:58.4. She bested Tobins Hottie (Mike Stevenson) and favourite Dark Eclipse N (Andy Harrington).

Holymotherofmoses paid $5.60 to win while recording her third straight victory. The win marked the 15th career victory lap for the six-year-old, who equalled her seasonal-best clocking with the effort.

Apparently enjoying his taste of victory, Thayer made an immediate reappearance in the Bangor winner's circle after taking the day's $7,260 top conditioned optional claiming pace, hustling Cool Man Dude to the fastest time recorded yet this season at Bangor Raceway in 1:55.

Scoring from post eight and dismissed at 9-1 odds, an undeterred Thayer scorched the Steven Vafiades-trained pacer smartly off the gate, putting the field quickly in line through a snappy :28.2 opening panel. After gliding to the half in a breath-catching :57, Thayer casually shook the lines at his charge, reaching three-parts in a competition discouraging 1:25.4 before gliding to a three-length, in-hand margin at the wire. Hypnoticdream (McGwire Sowers) and favourite No Better Joy (Mike Stevenson) rounded out the top three.

Stepping up off a recent claim, the eight-year-old son of Western Vintage has now won two in a row for new owners Scott and Michael McGee of West Gardiner, Maine, and boasts a total of nine wins from 16 starts this season. Cool Man Dude paid $19.20 for the upset win.

“They are both nice horses,” Thayer remarked during a winner's circle interview. “I didn’t have to work as hard with the second one as I did with the first but they both raced great today.”

Live harness racing is featured at Bangor Raceway on a two-day-per-week schedule with the Wednesday cards going to post at 3 p.m. followed by the popular Sunday matinees, which swing in behind the gate beginning at 12:10 p.m.

(With files from Bangor Raceway)