J S Peyton confidently climbed the class ladder at Bangor Raceway on Sunday, Oct. 25, elevating from the workaday grouping of the optional $6,000 USD claiming ranks while ascending to hobnob among the highfalutin folks of the optional $15,000 USD set.

Along the way, the upstart trotter posted a minor upset of sorts, charging hard from the gate at the behest of driver Kevin Switzer Jr., playing a merry game of catch-me-if-you-can, and in the process recording the 60th win of what continues to be an ultra-consistent trotting career.

Trotting the mile in a reasonable 1:59.3, the 11-year-old son of Swan For All-Aucune Hanover secured his fourth consecutive win on Sunday while scoring top honours for the the ninth time this season and elevating his career bankroll to $327,349.

Trained by Benson Merrill for the past two years and owned by Katie Trunk of Hollis, Maine, J S Peyton raced as a value play on Sunday, returning a daunting $13.20 win ticket despite being pegged as the 9-5 favourite on the Bangor Raceway morning line.

The win in the day's $8,592 feature race was one of three consecutive top tallies to open the card for the driver/trainer combo of Switzer Jr. and Merrill, who previously had teamed up to parade victoriously with four-year-old trotting mare Queen Suzy ($3.80) in 2:01.4 and four-year-old pacing mare Century Liberty ($5.40) in 1:58.

Autumn harness racing at Bangor Raceway will continue on a three-day per week schedule through Nov. 7 with post times on Wednesday set for 2:30 p.m. while the Saturday and Sunday matinees will continue to step to the gate at 11:45 a.m. 

(With files from Bangor Raceway)