Driver Nick Graffam and trainer Michelle Lefebvre teamed up to win five of the 12 races at Bangor Raceway on Sunday, Oct. 18.
Premier Star ($4.80), making her first start from the Lefebvre roster, jump-started the bandwagon on Sunday, re-taking the brief early lead allowed to Santa Fe Kat (Joey Mosher), before coasting all the way to the wire through an unhurried :58 back-half. The 1:59 win marked the third successful effort of the season for the former Plainridge Park regular as she ably negotiates her late season re-acclimation from Bay State to Pine Tree State surroundings.
Next, Pink Ruby ($4.40), making just her second start from the Lefebvre barn, built upon a sterling gate-to-wire effort at last week’s Fryeburg Fair, proving her versatility, while thriving through an extended first-over grind on Sunday at Bangor. At Graffam’s behest, the recent Saratoga invader willfully obliqued, easily collaring the post-time favourite, Eazy Hunting (Andy Harrington), in mid-stretch and eventually extending out to an in-hand, 2-1/4-length margin at the wire in 1:57.2.
Graffam also utilized the first-over strategy to secure the third seasonal win in 1:59.4 for Keystone Maxim ($5.80), overtaking the front-running Urika Blue Chip (Joey Mosher) as they rounded the final turn.
Switching things up, Graffam then chose the pike route while gliding gate-to-wire in 1:56.3 with Buy In ($2.20), yet another relative newcomer to the Lefebvre stable, who has now displayed imposing form in back-to-back romps since relocating from Monticello Raceway.
It’s important to be good but just as handy to be lucky, as demonstrated when the Lefebvre barn benefitted from placings to secure their fifth win of the afternoon. YS Do It Right ($4.40), gallantly attempted to track down the pacesetting Jones Hanover (Joey Mosher) through a rollickingly robust mile, only to fall a scant nose short of his conquest at the wire. With the inquiry light illuminated though, the judges determined that Jones Hanover had committed a pylon rule violation while rounding the seven-eighth-mile-bend, necessitating placements on the infield board and eventually elevating YS Do It Right into the winner's column for the 15th time this season -- placing him tied for sixth among the winningest horses in North America this season. His winning time was 1:57.4.
In other Bangor news, Record Year ($4), was confidently piloted to the 50th win of his career by driver Aaron Hall in 1:57.3 on Sunday. The 10-year-old gelded son of Shadow Play-Streisands Place, a winner of more than $550,000 in lifetime earnings, is currently owned and trained by Dalton Lee of Whitefield, Maine. The win was one of three on Sunday’s card for Hall.
Racing at Bangor Raceway will continue on a three-day per week schedule through Nov. 7. Post time for the Wednesday cards will be at 2:30 p.m. while the Saturday and Sunday matinees will step to the gate bright and early at 11:45 a.m.
(With files from Bangor Raceway; photo of Premier Star winning on Oct. 18)