Following a month-long fairground frolic, Maine’s harness racing circuit will once again transition to commercial track status with Bangor Raceway set to launch its much anticipated extended fall meet beginning on Wednesday, Oct. 8.
Post time for Wednesday’s premier performance will be at 3 p.m., with the same post time assigned to the Saturday, Oct. 11 card when Bangor Raceway will play host to the $400,000 USD Maine Sire Stakes Final for the three-year-old divisions.
A total of four, $100,000 USD championship bouts will be carded for the sophomore stakes set on Saturday. The quartet of contests will likely be headlined by Massive Speed’s attempt to cap off a near unprecedented undefeated Maine Sire Stakes career when the Marc Tardif trainee bids to grab top honours in his 21st consecutive Maine Sire Stakes appearance.
Saturday’s undercard will feature the $25,000 USD renewal of the Fred Nichols Memorial Invitational which will be certain to attract many of New England’s fleetest foes, much as it did in 2024 when So Rock N Roll sped to a divisional track record of 1:53 with driver Bruce Ranger charting the course.
The races on Championship Saturday will be broadcast live on the vast radio and online networks of MixMaineMedia (centralmainesports.com). The festivities and broadcast will be emceed by local radio personality, Mike Violette, who will be conducting the popular harness racing trivia segments following every race, affording fans the opportunity to win Bangor Raceway betting vouchers and branded Hollywood Casino and Raceway merchandise.
Live harness racing continues on Sunday, Oct. 12 with a 12:10 p.m. first post time, and after opening week, will be featured on a thrice-weekly schedule in October with 3 p.m. post times for the Wednesday twilight cards and with 12:10 p.m. starting times for the Saturday and Sunday matinees.
In other Bangor news, and of particular interest to the horsemen and horsewomen competing at the Queen City Oval this autumn, the draw schedule has been slightly modified. The Sunday and Wednesday cards will continue to be drawn utilizing the traditional three-day box but the Saturday cards will now be drawn on Tuesday with the box closing at 12 p.m. This draw schedule goes into effect immediately.
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 hollywoodraces.com.
For complete information regarding live racing, simulcast wagering, gaming, dining and hotel accommodations at Bangor’s Hollywood Casino and Raceway, visit hollywoodcasinobangor.com.
(with files from Bangor Raceway)