The gates at historic Bass Park are prepared to swing open for the 133rd consecutive season as Bangor Raceway readies to welcome the faithful back to the track on Sunday, April 26 with first post time slated for 11:45 a.m. (EDT).
A competitive 10-race offering has been crafted by Bangor’s incumbent race secretary, Karen Fagliarone for the season’s initial program, with purses on the opening day card totaling $50,000 USD, delivering on Bangor’s projected 12 per cent purse increase over 2025 levels.
Attractive wagering opportunities will abound on Sunday with wide-open dashes demonstratively apparent up and down the card, with none so evident as in the $5,100 USD second race.
Demeter N, installed as the 9-5 morning line favourite, will score from post one with driver McGwire Sowers in his customary seat. The Autym Sowers trainee makes the quick turnaround as she looks to capitalize on an impressively sharp deep-rally score at First Tracks Cumberland on Friday, April 24, timed in an in-hand 1:59.2.
Chief to contend may be Santa Fe Kat, who steps up in class off an insistently twice-used rally bid at First Tracks Cumberland last week. She transfers from the powerful Autym Sowers roster as she makes her Bangor debut for the high-percentage Richard Allaby barn but retains driver James Doucette at the helm while drawing kindly into post two on Sunday.
Sweet Scarlet bears serious consideration as she lines up for driver Andy Harrington and trainer Kandice Niles from post four. A bearcat in the early portion of the 2025 season, she returns to her home track on Sunday, already boasting three wins at First Tracks Cumberland this year. She steps up slightly in class here but remains moderately classified by virtue of the $5,000 optional claiming tag.
Price players might well consider Scarlet Moon from post eight for trifecta and superfecta consideration as driver Heath Campbell seeks the kind journey off a roughed-up, beaten favourite effort in last — an effort which was preceded by quite possibly the oddest interference break in the history of the sport when she was forced to a sudden halt after a broken head pole flew off one of her competitors before lodging into one of her wheels.
Following Sunday’s opening day festivities, live harness racing will be conducted at Bangor Raceway on a two-day per week schedule throughout the spring portion of the meet with the Wednesday cards going to post at 3 p.m. while the popular Sunday matinees swing in behind the gate beginning at 12:15 p.m.
(with files from Bangor Raceway)