Bangor: Fred Nichols Memorial tops Sunday's program

The second annual $25,000 Fred Nichols Memorial will anchor a stellar 13-race card at Bangor Raceway on Sunday (July 2) as the state-of-Maine harness racing industry gathers to recall the long-serving Bangor Raceway executive and racing official.

Sunday's card, which will also feature two $14,684 divisions of Maine Sire Stakes races for 3-year-old filly pacers, is slated to go to post at 12:15 p.m. (EDT).

"Under Fred's guidance, the importance of the Bangor meeting grew in both scope and scale" said Bangor Live Racing Manager Michael Hopkins. "The wealth of knowledge and historical perspective that he brought to the table is sorely missed, but the industry is certainly on firmer footing due to his stewardship."

Race Secretary Jean Thayer has assembled a full field of eight accomplished pacers to contest the $25,000 epic which has been carded as race 12 on the program.

"We're grateful for the horsemen's response to this card and excited to offer such a high quality program to the fans on Sunday," Thayer commented. "The Nichols field appears evenly-matched and contains a good balance of new and familiar faces. The stakes races drew out into two rather competitive fields, and we were even able to add an open trot and an open-level pace for mares to the mix. Sunday promises to be a pretty exciting day at Bangor."

The field for the $25,000 Fred Nichols Memorial is as follows:

LEXUS WITHA VIEW A (Kevin Switzer, Jr) - a four-time winner among top-flight competition along the Pine Tree circuit this season, the Jamie Gerard trainee has hit the board in 16 of 19 starts this year and was just nabbed at the wire by The Bird Dance N in the $10,000 Bruce Ranger Open at First Tracks Cumberland during Memorial Day weekend. He draws the inside edge over his chief rival on Sunday.

ALEX HAVING FUN (Aaron Hall) - fresh off a recent 1:51 4/5 romp in an upper-level claiming event at Plainridge, this Kimberly Vafiades trainee was parked for the mile by The Bird Dance N in last week's open-level matchup at Bangor, but despite the overland gambit, finished just two lengths off at the wire. A kinder starting spot here should ensure a kinder journey.

ADRIANO HANOVER (Walter Case Jr.) - a five-time winner this season, this Gerald MacKenzie Jr. trainee boasts wins at the Meadowlands (1:51), Plainridge (1:51 3/5) and First Tracks Cumberland (1:54 4/5). While his recent form has been uninspiring, a favorable draw and second start with Case at the helm might provide some value at the windows.

BELMONT MAJOR N (Heath Campbell) - this New York invader represents one of the fresh faces in the Nichols field. From the Saratoga-based Amanda Kelley roster, this half-mile-track specialist boasts keen recent form, including a win and two runner-up placings in Saratoga's open handicap. Driver Heath Campbell loves to come to the forefront in Maine's marquee events, and with the 3-1 second choice on the morning line at his command, don't count Campbell out.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

THE BIRD DANCE N (Nicholas Graffam) - the terror of Maine's upper-crust set, this Karl Butterfield trainee rides a four-race win streak into battle on Sunday, including a 1:54 3/5 score in the Bruce Tanger Open at First Track's Cumberland and a 1:53 1/5 joyride two weeks ago here at Bangor. His strategic and dazzling gate speed gives him the weapon to ensure good early position, and he's so tough to collar when allowed to ramble loose on the lead. He is a most deserved 2-1 morning line favorite here.

THE WILD CARD (Bruce Ranger) - the Joseph Nelson trainee searches for his first win of the season after toiling in the upper-level classes at Plainridge, but despite his lack of wins, he has finished top-three placed in six of his 10 seasonal starts. He was a 1:51 3/5 winner at Yonkers last season, so his half -mile track credentials are obvious, but most intriguing here is that qualifier last week at First Tracks Cumberland where he won by 32 1/2 lengths in 1:54 1/5 while flashing an eye-popping back-half timed in 56 2/5. Off that effort, this entry could well live up to his name indeed.

SOMETHING BETTOR A (Ron Cushing) - the fourth Southern Hemisphere-bred campaigner to be found in this year's edition of the Nichols, this one appears to be near peak seasonal form, having finished in the top-three in each of last three starts. The Heidi Gibbs trainee, known as an able grinder, was forced into a three-wide gambit early in last, yet still held firmly in the number, just 1 1/4 lengths off The Bird Dance N. From the outside wing, his developing trip will be crucial to his chances once again on Sunday.

ROCKSAPATRIOT (David Ingraham) - the Kelly Case trainee makes his fourth state of Maine start off an extremely successful Shenandoah Downs campaign where he became a mainstay in the open-level events. Despite his abilities, he'll need tons of luck to work out a trip from the extreme outside starting spot on Sunday, but Ingraham has always been the master of putting his horses in the perfect position to maximize success.

First post for Bangor's jam-packed Sunday card is slated for 12:15 p.m. (EDT). The $25,000 Fred Nichols Memorial has been carded as race 12.

Beginning in July, Friday cards will be added to the Bangor Raceway schedule as the Queen City oval will proudly present live harness racing every Wednesday and Friday with post time at 3:00 p.m. (EDT) while the popular Sunday matinees get underway at 12:15 p.m.

--press release (Bangor)--