Hall dominates with five wins at Bangor

Bangor, Maine …. Driver Aaron Hall dominated the action at Bangor Raceway on Friday (June 26), scoring five commanding harness racing victories over the course of the nine-race program, while inching to within one victory of notching his 1000th career driving win.

Hall’s five wins came in sequential order, beginning with a pair from his father, Craig Hall’s roster, first sitting a patient pocket with JJ Maximus (1:56.4, $19.40) before pouncing past the front-running Press Time (McGwire Sowers) in deep stretch, and then secondly soaring gate-to-wire with Ibite Ask Doug (1:56.4, $3.80) who scored his fourth win of the season in a seasonal equaling best clocking.

Leaving dad’s horses in the wash stalls, Hall then turned his attention to breaking the maiden of Dreamers Due (2:00.4, $2.40) for trainer Michelle Lefebvre. Powering his way to the top through a tepid :29.4 opening panel, the three-year-old son of American Ideal never faced serious pressure from that point on, as he strode to a solid length margin at the wire. 

DREAMERS DUE REPLAY

Hall’s own stable joined the rampage next as Jax Spratt (1:59.3, $2.60) rose confidently in class to wire an accomplished field of high-steppers, while securing his second win-in-a-row, in seasonal best time, for owner William Phipps. 

Hall concluded his cavalcade in a somewhat historic foray, continuing the biggest news story to hit Bangor Raceway this season, when Cool Man Dude (1:55.1, $2.60) won for the seventh consecutive time since being claimed for $6000 by Scott and Michael McGee back on April 25. 

Trained by Steven Vafiades and now racing as an optional $15,000 claimer, the eight-year-old son of Western Vintage faced the sternest test of his current streak on Friday as Call Me Maverick (Michael Stevenson) took the battle to the pacesetter around the final turn, matching strides to the wire in typical dogged fashion, before falling a scant nose short of the upset at the wire. 

The win was the 14th of the season for Cool Man Dude, who is currently noted as the second winningest pacer in North America, just one win shy of Shine A Light’s standard. 

Hall’s next opportunity to secure the 1000th win of career will come on Saturday (June 27) when he appears with ten drives at First Tracks Cumberland.

Live harness racing at Bangor Raceway during the month of July will be conducted on  a two-day-per-week schedule with the Wednesday cards going to post at 3:00 pm (EDT) and featuring the return of the popular Sunday matinee performances which will commence at 12:10 pm. 

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 www.hollywoodraces.com.

For complete information regarding live racing, simulcast wagering, gaming, dining, and hotel accommodations at Bangor’s Hollywood Casino and Raceway, please visit the website at www.hollywoodcasinobangor.com.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Mike Sweeney for Bangor Raceway