A TRIP TO BASS PARK
       Maybe it's nostalgia. Perhaps old age. Whatever one attributes it to, the trip to Bass Park for the last week-end of the race meeting has become an annual pilgrimage. Fourteen years qualifies it as a tradition. And, Bangor racing serves up tradition like an all-you-can-eat buffet.
 
        For folks who like their racing live instead of on a TV screen, Bangor Raceway and Scarborough Downs (and all the fair tracks) offer enough to curb the most omnivorous appetite. Enough prattle, let's get to the racing.
 
        With the introduction of VLTs, hereafter referred to as metal monsters, racing in the state attracts many of our neighbors from the north of the border. Some denizens complain that these interlopers are taking their money, while those that enjoy racing look upon it from a positive perspective, especially from the aspect of wagering.
 
        Fourteen races on Friday accompanied by miserable weather (what else is new?) followed by an equal amount of races on Sunday would not be possible if not from the encouragement offered from those metal monsters that have generated purses once thought unimaginable by the natives.
 
        Whether is was the feature race on Sunday -- the Paul Bunyan Invitational for a $25,000 purse -- won by ON A TEAR in just two ticks off the track record in 1:53, or the two year-old Dramattic Breeze's score in 2:08.2 in a freshman division of the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes (MSBS), racing offered morsels for every palate.
 
        Aside from Jason Bartlett's attempt to break the track record in the Bunyan, the most impressive race of the week-end, without question, came from the performance turned in by Neutral Court in a decision of the MSBS for three year-old pacers. Going into the race, Neutral Court not only had no blemishes on his record this year, but he had just taken a lifetime mark of 1:57.1 a week ago at Scarborough Downs.
 
        Rather than leave from his inside post, Neutral Court merely ambled out of the gate, getting away fourth. From just before the three-eighths marker, he never saw the light of day until the field almost had reached the three-quarter pole. Mike Graffam tried backing him up to get off the inside, than decided to rush him up to a perceived opening just prior to the three-quarters. He extricated the horse from the heavy traffic by moving him three and four wide around the turn heading for home and won, if not convincingly, at least comfortably. He stamped himself the horse to beat in the pacing division.
 
        All thing considered, the trip to Bass Park renewed old acquaintances and memories, provided this viewer with quality racing to witness first-hand and, generally, underscored the feeling that live racing. wherever it is contested, outstrips TV screens by open lengths.
 
        BITS, BOOTS, & BRIDLES: With not quite a quarter of the Sires Stakes season in the books, it appears that most divisions have yet to establish a dominant horse . . . since the two year-old division has just started, it would appear that the increase in eligible horses (remember purses have almost doubled thanks to those metal monsters) signify fewer potential champions will emerge early . . . Note to horsemen: be vigilant and make friends with those people in Augusta because the Pennsylvania legislators (where they have the finest sires stakes program in this country) have looked for revenue to balance the budget and are ready to reach into the horsemen's pockets to the tune of $100 million. Watch out! . . . .for anyone preparing for the Maine yearling sale, circle October 30 on your calendar. Be at Windsor to buy or just look . . . the place to go if you want to partake of the largesse in Sires Stakes purse money . . . .fair season starts this week in Presque Isle and goes till Fryeburg, the first week of October . . . next week this space will update the Sires Stakes standings and bring you up to date. . .