During the final day of Maine Sire Stakes racing at the Skowhegan State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 22, undefeated The Gucci Man was the talk of the town as he took a stakes division in a new 1:58.4 track record for two-year-old colt pacers.

The group of male rookie side-steppers was featured in three divisions of Maine Sire Stakes, with a pair of early non-wagering races and a third on the pari-mutuel wagering card. 

To no one’s surprise, the second $23,737 non-betting division was another dominating circuit by The Gucci Man and Kevin Switzer Jr., which resulted in the colt breaking another track record.

Through moderate early fractions of :29.3 and 1:00.3, the son of Dudes The Man-Gucci allowed a give and go to stablemate Rustysonlytreasure (Aaron Hall), but eventually re-took the point and never looked back. Before the half, Duderrific (Dave Ingraham) pulled first-over from sixth and had advanced to the saddle pad of the pacesetting The Gucci Man into a 1:30.1 third panel with Rustysonlytreasure gapping in the pocket. With Duderrific alongside and still challenging, Switzer Jr. chirped to his freshman with the unblemished record off the final turn and cruised home in 1:58.4, the fastest division of the afternoon and new Skowhegan divisional track record. Duderrific finished second and Dudeisadelight (Ron Cushing) was third.

Owned, trained and bred by Marc Tardif, The Gucci Man posted a :28.3 final quarter in his fifth straight score and increased his lifetime earnings to $53,852.

Tardif trainees swept the top two spots in the first $23,497 division with the maiden-breaking Justcallbembuddy and Aaron Hall prevailing by a neck over Agent James Bond and Kevin Switzer Jr.

Driver Nick Graffam sent Harriman out for an early lead and set a :31 opening panel then brought the field back to a 1:03 half, with no outer flow in sight. Pocket-sitting Agent James Bond popped the deuce into a 1:34.1 third panel and was right beside the pacesetter as the colts rounded the final turn. At the head of the lane, Harriman went off stride while Agent James Bond was breathing down his neck. With Harriman's miscue, the advancer had taken the lead briefly just as Justcallmebuddy came flying down the center of the racetrack from a three-hole trip and caught Agent James Bond to win by a neck in 2:02.2 with his :27.4 closing speed. Harriman hung on to be third, less than a length behind.

Owned by Leighton Property and Victoria Leighton of Waterboro, Maine, the son of Deuce Seelster-Justcallmerosie picked up his first lifetime win in his fifth try to go along with four top three finishes, putting his earnings at $27,259. 

Painters Treasure took the third and final $23,738 split over Tardif trainee One Last Deal after scampering out for an early lead for driver Andy Harrington. 

Painters Treasure hit the first two panels in :30.1 and 1:00.3 with Top Notch Treasure (Mike Stevenson) sitting in a tight pocket and One Last Deal (Kevin Switzer Jr.) third. The field maintained a swift tempo into a 1:30.4 third station as One Last Deal tipped to the outside to engage the front end around the final turn. With Painters Treasure fighting back and Top Notch Treasure splitting foes in the lane, One Last Deal made a furious attempt to catch the leader despite swinging wide off the arc. Painters Treasure prevailed by three parts of a length in 1:59.2, a new lifetime best. One Last Deal finished second and Top Notch Treasure was third.

Trained by Sara Harrington for owner/breeder William ‘Yarmouth Lumber’ Phipps of Yarmouth, Maine, the son of State Treasurer-Unknown Artist picked up his second win to go along with three runner-up finishes. He's earned $38,646 from five starts in the Maine Sire Stakes.

In other action, trainer Marc Tardif's former Maine Sire Stakes champion Two Fold Cold claimed victory in the $16,438 Walter Hight Memorial Invitational for the second year in a row, winning this time in 1:53.1 with Bruce Ranger in the sulky.

(With files from Maine Sire Stakes; photo of The Gucci Man winning on Aug. 22)