The Tardif Taskforce swept the glamour boy divisions at Cumberland Saturday (July 1), winning both $15,209 divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers.
In the first division, which was contested at 2 p.m. (EDT) before the regular card, Kevin Switzer Jr. sent Luke McGook (pictured above) right to the front from post four and controlled the tempo into opening panels of :29.2 and 1:00.4. At the half, Bruce Ranger driving Colt Bennett took a shot at the leader and had come first over through the 1:30.2 third quarter and grabbed the lead. Seemingly home free, Ranger wasn’t counting on Switzer Jr. and Luke McGook digging in for one final rally to re-take a half-length lead and the victory in 1:59.4. Mattucci finished third.
Owned by Leighton Property and trained by Marc Tardif, Luke McGook -- a sophomore son of Rock N Roll World -- picked up the 11th win of his career. He was bred by Erika Saucier.
In the second $15,209 division the Tardif Taskforce was back at it again, with four of the seven entrants in the Maine-bred sophomore pace.
Twice The Ice started from pylon position but had to negotiate a re-take as stablemate Anythingforyoudear had grabbed the early lead. With the first quarter in :29, Harrington finally took command and settled into a :59.2 half. With the tempo quickening, Twice The Ice was well in command at the 1:28.1 three-quarters and began to draw off under mild urging to score by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:58, a lifetime best. Rock N Roll finished second and Two Towns Over was third.
Owned and trained by Tardif, the son of Deuce Seelster picked up his first win of the season. He was bred by Gary and Kristina Hall. Andy Harrington drove the winner.
The Maine Sire Stakes visits Bangor on Sunday, July 2 for two $14,684 divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies .First post is 12:15 p.m. (EDT).
Looking ahead, the Maine Sire Stakes originally scheduled for Union Fair have been moved to Bangor on July 26 and Cumberland on July 28.
David Zuckerman, a 67-year-old lifetime harness racing participant, won the Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) race, which was his first trip back to the winner's circle in over 40 previous attempts.
A Massachusetts native, Zuckerman was a licensed teamster in 1977 at age 21, where he earned a whopping $35 in two starts at the Scarborough Fair. The next year, he had nine starts and then won his first race at Topsham in 1982. He also raced at Lewiston, Cumberland, Skowhegan and other Maine fairs during his fledgling career. Bitten by the bug, he has been driving horses sporadically ever since.
“I got involved with a guy named Jeff Strong, who offered a class in harness racing. From there, I bought a horse and took care of him before and after work,” recalled Zuckerman.
A dental supply salesman and company owner, he has 189 driving starts over the last 45 years and claims to participate just for fun.
“It’s a hobby and an honour to be out there…wherever I finish,” said Zuckerman. “Mike [Stevenson] and Bruce Ranger were happier than I was [after the win]!”
Saturday's win was the first time Zuckerman has found paydirt since 2018, however, he has finished third on three occasions earlier this season.
In Saturday's race, Zuckerman left from pylon position with his own Rest Assured and let Jarred Laughlin and Pay Later take command through opening fractions of 29 and 1:00.1. With Zuckerman comfortable in the two-hole, the only challenge to the leaders came from Benson Merrell with Cee Pee Panic down the backside into a 1:29.2 three-quarters. When the field rounded the turn for home, Zuckerman’s Rest Assured felt the pressure from the outside and responded to urging and began to gain ground on the leader. Getting up in the final strides, owner and driver Zuckerman grabbed the victory by three parts of a length in 2:00.3 with Rest Assured. They paid $11.80 to win. Pay Later hung on to be second and Cee Pee Panic was third.
The trainer of record is Mike Stevenson.
The Maine Amateur Driving Club is sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of Windham and North Yarmouth, Maine.
Bruce Ranger won four races on the afternoon card and remains atop the drivers’ standings.
Racing resumes on Saturday, July 8. First post is slated for 3:15 pm (EDT) during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through Aug. 5. The final day of the meet features a Hambletonian hat giveaway, wagering on all the action from The Meadowlands, the track's popular Cumberland Derby with $500 in cash prizes and a new $25,000 Pine Tree Invitational. The first two finishers in Sunday's Fred Nichols at Bangor get an automatic invitation.
(with files from First Tracks Cumberland)