Marc Tardiff’s Luke McGook continued to display his dominance in the Maine Sire Stakes, winning Tuesday’s (Aug. 15) $14,917 division for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers at the Skowhegan State Fair. It was the seventh consecutive victory for the Leighton Property-owned Rock N Roll World gelding, who also took a new seasonal mark of 1:56.1 in the wire-to-wire triumph.
Driven by regular pilot Kevin Switzer Jr. and conditioned by the powerful Peggy and Marc Tardiff stable, the winner of 15 of 20 lifetime starts cut swift early fractions of :28.4 and :59. At the third panel, Switzer Jr. let out a notch in 1:27.4 while feeling some pressure from Colt Bennett (Dave Ingraham) and stablemate So Rock N Roll (Walter Case Jr.). Despite So Rock N Roll posting a :28.1 final quarter, he could only get to his rival’s saddle pad as Luke McGook prevailed by a quarter length. Mattucci (Aaron Hall) was third.
Luke McGook was bred in Maine by Erika Saucier and now has $193,490 in lifetime earnings. He paid $2.60 to win.
The other $14,692 glamour boys division was won handily by Two Towns Over, before the regular twilight card. Driven by Aaron Hall for owner/trainer Valerie Grondin, the son of Deuce Seelster cruised unfettered through comfortable fractions of :29.4, 1:00.4 and 1:31 before equalling his own seasonal best of 1:58.1. Twice The Ice (Andy Harrington) finished second by three parts of a lengtha dn Rockaroundsam (Switzer Jr.) was third.
During Monday’s (Aug. 14) card, the three-year-old pacing fillies enjoyed two divisions of Maine-bred action, with Katelyns Angel grabbing her fourth win in a row in the $14,459 event. Driven by Switzer Jr. for the Tardif Taskforce, the daughter or Western Maverick got every call and opened up by four lengths to score in 1:58.4. Katelyns Angel is owned and was bred by the Leightons and now has $93,605 in lifetime earnings. La Mamabacita (Campbell) finished second and Justcallmemimi (Case Jr.) was third.
In a sweep of the sophomore pacing fillies, Team Tardiff took the other $14,684 division with Pickmepickme, who redeemed her recent activity with a much anticipated victory. Driven by Walter Case Jr., the daughter of Western Maverick was parked to the quarter in :30.1 by South St Dottie (Kevin Switzer Jr.) and took command by the 1:00.4 half. Past the 1:31.2 third panel, the two front-end combatants started to draw off from the rest of the field, putting double digit lengths between them and the rest of the field. Pickmepickme and South St Dottie engaged in a great battle down the stretch, with the former prevailing by three-quarters of a length in 1:59.1. Ally Mac (Aaron Hall) was third.
Owned, trained and bred by Tardif, Pickmepickme picked up the 11th victory of her career and the third of the season. Pickmepickme paid $6.60 to win. She now has $121,535 in lifetime earnings.
Maine Sire Stakes racing resumes at Skowhegan with the two-year-old filly pacers racing on Friday, Aug. 18 with a wrap up featuring the male freshman pacers on Saturday, Aug. 19.
(Maine Sire Stakes)