Luke McGook, the handy Maine-sired freshman pacer with the funny name got some redemption on Monday (Aug. 29) at Windsor Fair, reasserting himself as the top dog in the division with a victory and placing last week’s only career loss in the rear view mirror.
One of the stars of the Tardif Taskforce, the son of Rock N Roll World got a two-hole trip behind Mattucci (Heath Campbell) in the $18,184 Maine Breeders Stakes (MSBS) for laterally gaited two-year-old males. Regular driver Kevin Switzer Jr. let the pacesetter establish opening panels of :29 and 1:00.4 before pulling to the outer flow and challenging for the lead.
Into a 1:31 three-quarter mark, Luke McGook had gained momentum and was just three parts of a length behind the leader Matucci, with stablemate Rockaroundsam (Andy Harrington) hot on his heels second-over. At the head of the stretch, Luke McGook stuck a nose in front and extended his advancement toward the wire to win by half a length in 1:59.3, a new lifetime best.
Bred by Ericka Saucier and now owned by Leighton Property, Luke McGook paid $3 while winning for the sixth time in his seven-start career. Mattucci finished second with Rockaround Sam third. All three posted speedy :28 and apiece final quarters.
In the earlier $18,183 MSBS two-year-old colt pace non-betting race, Two Towns Over (Aaron Hall) got his third victory in a row, the previous of which including handing Luke McGook his first and only career loss.
Scoring from post three, the freshman son of Deuce Seelster went right to the top and never looked back to win in 1:58.3, a new career best, with a :28.1 last quarter thrown in for good measure. Owned by Valerie Grondin and bred by Andrew Bustard, Two Towns Over is just five points from second place in the Maine Breeders Stakes divisional standings for two-year-old colts and geldings.
So Rock N Roll (Andy Harrington) finished second and Two Points (Mark Athearn) was third.
On Sunday (Aug. 28), the Tardif Taskforce was at it again, sweeping both Maine Breeders Stakes $17,000-plus divisions for two-year-old filly pacers.
With both races early, non-wagering races, the fillies tested the surface for the upcoming pari-mutuel card and rated it fast and functional. Katelyns Angel (Kevin Switzer Jr.) was content to let Janie (Mark Athearn) cut the fractions, with the former besting the latter in the final strides to win in 2:01.2. Ally Mac (Aaron Hall) was third.
Owned by Leighton Property and bred by Lesley Leighton, the Western Maverick filly Katelyns Angel earned her third consecutive victory.
The divisional point leader Pickmepickme (Andy Harrington) continued her winning ways, romping and stomping to a 2:00.3 victory in the second $17,989 MSBS freshman filly pace.
Scoring from post four, the daughter of Western Maverick got every call as she won handily for the fifth time in her career. Owned and bred by Marc Tardif, Pickmepickme now has four wins in a row.
South St Dottie (Nick Graffam) was a fast-closing second and La Mambacita (Scott McKenzie) was third.
On Thursday (Sept. 1), Windsor hosts the Maine-bred three-year-old filly pacers, with two $18,000-plus divisions, with the ‘glamour boy’ colts returning on Friday (Sept. 2). Windsor is one of Maine's oldest and largest agricultural fairs and runs through Labor Day (Sept. 5).
Following the Windsor Fair, the Maine Breeders Stakes makes two stops at Bangor on Sept. 11 and 17 then returns to the following fairs: Farmington, Sept. 18 – 21; Cumberland, Sept. 28 – Oct. 1 (two-year-old finals); and historic Fryeburg, Oct. 6 – 8.
The Maine-sired sophomore finale returns to Bangor for all of the three-year-old MSBS divisional finals on Oct. 15. The two-year-old championships will be held two weeks earlier on Saturday (Oct. 1) at the aforementioned Cumberland Fair.
(With files from Maine Breeders Stakes)