Massive Speed, unbeaten in his sophomore season, added another notch to his belt at the Farmington Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 16 in the Maine Sire Stakes.
In the first $23,906 non-wagering division of the Maine Sire Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, driver Aaron Hall put the Marc Tardif-trained star right out on the front end where they set comfortable fractions of :30.1 and :59.4 to the opening half. Following a miscue at the start, Im Not Maverick (Mike Stevenson) continued to rally on the outside as Cheatin Fate (Andy Harrington) sat in the pocket while the field approached the 1:29.3 third panel. With no real challengers in sight, and a few taps on the saddle pad to keep his attention, Hall rolled Massive Speed down the lane with authority to score by four lengths in 1:58. Cheatin Fate finished second and This Dudes Perfect (Heath Campbell) was third.
Owned by Leighton Property and bred in Maine by Laurie Harding, Massive Speed earned his 10th consecutive victory and 20th lifetime win in 23 starts. The Dudes The Man-Machmeter gelding has earned $97,262 of his $280,351 bankroll during his perfect sophomore campaign.
In the second $23,906 Maine Sire Stakes division, the Tardif trainee Dawn Two Dark and driver Andy Harrington led from gate-to-wire, holding off a late-closing Gracies Tough Guy (Dave Ingraham) to prevail by a half-length in 1:58.1. Ridgecrest Dan (John Nason) finished third.
Tardif also owns Dawn Two Dark, who was bred in Maine by Gary and Kristina Hall. Winning for the fourth time this season in 10 starts, the Deuce Seelster-Light Of Day gelding went over the $100,000 mark in career earnings. He paid $4.40 to win as the bettors' choice.
(With files from Maine Sire Stakes)