The three-year-old colt and gelding pacers highlighted the Labor Day weekend Maine Sire Stakes at Windsor Fair on Sunday (Sept, 1) with a pair of $26,000-plus divisions where the top horse in the division continued his winning ways.
Two Fold Cold (pictured) needs no introduction to the Downeast faithful as the Marc Tardif-trained son of Deuce Seelster has dominated the sophomore pacing ranks throughout the season. Sunday was no exception as the unbeaten gelding provided for a thrilling finish to extend his streak to seven sire stakes events and eight on the season.
Scoring from pylon position in the early $26,305 non-wagering race, driver Kevin Switzer Jr. floated away from the car and set comfortable fractions of 31.1 and 1:01.3 before increasing the tempo. While Justcallmebuck (Heath Campbell) was tracking closely in the pocket, the third panel was recorded in a swifter 1:31.2, which prompted the challenger to pop the deuce and advance uncovered on the outside and through the turn.
At the head of the stretch stablemate Arts Flight (Andy Harrington) was looking for racing room up the inside, while Justcallmebuck was bearing down on the leader in mid-stretch. Seemingly unconcerned, Switzer was hand driving his charge down to the wire for a photo finish.
When the dust settled, Two Fold Cold had done it again, prevailing by a neck margin in 2:00.3 over Justcallmebuck. Owned and trained by Marc Tardif, it was the star’s 12th lifetime victory, which raised his career earnings to $130,623. He was bred by Gary and Kristina Hall.
Arts Flight finished third.
In the other $26,609 division for three-year-old male pacers, carded as race one at Windsor Fair, driver Walter Case Jr. left alertly with Wess Challenge while rebuffing the advancement of Hesjustadelight and Ron Cushing into a 28.3 opening panel.
While the co-favourites were one-two heading into the 1:00 softer half, Oakleypopsthedeuce (McGwire Sowers) brushes from fourth to challenge the leader first up and got to his throat latch before the five-eighths pole.
Case spurned that encounter before reaching the 1:30 third panel, with Hesjustadelight locked in the box and Whats For Suppaah (Aaron Hall) blasting three wide on the outside around the final turn.
With Oakleypopsthedeuce fading, Cushing found a seam with Hesjustadelight as they turned for home and charged down the lane to prevail in another thrilling photo finish. The margin for win was a head over Wess Challenge in 2:00.1.
Trained by Heidi Cushing for owners Ron Cushing, Lynn-Marie Plouffe (breeder), Anthony Romanelli & Joseph Romanelli, the son of Western Maverick picked up his second victory of the season. He paid $4.40 to win and increased his lifetime earnings to $131,251.
Whats For Suppaah finished third.
The Maine Sire Stakes concludes at Windsor Fair on Labor Day Monday (Sept. 2) with the sophomore filly pacers. The Maine-bred program returns to Bangor on Wednesday (Sept. 4) for the two-year-old male pacers and then Saturday (Sept. 7) for all four divisions of trotters.
(Maine Sire Stakes)