June 14, 2023 — by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes (Shelley Gilpatrick photos)
BANGOR, ME – Maine’s leading money-winning freshman pacer of 2022, Luke McGook, returned to his winning ways at Bangor on Wednesday (June 14), taking the fastest of two $15,376 divisions of the season’s opening round of Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers.
Driven by Kevin Switzer Jr. for trainer Marc Tardif in the second non-betting race, the son of Rock N’ Roll World grabbed the lead just past the 27.2 opening panel, following a little front-end fisticuffs by Wicked Scorchah and Drew Campbell.
From that point forward it was all over but the shouting as the pair coasted home in dominant fashion, tripping the timer in 1:57. Coming off of two preps at Gil Crest Training Center in April and a final tune-up last week at Cumberland, the Leighton Property-owned sophomore never had an anxious moment, dashing home with a 28.3 final quarter while winning by 3-1/4 lengths.
Bred by Erika Saucier, Luke McGook was never worse than second during his freshman campaign, winning 8 of 13 and earning a hefty $140,457 for his efforts. Following the stakes races, his regular driver Kevin Switzer Jr. won an additional three overnight races on the regular program at Bangor, which brought his current lifetime dash win total to 2,996.
So Rock N’ Roll (Walter Case Jr.) finished second, and was also trained by Marc Tardif. Wicked Scorchah was third.
Last season’s Maine Sire Stakes freshman final winner, Two Towns Over (Aaron Hall), finished a hard-charging second to the faster-closing Colt Bennett (Bruce Ranger), who ultimately won the first $15,376 non-betting event.
Also a son of Rock N’ Roll World, Colt Bennett had to score from the outermost post seven, and was forced to come second over and catch the pack from off the pace.
Someones Hero (Andrew Harrington) grabbed the lead and controlled the tempo with modest fractions of 30, 1:00.3 and 1:29.1 before being overtaken down the stretch by the David Crochere-trained Colt Bennett. Throwing in a 28.3 final quarter was all it took to make up nearly three lengths in the final goings to win by a neck for owner Nancy Longobardi in 1:58.2.
It was the second win of the year for Colt Bennett, who was bred by Steve O’Toole. Two Towns Over finished second; Someones Hero was third.
The Maine Sire Stakes resumes on Saturday’s (June 17) Cumberland Raceway program, which has two $14,684 divisions for 3-year-old pacing fillies. Slated as races one and nine on the regular card, first post is 3:15 pm. For full entries click here:
https://racing.ustrotting.com/goto.aspx?target=12,89907
With up to ten legs for each division throughout the summer and autumn months, and purses on the rise, the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes has been promoting and providing a venue for Pine Tree State Standardbreds since the legislative establishment of the program in 1972.
For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their new website: https://www.mainesirestakes.com
