August 16, 2023 — by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes (Stephanie Gray photos)
SKOWHEGAN, ME – Marc Tardiff’s Luke McGook continued to display his dominance in the Maine Sire Stakes, winning Tuesday’s (August 15) $14,917 div. 3-year-old colt and gelding pace at the Skowhegan State Fair. It was the seventh consecutive victory for the Leighton Property-owned son of Rock N’ Roll World, 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-David Crochere) 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-Valerie Grondin) 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 equaling his own seasonal best of 1:58.1.
Twice The Ice (Andy Harrington-Marc Tardif) finished second by three parts of a length; Rockaroundsam (Switzer Jr.-Tardif) was third.
During Monday’s (Aug’ 14) card the 3-year-old pacing fillies enjoyed two divisions of Maine-bred action, with Katelyn’s 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. Katelyn’s Angel is owned and was bred by the Leightons and now has $93,605 in lifetime earnings.
La Mamabacita (Campbell-Grondin) finished second; Justcallmemimi (Case Jr.-Mike Graffam) 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.-Mike Graffam) 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. Owned, trained and bred by Marc Tardif, it was the eleventh victory of her career and the third of the season. Pickmepickme paid $6.60 to win and now has $121,535 in lifetime earnings.
Ally Mac (Aaron Hall-Mike Graffam) was third.
Maine Sire Stakes racing resumes at Skowhegan with the 2-year-old filly pacers racing on Friday (Aug. 18) with a wrap up featuring the male freshmen pacers on Saturday (Aug. 19).
For more information about the Maine Sire Stakes, follow their Facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their website: https://www.mainesirestakes.com
