July 18, 2024 — by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes (Holli Niles photos)
BANGOR, ME – Two $16,000-plus divisions of Maine Sire Stakes sparred for dollars as each of the freshmen male pacing victors played “catch me if you can.”
The first $16,162 division for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings was a repeat performance for Massive Speed as the son of Dude’s The Man picked up his second consecutive stakes victory for the Tardif Taskforce.
As the wings folded This Dudes Perfect (Heath Campbell) went right to the top with Ella V Dude (evin Switzer Jr.) matching strides in the first turn. With the field moving down the backstretch toward the 29.4 opening panel, Switzer backed Ella V Dude into the pocket, which was the cue for 1-9 Massive Speed and Walter Case Jr. to leave from third position and blast to the front.
The heavy favorite led the field through a 1:01.4 half, prompting Switzer and Ella V Dude to leave their position and put in a first over challenge for the top. The colts were all bunched up heading past the 1:32.1 third panel into the final turn with This Dudes Perfect in the two-hole and Dawn Two Dark (Andy Harrington) second over.
While it may have appeared that Massive Speed had his hands full at the head of the stretch, Case simply shook the lines at the colt and he responded with a burst of speed to put away any would-be spoilers. Drawing clear by 3-1/2 lengths to score in 2:02.1, he paid just $2.20 to win. Trained by Marc Tardif for owner Leighton Property, he was bred in Maine by Laurie Harding.
Stable mate Dawn To Dark finished second; This Dudes Perfect was third.
The second and final $16,161 division was captured by Ridgecrest Dan in wire-to-wire fashion. Leaving from post six, trainer-driver John Nason sent the Dude’s The Man colt right to the top where he set reasonable fractions of 30.4, 1:03, 1:32.4 before cruising home in 2:03 flat.
It was the first pari-mutuel win, and a new record, for the Jason Vafiades-bred colt, who is now owned by Bill ‘Yarmouth Lumber’ Phipps. He paid $4.00 to win. Named for Dan the harness man, the colt has two wins and two seconds in four lifetime outings.
Cheatin Fate (Andy Harrington) finished second; Just Aftermidnight (Garrett Mosher) was third. Both were trained by Marc Tardif.
The Maine Sire Stakes ships south to Cumberland on Saturday (July 20) for the 2-year-old filly pacers.
For more information about the Maine Sire Stakes and the updated point standings, go to their website: https://www.mainesirestakes.com and follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation
