June 22, 2023 — by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes
BANGOR, ME – Although Luke McGook scored his second Maine Sire Stake of the fledgling season, he was not the only sophomore pacer from the Mark Tardif stable to find victory Lane. So Rock N’ Roll won the second division in swift fashion at Bangor on Wednesday (June 21), with both favored sidesteppers rewarding their backers with modest rewards, as well as the $15,367 purses.
Luke McGook scored from post 5 with regular pilot Kevin Switzer Jr. at the controls. Pressing out for the lead, the pair set comfortable opening fractions of 29.4 and 1:00.4, while in complete command. Stable mate Twice The Ice (Andrew Harrington) maintained a close pocket seat.
At the half, the outer flow started to materialize with last week’s divisional winner Colt Bennett (Bruce Ranger) ranging up on the outside into a swifter 1:30.1 third panel. As the two leaders rounded the final turn Ranger had Colt Bennett poised to pounce, but Switzer urged Luke McGook into another gear and held the would-be up setter at bay, winning by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:58. The last quarter was in 27.4.
Owned by Leighton property, the son of Rock N’ Roll World paid $3.00 to win. He was bred in Maine by Erika Saucier. Twice The Ice held position to be third.
The second $15,367 division witnessed So Rock N’ Roll and driver Walter Case Jr. work out a tactically savvy two-hole trip behind Two Towns Over (Aaron Hall) to capture his first win of the season.
As the gate wings folded Hall rushed Two Towns Over out for the lead from post 3, only to initially thwarted by the pylon positioned So Rock N’ Roll. The pair fought to the quarter pole, leaving the rest of the field a dozen lengths in arrears. Just past the 27.4 opening panel, Case Jr. eventually yielded to Hall, but not without taking some of the sting out of the leader.
Case Jr. kept the pocket closed with Wicked Scorchah (Drew Campbell) closing ground in third and Someone’s Hero (Andy Harrington) moving first over to the half in 58.3.
Hall managed to gain a little separation going down the backstretch the final time, hitting the third panel in 1:28. Case Jr. got So Rock N’ Roll rolling into gear and tipped out just before the final turn to challenge the leader, with Wicked Scorchah looking for racing room.
The two leaders battled down the stretch, with Case Jr. and So Rock N’ Roll prevailing in the final strides to win by a head over Hall and Two Towns Over.
So Rock N’ Roll tripped the timer in 1:57.1, which equaled his lifetime best, but also was the fastest Maine-bred event of the afternoon at Bangor. Owned Leighton Property and trained by Marc Tardif, the son of Western Maverick paid $3.40 to win. He was bred by Lesley Leighton. Wicked Scorchah held on for third.
The Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes returns to Cumberland on Friday for two $14,000-plus divisions for 3-year-old trotters. First post is 3:15 pm. Following that, Maine’s 3-year-old pacing fillies revisit Bangor on Sunday (June 25).
In other news, the Union sire stakes dates have been moved to Bangor (July 26) and Cumberland (July 28).
For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their new website: https://www.mainesirestakes.com
