Grondin scores double in Maine Breeders Stakes

CUMBERLAND, ME – Horsewoman Valerie Grondin sent two of her youngsters to the Skowhegan State Fair on Tuesday (Aug. 16) evening and both freshmen sidewinders came home with the harness racing rewards.

Two $18,000-plus divisions of the Maine Breeders Stakes (MSBS) for 2-year-old male pacers, highlighted the twilight card.  In the first event, a non-wagering race, driver Heath Campbell sent Matucci (Western Maverick) right out to the lead from post three and set a modest tempo of :30.2 & 1:01.4 for the opening half.

Down the backside Twice The Ice (Walter Case Jr. / Marc Tardif) pulled first over to challenge for the lead, going into a 1:32.2 third panel.  At the head of the stretch the challenger moved within a nose of the lead, but Mattucci would not relinquish and held on to win in 2:00.4 and was a maiden no more.

The 2-year-old was bred by Valerie Grondin, who also co-owns with Gino Mattucci, whose name the colt shares, having been named after his father Gene Mattucci, a horseman from Brooklyn.

“I’m just happy for everyone involved with that stable,” co-owner Gino Mattucci stated.  “They work so hard from start to finish.”

Twice The Ice finished second; So Rock N’ Roll (Andy Harrington / Marc Tardif) was third.

Another Grondin pupil grabbed his share of the loot, as Two Towns Over (Deuce Seelser) cut the fractions and gave himself a faster record of 2:00 over the speedy Skowhegan oval.

Driven by Aaron Hall, the 2-year-old led every step of the way in the $18,184 MSBS pari-mutuel opener.  Throwing in a 28.1 final quarter was enough to keep the current points leader Luke McGook (Kevin Switzer Jr. / Marc Tardif) at bay to win by three parts of a length.

It was the second victory in as many weeks for Two Towns Over, who paid $5.60 to win.  Also owned by Grondin, he was bred by Andrew Bustard.  Two Points (Mark Athern / Gretchen Athearn) finished third.

The frosh fillies came out to play on Monday (Aug. 15), with Katelyn’s Angel (Kevin Switzer Jr. / Marc Tardif) and Pickmepickme (Andy Harrington / Marc Tardif) winning both those $17,000-plus MSBS divisions.  Both fillies are by Western Maverick.  For the former, the 2:00.2 winning time was a new lifetime best and her second straight victory.  For the latter, it was that filly’s third consecutive stakes victory, giving her a formidable lead in the point standings.

Sunday (Aug. 14) was Maine-sired trot day at Skowhegan, with four divisions going postward.  Full results can be found here:

The 3-year-old pacers round out the week of fair racing, with fillies going on Thursday (Aug. 18) and colts and geldings lining up on Saturday (Aug. 20).

The remaining MSBS fair schedule is as follows:

Windsor, Aug. 27 – Sept. 5

Farmington, Sept. 18 – 21

Cumberland, Sept. 28 – Oct. 1 (2yo finals)

Fryeburg, Oct 6 – 8

The Maine-sired sophomore finale returns to Bangor for all of the 3-year-old MSBS divisional finals on Oct. 15.  The 2-year-old championships will be held two weeks earlier on Saturday (Oct. 1) at the Cumberland Fair.

For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow our Facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to the Maine State website by clicking here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Chris Tully, for the Maine Breeders Stakes