Two full fields for Sire Stakes at Bangor

BANGOR, ME – Another two full fields of eight 3-year-old male harness racing pacers highlight the second round of Maine Sire Stakes action at Bangor Raceway on Wednesday (June 21), with the powerful Marc Tardif stable sending seven entries postward.

A four-horse squad from the ‘Tardif Taskforce’ dominates the first $15,367 division for Pine Tree State-bred colts and geldings, with last week’s winner first division winner Colt Bennett (Bruce Ranger/David Crochere, PP 2, 5-2) facing Tardif’s star pupil Luke McGook (Kevin Switzer Jr.).  Fresh off his 3,000^th career victory at Cumberland last Saturday, ‘Switz’ drives the 7-5 favorite from post position 5.

Winner of the fastest of two divisions last week, ke McGook (Rock N’ Roll World) took a seasonal mark of 1:57 in his 3-1/4 length romp.  A winner of $140,457 last season, Luke McGook did some damage to his competitors on both sides of the bay, having enjoyed significant success in both Maine and Massachusetts.  Owned by Leighton property, his entry-mate is Rockaroundsam (Dan Deslandes, PP 8).

A Tardif-owned race entry is comprised of Twice The Ice (Andy Harrington, PP 1) and Anithingforyoudear (Walter Case Jr., PP 6) who are listed as 2-1 on the early morning line.  The former makes his first start of the year, where the latter enters his first stakes race of the season following a pair of maiden prep victories at Cumberland over the last few weeks.

The second $15,367 division enjoys a full field of eight, with another Leighton Property-owned, Tardif-trained entry, comprised of So Rock N’ Roll (Walter Case Jr., PP 1) and Someone’s Hero (Andy Harrington, PP 2).  These two geldings finished second and third, respectively, in their respective divisions last outing and are listed as 7-5 on the morning line.

Two Towns Over (Deuce Seelster) and driver Aaron Hall has been installed as the 3-2 favorite and scores from post position 3.  Beaten just a neck last week by Colt Bennett, he is trained by Valerie Grondin.  He earned $80,374 last year, which included a victory in the Maine Sire Stakes championship final at Cumberland in a track record 1:57.

The Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes returns to Cumberland on Friday for two $13,500-plus divisions for 3-year-old trotters.  First post is 3:15 pm. Following that, Maine’s 3-year-old pacing fillies head north to Bangor on Sunday (June 25).

For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow our Facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their new website.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes