Two Cold Fold recovers for ninth straight

FARMINGTON, ME – Marc Tardif’s heart may have skipped a beat when his here-to-fore undefeated harness racing pacer Two Fold Cold (Deuce Seelster) made an uncharacteristic miscue in the first turn at the Farmington Fair on Wednesday (September 18) in the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old male pacers, but when the dust settled his seasonally unblemished record remained intact.

Scoring from post three driver Kevin Switzer Jr. hustled the gelding out to the top where he likes to be, however, when the tight group of sophomores rounded the first turn the gelding jumped off stride and was taken inside the pylons.  Hesjustadelight (Ron Cushing) took command into a 29.3 opening panel, with the Two Fold Cold back on stride and looking to make up ten lengths and get back into contention.

Tardif Taskforce stable mate Arts Flight (Andy Harrington) sat a tight pocket as Hesjustadelight cruised to a 59.4 half with Two Fold Cold gaining ground with every stride.  Switzer tipped the divisional point leader first over around the five-eighths pole and began his march toward the top.

As the field reached the third stanza in 1:30 Two Fold Cold was less than three lengths off the top and rolling once again.  At the head of the stretch, barreling down the center of the race track Two Fold Cold hit his stride like his pants were on fire. Arts Flight was gaining ground along the pylons with pacesetter Hesjustadelight trying to fend off the challengers.

Track announcer Mike Sweeney exclaimed, “Two Fold Cold made amends for his costly misstep.”

Hesjustadelight hung on for second; Arts Flight was third.

Owned and trained by Marc Tardif, the gelding picked up his ninth consecutive win, scoring by a neck in 1:58.4.  It was his 13^th lifetime victory with his bankroll now reaching $116,919.  He was bred in Maine by Gary and Kristina Hall.

In the other non-wagering event it was another Kristina Hall-bred, Deuce Seelster-sired pacer that was victorious.

Justcallmebuck led a wire-to-wire rout over the Farmington oval, scoring by 8-3/4 lengths in 2:00.

Also owned by Kristina Hall, the four-time winner is trained by Gary Hall and was piloted to victory by Heath Campbell.

Wes’s Challenge (Walter Case Jr.) finished second; Stretch It Donn (Andy Harrington) was third.

The pair of non-wagering events of the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings carried $19,000-plus purses.

The Maine Sire Stakes program is celebrating it’s 50^th year of competition, highlighting the Standardbred colts and fillies that have been bred, foaled and raised to race.  Not only has the series attracted thousands of fans over the years, but has been a centerpiece of the pari-mutuel county fair racing that has thrived in the New England region.  The Maine Sire Stakes program is vital to the economic development and farmland preservation of the area, having resulted in a total capital investment in breeding stock, equipment, buildings, etc. of over $9 million over a five year period.

The Maine Sire Stakes resumes at the Farmington Fair with harness racing Thursday (Sept. 19) with two divisions of 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings, and continues through Friday (Sept. 20).

Looking ahead, four divisions of the Freshmen Finals will be held at the Cumberland Fair on Saturday (Sept. 28).

McGwire Sowers held the hot hand at the pari-mutuel card,  teaming a pair of winners down the western-Maine fairgrounds’ Victory Lane, including the second win earned by Sarah’s Lilly at Farmington this week.

Duplicating Sunday’s winning front-end strategy, Sowers rode point with the eight-year-old daughter of He’s Gorgeous, lulling the competition to sleep through even, if somewhat pedestrian early fractions. After gliding to the half in 1:00 flat, Sowers stepped on the pedal to speed clear of their foes, generating an insurmountable 57.2 back-half while coasting 3-1/4 lengths clear at the wire.

The win was the 34th career victory for Sarah’s Lilly (1:57.2-$2.80) who is trained by Autym Robinson for owners Mo Coo, Inc.

Earlier in the program, Sowers brought home Stormin Maverick (1:58.2-$14.40) to his fifth career victory, riding a second-over journey through a quickly accelerating 58.3 back-half to gain the lead by the head of the stretch. With no time to celebrate, the five-year-old Maine-bred son of Western Maverick then withstood a concerted late challenge to hold off JJ Maximus (Aaron Hall) by a neck at the wire, after he nearly overcame an unlikely third-over journey to secure runner-up honors.

Stormin Maverick is trained by Patricia Summer for owner Anita Chapman.

In other Farmington news, drivers Drew Campbell and Kevin Switzer, Jr both secured driving doubles on the mid-afternoon program.

Maine’s Farmington Fair meet runs daily through  Saturday (September 21) with post time each day at 2:00 P.M. It’s signal is available for offtrack and online wagering at most major platforms and brick and mortar facilities around the nation.

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

For complete non-wagering race results, click here: US Trotting results.

For complete pari-mutuel race results, click here.

by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes, and Mike Sweeney, for Farmington Fair