Skowhegan, ME — Marc Tardif’s Luke McGook continued to display his dominance in the Maine Sire Stakes, winning Tuesday’s (Aug. 15) $14,917 division for 3-year-old colt and gelding pace at the Skowhegan State Fair. It was the seventh consecutive victory for the Leighton Property-owned son of Rock N’ Roll World, who also took a new seasonal mark of 1:56.1 in the wire-to-wire triumph.

Luke McGook grabbed his seventh consecutive Maine Sire Stakes victory of the season. Stephanie Gray photo.

Driven by regular pilot Kevin Switzer Jr. and conditioned by the powerful Peggy and Marc Tardif stable, the winner of 15 of 20 lifetime starts cut swift early fractions of :28.4 and :59. At the third panel Switzer let out a notch in 1:27.4 while feeling some pressure from Colt Bennett (Dave Ingraham-David Crochere) and stablemate So Rock N’ Roll (Walter Case Jr.). Despite So Rock N’ Roll posting a :28.1 final quarter he could only get to his rival’s saddle pad as Luke McGook prevailed by a quarter-length. Mattucci (Aaron Hall-Valerie Grondin) was third.

Luke McGook was bred in Maine by Erika Saucier and now has $193,490 in lifetime earnings. He paid $2.60 to win.

The other $14,692 division was won handily by Two Towns Over, before the regular twilight card. Driven by Hall for owner-trainer Grondin, the son of Deuce Seelster cruised unfettered through comfortable fractions of :29.4, 1:00.4 and 1:31 before equaling his own seasonal best of 1:58.1. Twice The Ice (Andy Harrington-Tardif) finished second by three parts of a length and Rockaroundsam (Switzer.-Tardif) was third.

During Monday’s (Aug. 14) card the 3-year-old pacing fillies enjoyed two divisions of Maine-bred action, with Katelyn’s Angel grabbing her fourth win in a row in one $14,459 event. Driven by Switzer for the Tardif Taskforce, the daughter of Western Maverick got every call and opened up by four lengths to score in 1:58.4. Katelyn’s Angel is owned and was bred by the Leightons and now has $93,605 in lifetime earnings. La Mamabacita (Heath Campbell-Grondin) finished second; Justcallmemimi (Case-Mike Graffam) was third.

In a sweep of the sophomore pacing fillies, Team Tardif took the $14,684 division with Pickmepickme, who redeemed her recent activity with a much anticipated victory. Driven by Case, the daughter of Western Maverick was parked to the quarter in :30.1 by South St Dottie (Switzer-Graffam) and took command by the 1:00.4 half. Past the 1:31.2 third panel, the two front-end combatants started to draw off from the rest of the field. Pickmepickme and South St Dottie engaged in a great battle down the stretch, with the former prevailing by three-quarters of a length in 1:59.1. Ally Mac (Hall-Graffam) was third. Owned, trained and bred by Tardif, it was the 11th victory of her career and the third of the season. Pickmepickme paid $6.60 to win and now has $121,535 in lifetime earnings.

Maine Sire Stakes racing resumes at Skowhegan with the 2-year-old filly pacers racing on Friday (Aug. 18) with a wrap up featuring the male freshman pacers on Saturday (Aug. 19).

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