Bangor, ME — Another two full fields of eight 3-year-old male pacers highlight the second round of Maine Sire Stakes action at Bangor 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 first division winner Colt Bennett (Bruce Ranger/David Crochere, post  two, 5-2) facing Tardif’s star pupil Luke McGook (Kevin Switzer Jr.). Fresh off his 3,000th career victory at Cumberland last Saturday, Switzer drives the 7-5 favorite from post position five.

Luke McGook and driver Kevin Switzer Jr. took the faster of two $15,376 Maine Sire Stakes divisions for 3-year-old pacing colts last Wednesday at Bangor. Shelley Gilpatrick photo.

Winner of the fastest of two divisions last week, the son of 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 entrymate is Rockaroundsam (Dan Deslandes, post eight).

A Tardif-owned race entry is comprised of Twice The Ice (Andy Harrington, post one) and Anithingforyoudear (Walter Case Jr., post six) who are listed as 2-1 on the early morning line. The former makes his first start of the year, while 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., post one) and Someones Hero (Andy Harrington, post two). 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 (Aaron Hall) has been installed as the 3-2 favorite and scores from post position three. Beaten just a neck last week by Colt Bennett, he is trained by Valerie Grondin. The son of Deuce Seelster earned $80,374 last year, which included a victory in the Maine Sire Stakes championship 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 p.m. 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 our new website: www.mainesirestakes.com.