Plainridge Park played host to the $1.2 million Massachusetts Breeders Stake finals on Thursday (Oct. 30) where eight $150,000 divisions of the best state-bred trotters and pacers went postward on an afternoon that featured inclement weather and an off-track. Despite those conditions, several big miles were thrown as the eight champions were crowned.
Highlights of the afternoon included four new lifetime marks, a driving triple by Dexter Dunn, training doubles by Domenico Cecere and George Ducharme and three of the four pacing champions were sired by Huntsville, including a 24-1 upset winner in the glamour division nightcap.
Here is a complete recap of the day's stakes action.
Massachusetts Breeders Stake 2-year-old filly trot
Champion - Lindy In My Dreams (Ready For Moni-Lindy Of My Dreams) 1:54 4/5, $3.80
Driver-Dexter Dunn
Trainer-Domenico Cecere
Owner-Lindy Farms of Connecticut
Breeder-Lindy Farms of Connecticut
Lindy In My Dreams led to the quarter, where Cash Out Express (Matt Kakaley) was on the outside to overtake the top spot as they headed in front of the stands. Cash Out Express got to the half in 57 seconds when Fairytale Moni (Nick Graffam) had pulled first-over and was nearing the leader. Cash Out Express continued to call the shots while holding Fairytale Moni at bay, and Lindy In My Dreams benefited from the cover. Positions remained unchanged around the far turn, but when they entered the stretch, Dunn found room at the pegs for Lindy In My Dreams, the filly shot right through and won by a quarter of a length in 1:54 4/5.
Massachusetts Breeders Stake 3-year-old colt and gelding trot
Champion - My Degenerate (Muscle Hill-Decadence) 1:53 4/5, $4.40
Driver-Andy Miller
Trainer-Julie Miller
Owner-Knutsson Trotting, Little E LLC., Lindy Farms of Connecticut and Andy Miller Stable
Breeder-K R Breeding and Preferred Equine
In a multi-horse scramble for the lead, Moni Man (Brett Beckwith) got there first, but yielded to Te Quiero Lindy (Tyler Miller), who then succumbed to stablemate My Degenerate, and all in a quick 27 1/5 quarter. Once in command, My Degenerate was clearly the best of the bunch as he marched off fractions of 56 1/5 and 1:24 4/5 without any dire challenges. My Degenerate then rounded the last bend and trotted home under a line drive to hold off Moni Man by two lengths for the win in 1:53 4/5, just two-fifths off the stake record.
Massachusetts Breeders Stake 3-year-old filly trot
Champion - Tactical Moni (Tactical Landing-All Our Moni) 1:52 4/5, $2.40
Driver-Dexter Dunn
Trainer-Domenico Cecere
Owner-Moni Maker Stable
Breeder-Moni Maker Stable
Tactical Moni got away third early as Corner Store (Brett Beckwith) overtook Global Heritage (Yannick Gingras) for the lead in a brisk 26 4/5 quarter. But Dunn then immediately moved first-up, took command at three-eighths and never looked back from there. Tactical Moni reached three-quarters in 1:24 1/5 while fighting off a challenge by R Lady W (Matt Kakaley), and then saw another push come from Corner Store at the head of the lane. But nothing fazed Tactical Moni, who drove home under wraps for an easy two-length victory in 1:52 4/5, which was her fourth straight win in Massachusetts and sixth win in-a-row overall.
Massachusetts Breeders Stake 2-year-old colt and gelding trot
Champion - Geologic (Captain Corey-Crystalline) 1:56 1/5 (LTM), $4.40
Driver-Yannick Gingras
Trainer-Paul Kelley
Owner-Paul Kelley Racing, Go For Glory Stable, Matthew Lamont and VIP Internet Stable
Breeder-Ray Campbell Jr.
Mother's Moni (Dexter Dunn) took a quick lead, but made a break rounding the first turn. That left Geologic as commander of fractions, and he dominated the race for the duration. With an eight length lead, Geologic got to the half in 57 2/5 and extended it to 15 lengths at three-quarters in 1:26 3/5. By the top of the stretch, Geologic was long gone and ended up winning by 19 3/4 lengths at the line in a career-best time of 1:56 1/5.
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Massachusetts Breeders Stake 2-year-old filly pace
Champion - Two Twenty Swift (Huntsville-Jag Out) 1:54 2/5, $5.40
Driver-Brett Beckwith
Trainer-Deborah Daguet
Owner-Donald MacRae and Beasty
Breeder-Ross Bonafield
Two Twenty Swift and Perfect Lynn (Yannick Gingras) traded leads before Two Twenty Swift finally took control passing three-eighths. Once on top, Two Twenty Swift reached the half in 56 2/5 and three-quarters in 1:24 3/5 as Perfect Lynn and Vainglorious (Dexter Dunn) jockeyed for position while in chase. At the top of the lane it was all Two Twenty Swift, who left behind her competition and cruised home easily by two lengths in 1:54 2/5.
Massachusetts Breeders Stake 2-year-old colt and gelding pace
Champion - Beantown Dragon (Fear The Dragon-Ace Of Pace) 1:55 2/5 (LTM), $15.40
Driver-Dexter Dunn
Trainer-George Ducharme
Owner-Michael Goldberg Racing
Breeder-Michael Goldberg Racing
Beantown Dragon got away fourth as Manador took the lead passing the 27 4/5 quarter. As the race went by the half in 57 2/5, an outer flow formed, led by Hard To Forget (Matt Kakaley), who was followed by Beantown Dragon. As the bunched group made their way through turn three, Manador continued to lead, but Hard To Forget seemed to stall. That forced Beantown Dragon to tip three-deep as they entered the stretch. Heading down the lane, Manador, Hard To Forget and Beantown Dragon were pacing within a length of each other, but as they reached deep stretch, Beantown Dragon forged ahead in the final steps to win by a nose in a new lifetime mark of 1:55 2/5.
Massachusetts Breeders Stake 3-year-old filly pace - Champion
Beantown Deuce (Huntsville-Don't Think Twice) 1:53 4/5 (LTM), $3.00
Driver-Matt Kakaley
Trainer-George Ducharme
Owner-Michael Goldberg Racing
Breeder-Michael Goldberg Racing
Seafood CC (Jim Hardy) had the lead at the 27 second quarter, but saw Beantown Deuce breeze by from third passing that station to take control. Beantown Deuce then paced strongly on the lead to the half in 56 4/5 and three-quarters in 1:25. When he entered the turn, Beantown Deuce swelled up and started to separate from the field. He had a five length lead at the top of the stretch and extended it to 9 1/2 at the line for his third win in-a-row in a lifetime-best clocking of 1:53 4/5.
Massachusetts Breeders Stake 3-year-old colt and gelding pace
Champion - RJs Red Devil (Huntsville-Ruthie J Killean) 1:51 2/5 (LTM), $51.60
Driver-Matt Kakaley
Trainer-Travia Alexander
Owner-Fiddler's Creek Stables
Breeder-Fiddler's Creek Stables
RJs Red Devil got away fifth as Seafood Star (Jim Hardy), Courageous Warrior (Matty Athearn) and Jon I Love Dat (Yannick Gingras) battled mercilessly in a fast 25 3/5 quarter. Jon I Love Dat finally won that war and reached the half in 54 3/5. At that point, Courageous Warrior pulled for his second try for the front, had a fresh Southpaw (Dexter Dunn) on his back and RJs Red Devil third-over in the breeze drafting behind the action. Positions remained unchanged around the final turn, but as they entered the stretch, Courageous Warrior took the lead from Jon I Love Dat, and then Southpaw passed Courageous Warrior. However, it was 24-1 shotRJs Red Devil who was five-wide in the stretch that ran down Southpaw to win by a 1 1/4 lengths and in a new lifetime mark of 1:51 2/5.
Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Friday (Oct. 31) at 2 p.m. (EDT).
--press release (Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)--