The $2.4 million Massachusetts Breeders Stakes returned to Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Oct. 7) with seven events featuring 3-year-old trotters and pacers. The undoubted star of the show was My Degenerate (Muscle Hill-Decadence), who set new stakes and track records and became the fastest 3-year-old trotting gelding ever bred in the Bay State after going gate-to-wire in the lone $75,000 trotting division for colts and geldings, stopping the clock in 1:53 1/5.
Andy Miller sent My Degenerate to the front and set fractions of 27 3/5, 57 1/5 and 1:24 3/5 while stablemate Te Quiero Lindy (Tyler Miller) followed in step. As they made their way through turn three, My Degenerate started to pull away and when he did, Te Quiero Lindy tried to keep up and made a break that took him out of contention. That left My Degenerate loose on the lead in the stretch, where he jogged to the line easily.
My Degenerate ($5.60) is owned by Knutsson Trotting, Little E LLC., Lindy Farms of Connecticut and Andy Miller Stable. K R Breeding and Preferred Equine bred My Degenerate.
The previous stakes and track record of 1:53 1/5 was set just last week by Te Quiero Lindy, and the previous overall Mass-bred speed mark of 1:54 2/5 for a 3-year-old trotting gelding was established by Double Dealing in 2020.
The day started out with two non-betting events. The first was a $45,000 division of pacing fillies that saw Beantown Deuce (Huntsville-Don't Think Twice A) go gate-to-wire in a career performance.
Matt Kakaley took a quick lead at the start and led a single-file field through quarters of 27 4/5, 56 2/5 and 1:24 3/5. As she made her way through the turn, Beantown Deuce began to separate from the field and bolted home in 28 2/5 to win by seven lengths in a lifetime best 1:53.
Beantown Deuce is owned by Michael Goldberg Racing, who also bred the filly, in partnership with Andrew Harris Racing.
► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter
The second pre-card field was a $45,000 split of trotting fillies where Global Heritage (International Moni-Birthright) made her first Massachusetts stake start of the year a winning one.
Global Heritage (Dexter Dunn) lined up second behind R Lady W (Matt Kakaley) through quarters of 27 1/5, 56 1/5 and 1:24 4/5 in a two-horse breakaway. At the top of the last turn, Dunn tipped Global Heritage and eased by R Lady W on the way to the wire, where she won by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:53 1/5.
Global Heritage is owned and was bred by Lindy Farms of Connecticut.
The regular card kicked off with the first $45,000 division of colt and gelding pacers, and Jon I Love Dat (Downbytheseaside-Franney Love Dat) set a new stake record, tied his lifetime mark and tied Apache Max (1994) as the fastest 3-year-old pacing colt ever bred in Massachusetts.
Jon I Love Dat (Yannick Gingras) drafted third behind Digging For Gold (Nick Graffam) through quarters of 26 2/5, 55 2/5 and 1:23 1/5. As the race was in the turn, Gingras tipped Jon I Love Dat, drew alongside Digging For Gold at the top of the stretch and then pulled away by 3 3/4 lengths, while Gingras sat chilly, and won in 1:51.
Jon I Love Dat ($3.20) is owned and was bred by Robert Lovett and is trained by Janice Connor.
The next event was the second $45,000 split of pacing fillies with Wassail Blue Chip (Courtly Choice-Baccara Hanover) winning her second straight stake start.
Cindy's Faith (Bruce Ranger) set up on the point while Wassail Blue Chip (Yannick Gingras) settled in third as they made their way to the half in 55 2/5. As the fillies entered the backstretch, Gingras tipped Wassail Blue Chip and crossed over to the lead before three-quarters. Treacherous Idol (Nick Graffam) made a mild bid as they rounded the far turn, but it had no effect on Wassail Blue Chip, who paced to the wire clear by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:52 3/5.
Wassail Blue Chip ($4.40) is owned by Ervin Miller Stable, Andray Farm and David J. Miller and trained by Alicia Gray. Blue Chip Bloodstock bred Wassail Blue Chip.
Next came the second $45,000 split of trotting fillies where Tactical Moni (Tactical Landing-All Our Moni) made it two in-a-row in Massachusetts.
After an early four-horse dash, Bridgeoverbroadway (Mitchell Cushing) took the first lead, but soon relinquished it to Tactical Moni (Dexter Dunn), who pulled from third to take control. Tactical Moni opened up a gapped advantage on the backstretch, but Corner Store (Brett Beckwith) was out and moving and found herself right on Tactical Moni's back as they came out of the final turn. When they entered the stretch, Corner Store tipped to go, but Tactical Moni was already gone, and trotted home on top by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:53 4/5.
It was the fourth win in-a-row for Tactical Moni ($2.10), who is owned and was bred by Moni Maker Stable and is trained by Domenico Cecere.
The next race was the second split of pacing colts and geldings, and RJs Red Devil (Huntsville-Ruthie J Killeen) made a bold backside brush pay big dividends at 11-1.
Courageous Warrior (Matty Athearn) and Sweet Lucky Lou (Kevin Switzer Jr.) battled side by side through quarters of 27 3/5 and 55 2/5. Then, as the race approached five-eighths, Matt Kakaley tipped RJs Red Devil from last and blew by the entire field, opening up a three length lead at three-quarters. RJs Red Devil then rounded the turn and flew home under tippy-tap urging to win by four lengths in 1:52.
RJs Red Devil ($24.00) is owned and was bred by Fiddler's Creek Stables and is trained by Travis Alexander.
Drivers Dexter Dunn, Yannick Gingras and Matt Kakaley, along with trainer Domenico Cecere, all had two wins in stake action on Tuesday.
--press release (Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)--