Eight championships on the line in $1.32 million showdown

Plainville, MA — Plainridge Park will be hosting the $1.32 million finals of the Massachusetts Breeder Stakes on Thursday (Oct. 29) at 2 p.m. Eight divisions worth $165,000 each will bring together the finest 2 and 3-year-old Standardbreds of both gaits and sexes bred in Massachusetts to decide this year’s champions.

All four 2-year-old champions from last year are back in these finals at three looking for their second crown, while a very tough 2-year-old class is poised to make their mark.  As a group through three weeks of preliminary legs leading up to these finals, this year’s crop has either set or tied 31 personal lifetime marks, seven stake records, six track records and five all-time Massachusetts-bred speed records. These finals are sure to challenge all those performances to date and attempt to re-write those record books once again.

Here’s a look at all the classes competing on Thursday.

3-year-old filly pacers

Two Twenty Swift (Huntsville-Jag Out) was last year’s champion as is a perfect three-for-three coming into the finals this year. Two Twenty Swift also competed in the $300,000 New York Sire Stake finals in September. Vainglorious (Bettor’s Delight-Bronskimackenzie A) has won two legs with Sweet Cindy Lou (Sweet Lou-Firefly) posting one win and two seconds, both of which were behind Two Twenty Swift.

3-year-old male pacers

Hard To Forget (American Ideal-Nota Fool Bluechip), who competed in the $300,000 New York Sire Stake final in September just prior to these stakes, has swept this division with three straight victories while the defending champion, Beantown Dragon (Fear The Dragon-Ace Of Pace), won his first leg this year before finishing third in the last two. Altair Blue Chip (Lazarus N-Lily Sweet Sue) is the only other entrant with a stake win this year and hopes to improve on that.

3-year-old filly trotters

This division has been dominated by Cash Out Express (International Moni-Maliziosa Lindy), who has posted three straight victories. Last year’s champion, Lindy In My Dreams (Ready For Moni-Lindy Of My Dreams), has finished second to her two out of three starts while Adios My Lindy (Walner-Adios Lindy) was also second to her by a close margin in their last outing. Adios My Lindy competed in the $250,000 New Jersey Classic in September, right before the start of these stakes.

3-year-old male trotters

Geologic (Captain Corey-Crystalline) has simply been a monster, winning all three legs while entering himself in the stake, track and all-time speed record books multiple times during those outings. Geologic has already won the Pennsylvania Sire Stake final in September. Mother’s Moni (International Moni-Mother Teresa) has been the runner-up in all three of those races and will look to avenge those losses in the final. Mothers’ Moni won the $100,800 Simcoe Stake in record time and the $50,000 Muscle Hill stake just prior to the start of these stakes.

2-year-old filly pacers

Lindy Believer (Captaintreacherous-Believe Its Lindy) has been peerless in this division by winning three dominant starts and placing herself in all three Massachusetts record books. Griselda (American Ideal-Bronskimackenzie A) entered her name in the record books as well off her big win in week one, while Stayoutofmylane (Stay Hungry-Gold Orchid N) is a two-time winner while finishing third behind Lindy Believer in her third start.

2-year-old male pacers

Bacchus Blue Chip (American Ideal-Sunnynseventyfive) has two stake wins coming in, including his multi-record breaking performance just last week.

He’s already won the $100,000 New York Sire Stake Excelsior final and looks to add another championship here. Right behind him is Sting Me (Perfect Sting-Gallie On Thebeach), whose back to back victories the last two weeks were also record breakers, Takes Courage (American Courage-Norinoro Hanover), who won two legs while also pacing fifth through a disqualification that would have been his third win of the series and Bastonata Bluechip (American Courage-Ascending), who finished second for three straight weeks in his legs. Bastonata Bluechip has already won the $300,000 New York Sire Stake final in September.

2-year-old filly trotters

Luxe Lindy (Walner-Decadence) is a two-time Mass stake winner with one second to Nanny’s Ce Ce (Muscle Hill-Bomb Hugger), who also won two legs while finishing second in a third behind Luxe Lindy. As this rivalry continues, Beyond The Rules (Back Of The Neck-Crystalline) will look to upset off his big win last week.

2-year-old male trotters

Once Upon Lindy (International Moni-Origin Story) has swept this division with three consecutive wins, but Sparkling Lindy (International Moni-Lindy Spritz) and Two Fifty (Walner-Highscore Kemp) each have a win in the series and good draws for this final.

Thursday’s card also features a very large $22,204 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager that is available in race six. If it’s not hit there, it will carryover again to that same wager in race nine on Thursday’s card.

 

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts