The third leg of the Massachusetts Sire Stakes for three-year-olds was held at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Oct. 17) and the races produced a laundry list of headlines including streaking winners and personal and stakes records.
There was only one single class contested for $75,000 as the other three went split divisions for $40,000 each due to the number of entries.
The most impressive performance of the day was put on by Dame (Dudes The Man-Seat By The Window), who won her $40,000 division for pacing mares. She earned her third straight Massachusetts stakes win and put herself in the driver’s seat to become a repeat champion.
Jim Hardy put Dame right on the point in the non-betting event and dominated the entire race. As she set fractions of :26.4, :56 and 1:24, Dame extended her lead at every station. At the top of the stretch, Dame had opened up four lengths and as she paced under wraps to the line, extended it to five while winning in 1:52.2.
The time was a new lifetime mark for Dame and it also tied the Massachusetts Sire Stakes record for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Dame is owned and bred by Stephen Richard and is trained by Jolene Andrews.
The lone $75,000 race was for pacing colts and geldings and Rooster Bennett (So Surreal-Teddy Ballgirl) won his third straight to also remain unbeaten in the Massachusetts stakes this year, making his own strong statement to become a two-time champion. The win was also the first of four for Yannick Gingras during the afternoon as he had a stellar outing in the bike.
Rooster Bennett went right to the front in the second non-betting event and was challenged by So Rock N Roll (Kevin Switzer Jr.) for most of the final half. The two paced in close proximity all the way down the stretch, but Rooster Bennett was the best and won in 1:53.3.
Rooster Bennett is trained by Nancy Longobardi, who partnered with Dominic Longobardi, bred and own the gelding.
Two of Gingras’ next three winners were behind Domenico Cecere-trained trotters, starting with the first $40,000 filly division. Cecere finished the day with three winners coming from his stable.
In the first, The Wise One (Muscle Hill-Grandmas Moni) won her second Massachusetts stakes after following Way Off Broadway (Steve Smith) from third through the first three-quarters of the race. At that station, Pembroke Moni (Scott Zeron) tipped from second and The Wise One followed into the last turn. At the top of the stretch, the top three were almost even across the track with The Wise One having the best foot home to win by one-half length in 1:55.4.
The Wise One ($2.80) is owned and bred by Moni Maker Stable.
Cecere also won the other $40,000 filly trot with Milliondollarwall (Walner-Moms Millionaire) with Bruce Ranger in the bike. Milliondollarwall also went first-over from third and tracked down the leading Laurens Hoopla (Scott Zeron) to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:55.2.
Milliondollarwall ($3.80) is also owned and bred by Moni Maker Stable.
Then Gingras won with Cecere’s International Man (International Moni-Birthright) in a $40,000 division for male trotters. International Man followed Walters Keepsake (Nick Graffam) the entire mile as Inter Mischief (Kevin Switzer Jr.) applied the outside pressure. Heading to the line, International Man was raging with trot but had no room at the pylons. Finally just before the wire, Gingras found a crack and drove his colt right through it to win by a nose over Walters Keepsake in 1:56.1.
International Man ($3) is owned and bred by Lindy Farms of Connecticut.
The second $40,000 colt and gelding trot was won by Bravado (Trixton-Bourbon N Grits), who sat third behind Yo Lucky Moni (Jimmy Whittemore) until he hit the backstretch when he rolled up the outside and continued to gain ground into the final turn. When they straightened for home, Bravado closed out his :28.1 final quarter with a 1-3/4-length win in 1:56.2.
Bravado ($7.20) is trained by George Ducharme for owners Ray Campbell Jr. and Al Ross, who bred the winner.
Gingras' fourth win was in the second $40,000 split for pacing fillies behind the Ron Burke-trained Azariya (Lazarus N-Lainey Deo), who led every step of the way. Azariya set fractions of :27.3, :56.2 and 1:24.3 before turning for home and stretching out to a 1-1/2-length, lifetime best win in 1:53.
Azariya ($4.20) is owned by the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, his driver Gingras and Frank Canzone. Deo Volente Farm bred the winning filly.
The $1.2 million finals of the Massachusetts Sire Stakes will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 24 when eight divisions worth $150,000 each will go postward. Horsepeople are reminded there will be a detention barn for the finals and all horses must be checked into the stable area at Plainridge Park no later than 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 23.
Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Thursday, Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. and there will be a $44,534 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race six.
(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)