The third leg of the $1.8 million Massachusetts Sire Stakes for three-year-old competitors was conducted at Plainridge Park on Monday and all four divisional winners were charted gate to wire winners.
Three of the four races were non-betting and held prior to the track’s regular post time.
In the $38,500 trot for three-year-old colts and geldings, Simple Kaos (RC Royalty-Ksenia) grabbed the lead by the :28.3 quarter and settled on the pylons by a gapped margin. After hitting the half in :57.4 and three-quarters in 1:27, driver Jimmy Whittemore guided Simple Kaos home in :28.3 and won by three-lengths in 1:55.3.
Simple Kaos remained perfect in the MASS, winning his third straight event and now showing $76,070 earned for owners the George Ducharme Stable and Michelle Larson. Ducharme trains Simple Kaos and Larson was the breeder.
The $38,700 pace for three-year-old fillies was no contest as Karans Choice (Sportswriter-Denverlove) took command at the start and never looked back. Jim Hardy had Karans Choice on top by a comfortable 2-1/2 length lead at three-quarters in 1:26.3, extended that to five-lengths at the top of the stretch and then blew it wide open at the wire, winning by 11 lengths in 1:55.4.
It was the third straight MASS win and seventh tally overall in 2019 for Karans Choice who boosted her earnings to $79,624 for owner/breeder Al Ross. Jim Hardy also trains the winner.
The $37,800 filly trot provided somewhat of a surprise as Mother Teresa (Father Patrick-Highscore Kemp) grabbed the lead and kept everyone seated through fractions of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:26.4 before turning for home and turning back the winner of the first two legs and current stake record holder, Crystalline (Shawn Gray), to win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:56.
It was the first win of the year for Mother Teresa and it increased her earnings to $46,173 as a result. K R Breeding bred and owns Mother Teresa and Domenico Cecere trains the filly.
The most competitive race of the day was the $39,900 three-year-old colt and gelding pace where Levi (Pet Rock-Beam Of Joy) overcame constant pressure during the mile to win in a display of intestinal fortitude and heart.
Levi (Scott Renz) took the lead but had Good Heavens (Ivan Davies) at his side by the quarter, pushing the pace in :27.2. The two paced side by side past the half and to the five-eighths pole where CBF Bantam (Shawn Gray) tipped three-wide and by the three-quarters, and took over for the fading Good Heavens. Now being pushed again, Levi momentarily gave way at the head of the stretch where CBF Bantam took a short lead. But Levi swelled up and came back strong under animated urging from Renz to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:54.3.
It was the first MASS win for Levi ($7.20) who now boasts $62,979 in earnings this year for owner/breeder Stephen Richard.
With all the preliminary legs in the books for both two- and three-year-old eligibles, the $800,000 (est.) Massachusetts Sire Stake finals are next and will be held on Sunday (Oct. 28) at Plainridge Park. For updated points and information heading into those finals, please log onto the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts website at www.sominc.net.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)