Richest-Ever MASS Finals Held

The richest finals ever offered in the Massachusetts Sire Stakes (MASS) were contested at Plainridge Park on Tuesday, Oct. 30 with eight divisions of horses competing for their share of the $800,000 up for grabs.

Highlights of the day include 2017 2-year-old titleholders Delco Dusty and I’m A Clown became two-time champions as they also took sophomore honors, a total of five horses remained undefeated in MASS competition this year, trainers George Ducharme and Domenico Cecere each started two divisional winners and drivers Scott Zeron and Shawn Gray each won two races during the series finals.

The following is a summary of all eight MASS divisional finals.

$100,000 Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly Champion

Delco Dusty (Jeremes Jet-Gypsys Good Girl)

Time: 1:55
Owner: Jesse De Long
Trainer: Jimmy Nickerson
Driver: Shawn Gray
Breeder: Jesse De Long
Mutuel: $5.20

Gonna Hear Me Rohr got away quick and led fellow co-favourites Rock Me Threetimes and Delco Dusty to the quarter in :28.3. It was at that station that Gray pulled Delco Dusty and brushed past Gonna Hear Me Rohr to take the lead by the time the race went into the second turn.

Delco Dusty looked strong on the front rolling past three-quarters in 1:26.1 and at the top of the stretch he held a two-length lead. But Campbell was not done and he started working Gonna Hear Me Rohr hard as she ducked into the pylon lane. Campbell kept rocking while Gray leaned still in the bike as Delco Dusty held on to win by a head in 1:55.

It was the fourth win in the last five starts for Delco Dusty who is showing $111,193 on her card this year.

$100,000 Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt and Gelding Champion

Im A Clown (Im Gorgeous-Lordy Miss Scarlet)

Time: 1:54.4
Owner: Nelson Malin III
Trainer: Kevin Switzer
Driver: Mitchel Cushing
Breeders: KDK Standardbreds and Nelson Malin III
Mutuel: $2.20

Im A Clown was as dominant today as he’s been in the three preliminary legs. After grabbing an easy lead, Cushing held tight lines on Im A Clown as he cut fractions of :27.2, :57 and 1:25.3. At that last station Cushing popped the plugs, gave a little leather slack and Im A Clown exploded into the last turn and opened up four lengths immediately. When he turned for home there was no one to challenge and Im A Clown won by six in 1:54.4.

Im a Clown has now won four in a row, all in MASS competition and has boosted his annual income to $83,391 as a result.

$100,000 Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly Champion

Ithinkthatsmine (RC Royalty-Super Starlet)

Time: 1:58
Owner: Ray Campbell Jr.
Trainer: George Ducharme
Driver: Shawn Gray
Breeder: Ray Campbell Jr.
Mutuel: No betting

Ithinkthatsmine watched as stablemate Bag O Chips took command. She followed along for almost a quarter mile before Gray pulled her to take the lead at that first marker. After getting to the half in :57.4 and the three-quarters in 1:27.4 Ithinkthatsmine was on top by four and cruising. But Gray took his foot off the pedal at the head of the lane and Ithinkthatsmine trotted home handily and two lengths ahead of Bag O Chips in 1:58.

It was the 10th win of the year for Ithinkthatsmine who went four-for-four in the 2018 MASS and now has $162,280 in earnings this year.

$100,000 Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly Champion

Taylor Swiftly (Trixton-True Diva)

Time: 1:58.1
Owner: Lindy Farms of Connecticut
Trainer: Domenico Cecere
Driver: Scott Zeron
Breeder: Lindy Farms of Connecticut
Mutuel: $2.10

Just Enuf Sass left sharply and took the lead as Taylor Swiftly settled in second going into the turn. Sensing the tepid quarter rating, Zeron tipped Taylor Swiftly before hitting the front straight and took over the lead as they passed the grandstand. Taylor Swiftly tended to her business while Just Enuf Sass and Crystalline tracked her from behind second and third. But coming out of the final turn, Just Enuf Sass made a break and Taylor Swiftly strode out to a nine-length advantage and hit the wire the easiest of winners in 1:58.1.

Taylor Swiftly has now earned $151,175 on the strength of five wins this year, two of which came in the MASS races.

$100,000 Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt and Gelding Champion

Simple Kaos (RC Royalty-Ksenia)

Time: 1:58.4
Owners: George Ducharme Stable and Michelle Larson
Trainer: George Ducharme
Driver: Jimmy Whittemore
Breeder: Michelle Larson
Mutuel: $2.20

Simple Kaos floated out fourth while Precision and The Fixer moved for the top. After The Fixer finally took the lead, Whittemore brought Simple Kaos out, brushed to the front and then proceeded to demolish the field. Simple Kaos was on top at the half by five, extended that to seven at the three-quarters and flew down the lane by as many as he wanted to be a wrapped-up winner in 1:58.4.

Simple Kaos has now won four in a row, all in MASS competition and has earned $123,750 as a result.

$100,000 Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt and Gelding Champion

Victorias Maverick (Western Maverick-Perfect Launch)

Time: 1:56.1
Owners: Leighton Property and Bruce Plouffe
Trainer: Valerie Grondin
Driver: Heath Campbell
Breeder: Lynn-Marie Plouffe
Mutuel: $2.60

Victorias Maverick kept the same strategy that has worked so well in his three previous MASS wins and went to the front. After a decent :27.3 first quarter Victorias Maverick didn’t have to work too hard from there, getting to the half in :56.2 and three-quarters in 1:26.2. With Levi following him close the whole mile, Campbell took no chances and chased Victorias Maverick in the lane to keep him interested and responded to win by three in 1:56.1.

Victorias Maverick now has a total six wins this year after sweeping his MASS legs with $133,973 in earnings.

$100,000 Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt and Gelding Champion

Kinda Lucky Lindy (Lucky Chucky-Kinda Crazy Lindy)

Time: 1:57.4
Owner: Lindy Farms of Connecticut
Trainer: Domenico Cecere
Driver: Scott Zeron
Breeder: Lindy Farms of Connecticut
Mutuel: $3.40

Hashtagmadeyalook got the first call in the race but Kinda Lucky Lindy soon took over and put on a clinic when he did. With the whip under his arm and nothing more than a line-drive from there, Zeron sat the passenger while Kinda Lucky Lindy did all the work himself. After cutting fractions of :28.2, :58.2 and 1:28.4, Kinda Lucky Lindy turned for home with the rest of the field unable to keep up. He dug in and opened up a three-length lead under the wire and won in 1:58.4.

It was the fifth win of the year and second in MASS competition for Kinda Lucky Lindy who has now earned $114,284 in purses.

$100,000 Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly Champion

Karans Choice (Sportswriter-Denverlove)

Time: 2:00
Owner: Al Ross
Trainer: Jim Hardy
Driver: Jim Hardy
Breeder: Al Ross
Mutuel: NB

Karans Choice dropped in second behind A Gal Named Harry and was content to sit in tow for the first part of the mile. After getting to the half in :59.3, A Gal Named Harry started to fatigue and Hardy tipped Karans Choice at the five-eighths and rolled to the top. From the three-quarter pole on, Hardy was sitting chilly and line-driving Karans Choice who kept a consistent two-length advantage all the way to the wire where she won in 2:00.

Karans Choice went undefeated in the MASS and now has $124,344 made for the year.

(Plainridge Park)

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