The $2.5 million (est.) Massachusetts Sire Stakes will kick off its 2023 season at Plainridge Park on Monday, Sept. 25.

The resident mare program that allows foals to have dual eligibility with stakes programs in other states, has grown exponentially with the support of the Massachusetts Race Horse Development Fund and has produced the best performing Standardbreds ever bred in the commonwealth over the long and storied history of the sport there.

A great number of eligible horses have been racing in other stakes programs and overnights in recent weeks in preparation for this fall classic and here is a look at some of this year’s eligible horses, starting with the three-year-old class and last year’s pacing champions:

Dame (F, Dudes The Man-Seat By The Window) just won the $225,000 New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) final at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday, Sept. 9 in a new lifetime best of 1:54.1 over a sloppy track. She had been a very consistent performer in the NYSS all year after scoring one second and two thirds, and only missing one cheque in seven outings. Dame is a lifetime winner of $351,407 in purses.  

Rooster Bennet (G, So Surreal-Teddy Ballgirl) raced lightly in the NYSS Excelsior Series and earned two cheques in two starts before concentrating on overnight events. There, he had considerable success, reeling off three consecutive wins between Saratoga Raceway and Plainridge Park, one of which was a 1:52.1 mile at The Ridge that gave him a new lifetime mark. Rooster Bennett has lifetime earnings of $164,685.

Other three-year-old pacers looking to impress this year are Luke McGook (G, Rock N Roll World-Madonna Hanover), who has seven wins and two seconds in nine starts and has been a force on the Maine Sire Stakes circuit amassing more than $60,000 so far this year.

South St. Dottie (F, Western Maverick-No Shadows) has seven wins in 10 starts, a new lifetime mark of 1:57.2 and has earned just under $59,000 in Maine Sire Stakes action.

So Rock N Roll (G, Western Maverick-So So Sweet) is a perfect nine-for-nine in the money with five wins and $51,000 in purses from Maine Sire Stakes and has a career-best time of 1:57.1.

Katelyns Angel (F, Western Maverick-Avacal Bliss) has five wins and four seconds in her nine Maine Sire Stakes starts for earnings of $51,000. She has a mark of 1:58.2.

Colt Bennett (C, Rock N Roll World-Unbeachable) has also been performing admirably in Maine Sire Stakes with two wins in that series and is 13 out of 17 in the money this year with a mark of 1:54 and $47,700 in earnings.

La Mambacita (F, Western Maverick-Perfect Launch) took a lifetime mark of 1:58 this year and is 11 out of 12 in the money in the Maine Sire Stakes with $39,000 in purses to show for it.

Here is a look at the sophomore trotters, again topped by last year’s champions:

Inter Mischief (C, International Moni-Blinded By Lindy) took a new lifetime mark in his first start out of the box in May when he trotted in 1:54.1 at Harrah’s Philadelphia. Since then he finished second in the Bunker Hill Trot at Plainridge and has cashed in three out of four Pennsylvania Sire Stakes races. Inter Mischief’s scored his last win, timed in 1:54.4, in an overnight at Harrah’s Philadelphia on July 20 before shipping to Kentucky for stakes. Inter Mischief has won $206,421 to date. 

Pembroke Moni (F, International Moni-Possessed By Lindy) was a stakes winner earlier this year when she grabbed the Landmark Stakes at Goshen Historic in July. Since then, she has been competing primarily in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes all summer. In her two wins, she has matched her lifetime best of 1:57.3 but has also been race timed in 1:53.4 at the Meadowlands. Pembroke Moni has earned a total of $185,696 in purses. 

Other three-year-old trotters showing promise include The Wise One (F, Muscle Hill-Grandmas Moni), who won the Delmonico Hanover Stakes at Pocono Downs in a lifetime-best 1:54.1 and has five wins in only eight starts with $103,125 in earnings this year. She has also competed in the New Jersey Classic at the Meadowlands. 

Te Amo Lindy (C, Muscle Hill-Lovely Lindy) only has a few starts this year, but did just take a lifetime mark with his 1:52 win at the Meadowlands on July 28.  

Wallop (G, Walner-Love N Lindy) has four wins this year, including his last two consecutive starts at Northfield Park, and seems to be peaking at the right time.

Walters Keepsake (G, Walner-Alabama Keepsake) has two wins this year, a new lifetime mark of 1:56.1 and has only missed one cheque in 14 outings to date.

Milliondollarwall (F, Walner-Moms Millionaire) has two wins and a new lifetime mark of 1:54.2 in only six 2023 starts.  

Bravado (G, Trixton-Bourbon N Grits) has been racing solely in overnights at Plainridge this year but has earned $34,495 and lowered his lifetime record to 1:55.4.

Yo Lucky Moni (G, International Moni-Unbelindyble) has spent his entire year in Kentucky and has made just under $30,000 in stakes there with his lone win being a 1:56.4 clocking.  

The 2023 class of two-year-olds also has some budding stars eligible this year, with a couple notable standouts:

On the trot, Keep Asking (C, Chapter Seven-Sensibility) has been racing in the New York Sire Stakes all summer earning $148,813, taking a mark of 1:54 and competed in the $225,000 NYSS final at Yonkers.

International Law (G, International Moni-Love N Lindy) has three wins in only four starts and a mark of 1:54 at Lexington, where he is currently competing in stakes action.

The Great CB (F, Devious Man-Herculotte Hanover) was racing in the NYSS Excelsior Series this summer where she got three cheques in three starts and just took a lifetime mark of 1:59 in an impressive win at Pocono in her last start.

Cold Feet (C, Walner-Prenuptual) just won at Vernon Downs in a lifetime best 1:59.3 and has a second and third to go along with it in his only four lifetime starts.  

Foreign Moni (C, International Moni-Dancing Coed) has two wins in five starts and a mark of 2:00.

The pacing ledger is led by Every Mans Dream (F, Always B Miki-Lindys Nightmare), who is already a stakes winner in Pennsylvania and Kentucky and has a lifetime mark of 1:51.3 at Lexington with $33,000 in the bank for her efforts.

Whos Perfect (F, Western Maverick-Perfect Launch) has also been racing successfully in the Maine Sire Stakes with four wins and two seconds in seven starts, producing more than $37,000 in earnings.

Hesjustadelight (G, Western Maverick-Shesjustadelight N) has three wins, three seconds and a third in Maine Sire Stakes action and almost $35,000 on his card to date.  

The Massachusetts Sire Stakes will conduct three preliminary legs and a final. Last year’s series was historic as it was the first time ever that the championship races went for a total combined purse of $1 million. The state-bred stakes schedule for 2023 is as follows:

• Monday, Sept. 25 - Three-year-old first leg
• Tuesday, Sept. 26 - Two-year-old first leg
• Monday, Oct. 2 - Three-year-old second leg
• Tuesday, Oct. 3 - Two-year-old second leg
• Monday, Oct. 16 - Two-year-old third leg
• Tuesday, Oct. 17 - Three-year-old third leg
• Tuesday, Oct. 24 - Two and three-year-old finals

(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)