Records Fall In Massachusetts Stakes

Jon I Love Dat

Records were rewritten as three-year-olds contested seven divisions of the Massachussetts Breeders Stakes, worth a total of $479,167, at Plainridge Park on Tuesday, Oct. 7. 

My Degenerate set new stakes and track records and became the fastest three-year-old trotting gelding ever bred in the Bay State after going gate-to-wire in the lone $104,167 sophomore male trot division.

Andy Miller sent My Degenerate to the front and rated him to fractions of :27.3, :57.1. and 1:24.3 while stablemate Te Quiero Lindy (Tyler Miller) followed in the pocket. As they made their way through turn three, My Degenerate started to pull away, and when he did, Te Quiero Lindy made a break that took him out of contention. That left My Degenerate loose on the lead in the stretch, where he cruised to a three-length victory under wraps in 1:53.1. Castel Lindy (Yannick Gingras) was second, followed by Moni Man (Brett Beckwith).

The previous stakes, track, and Massachusetts-bred record of 1:53.2 was set last week Te Quiero Lindy, beating the previous state-bred mark of 1:54.2 that was established by Double Dealing in 2020.

My Degenerate ($5.60) is owned by Knutsson Trotting Inc., Little E LLC, Lindy Farms of Connecticut, and Andy Miller Stable Inc. Julie Miller trains the son of Muscle Hill-Decadence, now a five-time winner with $351,323 in earnings from 24 lifetime starts. K R Breeding and Preferred Equine bred My Degenerate.

The card kicked off with the first $62,500 division for male pacers, and Jon I Love Dat set a new stakes record, tied his lifetime mark, and matched Apache Max's 31-year-old record as the fastest Massachusetts-bred three-year-old pacing colt. Jon I Love Dat (Gingras) travelled third as Digging For Gold (Nick Graffam) cut the panels of :26.2, :55.2, and 1:23.1. Jon I Love Dat moved outside on the turn, drew alongside Digging For Gold at the top of the stretch, and then pulled away by 3-3/4 lengths under wraps and won in 1:51. Southpaw (Jimmy Whittemore) got up for second over Digging For Gold.

Jon I Love Dat ($3.20), a defending Massachusetts champion, has now earned $301,241 and won eight times in 24 career starts. Janice Connor trains the Downbytheseaside-Franney Love Dat colt for owner-breeder Robert Lovett.

The day started out with two non-betting stakes events. The first was a $62,500 division for sophomore pacing fillies, in which Beantown Deuce went coast-to-coast in a career performance. She took a quick lead at the start for Matt Kakaley and led a single-file field through splits of :27.4, :56.2, and 1:24.3. As she made her way through the turn, Beantown Deuce began to separate from the field, and she bolted down the stretch to win by seven lengths in a lifetime-best 1:53. Seafood Cc (Gingras) finished second with The Perfume (Kevin Switzer Jr.) third.

Beantown Deuce, a daughter of Huntsville-Dont Think Twice A, is owned by Michael Goldberg Racing LLC, which co-bred the filly with A Harris Racing LLC. The George Ducharme trainee is now seven-for-26 and has earned $248,139.

Global Heritage made her first Massachusetts stakes start of the year a winning one in the pre-card $62,500 split for three-year-old trotting fillies. Driven by Dexter Dunn, she lined up in the pocket behind R Lady W (Matt Kakaley) through splits of :27.1, :56.1, and 1:24.4 in a two-horse breakaway. At the top of the last turn, Dunn tipped Global Heritage, and she eased by R Lady W on the way to a 1-1/4-length victory in 1:53.1. Fourth Warning (Mark Athearn) was well back in third.

Global Heritage, who won a division of the Casual Breeze earlier this season, has now tallied six victories and $169,051 in earnings through 17 lifetime starts. Domenico Cecere trains the International Moni-Birthright filly for owner-breeder Lindy Farms of Connecticut.

Wassail Blue Chip won her second straight stakes start in the $62,500 split for three-year-old pacing fillies. Cindys Faith (Bruce Ranger) set up on the point while Wassail Blue Chip (Gingras) settled in third as they made their way past the quarter in :26.1 and to the half in :55.2. As the fillies entered the backstretch, Gingras pulled Wassail Blue Chip out and had her on top before three-quarters in 1:23.1. Treacherous Idol (Nick Graffam) made a bid as they rounded the far turn, but it had no effect on Wassail Blue Chip, who paced to the wire clear by 3-1/2 lengths in 1:52.3. Moneymakesherhappy (Beckwith) took the place spot over Treacherous Idol.

Wassail Blue Chip ($4.40) is owned by Ervin Miller Stable Inc., Andray Farm, and David Miller. The Courtly Choice-Baccara Hanover filly, bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock, is now five-for-19 lifetime with $148,848 in the bank. She is trained by Alicia Gray.

Next came the second $62,500 split of trotting fillies, in which Tactical Moni made it two wins in a row in Massachusetts. After an early four-horse dash, Bridgeoverbroadway (Mitchell Cushing) took the lead but soon relinquished it to Tactical Moni (Dunn), who pulled from third to take control after a :28.2 first panel. Tactical Moni led to the half in :57.1 and opened up by four lengths to three-quarters in 1:25.2, but Corner Store (Beckwith) was out and advancing and moved herself onto Tactical Moni’s back as they came out of the final turn. In the stretch, Corner Store shifted out to attack, but Tactical Moni was already gone and trotted home on top by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:53.4. Peach Cocktail (Matty Athearn) finished third.

The win was the fourth straight for Tactical Moni ($2.10), who is trained by Cecere for Moni Maker Stable. The homebred daughter of Tactical Landing-All Our Moni has won eight of 11 starts, including her Kentucky Commonweath Series Final, and has banked $205,102.

The next race was the second $62,500 group of pacing colts and geldings, and Rjs Red Devil made a bold backside brush pay big dividends at 11-1. Courageous Warrior (Matty Athearn) and Sweet Lucky Lou (Switzer) battled side-by-side through early fractions of :26.3 and :55.2. As the group approached five-eighths, Matt Kakaley sent Rjs Red Devil out from last, and the gelding blew by the entire field, opening up a four-length lead at three-quarters in 1:23.1. Rjs Red Devil then rounded the turn and flew home to win by four lengths in 1:52. Seafood Neighneigh (Gingras) held second over the closing Mccusker (Beckwith).

Rjs Red Devil ($24), a Travis Alexander trainee, is a homebred for Fiddler's Creek Stables LLC. The son of Huntsville-Ruthie J Killean has won twice in 15 career starts and has earned $108,298.

Drivers Dunn, Gingras and Kakaley, along with trainer Cecere, all had two wins in stake action.

Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 2 p.m., and there will be a $756 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in the sixth race. 

(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts; photo of Jon I Love Dat winning on Oct. 7)

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