The Massachusetts Breeder Stakes began week two at Plainridge Park on Monday (Oct. 5) and featured the two-year-old Standardbred stars bred in Massachusetts. Eight divisions, two for each gender and gait, went postward for a total of $484,000 in purses.  

During the stakes there were four new lifetime marks taken, three horses remained undefeated in the series and several records were set. But the big news came in the first division of male pacers who went postward for $60,000 where Sting Me (Perfect Sting-Gallie On Thebeach) got a perfect trip to victory and entered the record books as a result.

Sting Me (Mitchell Cushing) flew to the front off the gate and reached the quarter in :28.3. But then Bastonata Bluechip (Matt Kakaley) left the pocket in lieu of the lead as the group passed the stands. Bastonata Bluechip got to the half in :56.2 and three-quarters in 1:25 with Sting Me on his back, just waiting to make his move. That move came as they turned for home when Sting Me tipped to the center of the track and ran down Bastonata Bluechip by 2-3/4 lengths and won in 1:52.4, home in :27.3. Coach Crys Finally (Brett Beckwith) got up for the third spot.

The clocking was a new lifetime mark for Sting Me, set a track record for two-year-old pacing geldings and made Sting Me the fastest pacing gelding ever bred in Massachusetts.

Sting Me ($6.00) is owned by Nancy Longobardi of Norfolk, MA, and Domenic Longobardi of Franklin, MA, and trained by George Ducharme. Sting Me was bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock.

The second division of male pacers vied for $60,000 and You Gotta Gogogo (Shadow Play-Primrose) was declared the winner after a disqualification.

You Gotta Gogogo (Mitchell Cushing) took an early lead while seating Atreides (Brett Beckwith) at the quarter in :26.4. But Takes Courage (Matt Kakaley) made a quick trip from third to first before the :54.4. half. The field then bunched up behind Takes Courage in the :30.1 third quarter, with all in contention within three lengths of the leader. But when they turned for home, Takes Courage scooted away to a 2-1/2 length to win in 1:54.1.

However after a judges inquiry, Takes Courage was disqualified for interference at the half and set back to fifth. That moved You Gotta Gogogo up to first place. Atreides was posted second, with Flint McCullough (Matty Athearn) moved up to the third spot.

You Gotta Gogogo ($8.20) is owned by Ya Gotta Love It Stable of Boynton Beach, FL, and trained by Chuck Connor Jr. Blue Chip Bloodstock bred the winner.

The first division of male trotters was a non-betting event that went for $59,429 and Once Upon Lindy (International Moni-Origin Story) made it two in a row in this series.

Pendulum (Matty Athearn) swung to the lead at the quarter in :30 flat, but Once Upon Lindy (Yannick Gingras) tipped early and flew to the front passing the stands. Once on top, Once Upon Lindy reached the half in :59.1 and three-quarters in 1:27.4 before rounding the last turn and romping to the line on top by 13 in 1:57. Pendulum was second, with Lucky Zette (Steve Smith) finishing third.

Once Upon Lindy is owned and bred by K R Breeding of Enfield, CT and trained by Domenico Cecere.

The second group lined up for $42,000 and was won by Sparkling Lindy (International Moni-Lindy Spritz) who also did his work on the front-end.

Sparkling Lindy (Matt Kakaley) reached the front at the :29.1 quarter and then motored to the half in :58.3. Moving up the backstretch, Maxman (Yannick Gingras) pulled from third and pushed the issue to three-quarters, while Two Fifty (Brett Beckwith) drafted in the pocket, third. Positions remained unchanged around the last turn until Sparkling Lindy reached the stretch, where Two Fifty tipped out and was trotting hard. Two Fifty made up some ground, but Sparkling Lindy held his ground and won by 1-1/4 lengths and won in 1:56. Maxman held sway for the third spot.

The clocking was a new lifetime mark for Sparkling Lindy, but also tied him as the fastest two-year-old trotting gelding ever bred in Massachusetts.

Sparkling Lindy ($4.00) is owned and trained by Mahlon Martin of East Earl, PA. Lindy Farms of Connecticut bred the winner.

The first of two filly trotting divisions was next and went for $60,571 where Luxe Lindy (Walner-Decadence) got her first lifetime win.

National Mall (Matt Kakaley) and Beyond The Rules (Michael Oosting) traded leads through the :28.1 quarter while Luxe Lindy (Tyler Miller) sat in third, watching the action. Beyond The Rules then led the field to the half and onto the backstretch where Luxe Lindy pulled first and made her way to the lead on the outside at three-quarters in 1:26.1, in a two-horse breakaway. As Beyond The Rules fought hard to regain her advantage, she made a break in the last turn, leaving Luxe Lindy in front by a large advantage. Luxe Lindy turned for home and ran away by seven lengths in 1:56.2, setting her lifetime mark. Easy Peasy (Yannick Gingras) was second, with Beyond The Rules securing third.

Luxe Lindy ($2.80) is owned by Andy Miller Stable of Cream Ridge, NJ, Jean Goehlen of Franconia, NH, Little E of New York, NY, and Coyote Wynd Farms of Oakville, Ont., and trained by Julie Miller. K R Breeding and Preferred Equine bred Luxe Lindy.

The second $60,571 split was won by Nannys Ce Ce (Muscle Hill-Bomb Hugger) who is now two for two in the stake.

Nannys Ce Ce (Jeff Gregory) got away third as Halo Lindy (Tyler Miller) and Mas Always Right (Yannick Gingras) took turns on the point at the quarter in :29.1 and the half in :58.2. With Mas Always Right in front, the race moved to five-eighths and Nannys Ce Ce tipped from third and trotted to the lead passing three-quarters, before crossing over into the turn. With the competition in her mirror, Nanny's Ce Ce swelled up and bolted home on top by 5-1/4 lengths in 1:56.3, taking a new lifetime mark. Mas Always Right was second, with Wicked Wink (Jimmy Whittemore) finishing third.

The heavily backed Nannys Ce Ce ($2.10) is owned and bred by Jesmeral Stable of New Rochelle, NY, and trained by her driver, Jeff Gregory.

Finally, two divisions of pacing fillies each went for $61,714 and in the first group, Chase News Network (Bettor's Wish-Hidden Land) turned in a hard fought gate to wire effort for the win.

Four horses left three-deep off the gate with Chase News Network (Brett Beckwith) the one who finally took control. Chase News Network then set splits of :27.1, :55.4 and 1:25.1, as Maggie Lynn (Yannick Gingras) had made her way to second in the breeze and was pushing the issue. The top three horses remained tight around the last turn, but Chase News Network still had the edge. When they turned for home, Chase News Network held off Maggie Lynn and Always B Winning (Mitchell Cushing), who was pinned-in on the pylons, to win by one-half length in 1:55.3.

Chase News Network ($4.60) is also owned and bred by Jesmeral Stable and trained by Matty Medeiros.

Then in the second group, Lindy Believer (Captaintreacherous-Believe It's Lindy) scored her second straight MASS win.

There was a lot of early action with multiple lead changes starting with Sweetness Lindy (Mitchell Cushing) who led to the quarter, before Griselda (Nick Graffam) rushed to the top, only to relent to Lindy Believer (Yannick Gingras), who struck the front at the half in :55.2. From there, Lindy Believer paced smartly on the point to three-quarters in 1:24.3, before entering the last turn. After leaving that bend, Lindy Believer straightened for home and paced clear by 3-1/4 lengths and won in 1:53.1. Tall Dark Lindy (Michael Oosting) was second, with Stayoutofmylane (Brett Beckwith) finishing third.

Lindy Believer ($2.40) is owned by Engblom Farm of Wrightstown, NJ, R A W Equine of Burlington, Ont., Evans Nation of Seaford, NY, and Hickory Hollow Stable of Spencerville, IN, and trained by Petter Engblom. Lindy Farms of Connecticut bred Lindy Believer. 

(With files from The Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts; Photo of Sting Me)