Another record was broken in the Massachusetts Breeders Stakes at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 1 and another was tied in the second leg for two-year-olds of both gaits and sexes who lined up behind the gate in seven races that totalled $425,675 in purse money.
The pacing and trotting fillies, along with the pacing colts and geldings, all went in two $54,054 splits due to the number of entries, while trotting colts and geldings competed in one $101,351 dash.
Drivers Brett Beckwith and Marcus Miller were tops in the bike as they both had two winners in stakes competition
The new stakes record was established in the $101,351 trot for colts and geldings where Belmondo (Walner-Love Lockedon) got a perfect trip and struck late in record time.
Belmondo (Marcus Miller) lined up behind Castel Lindy (Yannick Gingras) off the gate and followed his live cover through quarters of :28, :57.2 and 1:26, where My Degenerate (Tyler Miller) made his way to second heading into the last turn. But when they got to the top of the stretch, My Degenerate broke, giving Miller a clear shot with Belmondo, who trotted furiously past Castel Lindy to win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:55.
The time was a lifetime mark for the winner in his first career victory, a new stakes record for a two-year-old male trotter and a new track record for a two-year-old trotting gelding.
Belmondo ($8.40) is owned by the Andy Miller Stable, One Legend Stable and Jean Goehlen, and is trained by Julie Miller. Lindy Farms of Connecticut bred Belmondo.
The stakes record that was tied came in the first division of trotting fillies where R Lady W (Walner-Born Lindy) captured her first lifetime win.
R Lady W (Brett Beckwith) was sitting second at the quarter behind Corner Store (Yannick Gingras) until Corner Store made a break at the three-eighths pole and pulled to the outside. From there, R Lady W opened up a three length advantage and found herself at the half in an easy :59.3 R Lady W picked up the tempo from there by putting together back to back quarters of :28.2 and :28.1 to finish the mile in 1:56.1 for the win.
The time was a new lifetime mark and also tied the stakes record for two-year-old trotting fillies.
R Lady W ($5.40) is leased by M & L of Delaware and trained by Linda Toscano. Lindy Farms of Connecticut also bred R Lady W.
The second division of trotting fillies was won by Riviera Princess (Cantab Hall-Dubai Princess), who turned in the mile of her life.
Yannick Gingras sent Riviera Princess to the point from post six and dominated the field from there. Leading by 1-1/2 lengths the whole way, Riviera Princess stopped the clock in :30.1, 1:00 and 1:29.2 before turning for home and scooting away by six lengths in a :28.1 final panel to win in 1:57.3.
Riviera Princess ($4.40) broke her maiden with a stake victory for owner K R Breeding and trainer Domenico Cecere. Greathorse bred Riviera Princess.
Stellar performances were put in by both divisions of pacing colts and geldings.
In the first, Digging For Gold (Huntsville-Gold Orchid N) got his second straight Massachusetts stakes victory.
Digging For Gold (Nick Graffam) led to the quarter before Jon I Love Dat (Mitchell Cushing) rolled up the outside to take command. Sitting second, Digging For Gold followed the leader to the half in :55.4 and then pulled just before the 1:24.3 three-quarters to take the lead back from Jon I Love Dat in the last turn. In the stretch, Graffam line-drove Digging For Gold to the line on top by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:53.
The victory was the sixth win in only nine starts for Digging for Gold ($3.80), who is owned by his trainer George Ducharme, in partnership with Jim Winske and Dr. Megan Moschgat. Bamq bred the winner.
The second group of freshman pacing males produced a major upset when Mass Transit (American Ideal-Spreckles) closed late to win at 33-1.
Mass Transit (Ron Cushing) got away a distant fifth as Mccusker (Bruce Ranger) blazed a trail to the quarter in :26.3 and the half in :54 on top by four lengths. When Mccusker got to three-quarters in 1:22.2, the field had reeled him in and Seafood Star (Matty Athearn) was pacing alongside as Mass Transit was now only four lengths off in fifth. The field bunched at the top of the stretch and Mass Transit found himself four-wide in the middle of the track and making up ground with every stride. Then just before the line, Mass Transit took the lead by three-quarters of a length and won in 1:53.3 to set a new career mark.
The victory was the first lifetime win in only his third lifetime start for Mass Transit ($69.60), who is owned by EVM Racing, Stephen Demeter and Team Tritton, and trained by Shane Tritton. The Chesapeake Equine Clinic bred Mass Transit.
There were also two divisions of pacing fillies that went to post.
First, Beantown Deuce (Huntsville-Dont Think Twice) got her second straight stake victory in her best performance to date.
American Lily (Steve Rybka) was leading the way as Beantown Deuce (Brett Beckwith) was covered in second, enjoying the trip. After they reached the half in :57.2, Yannick Gingras pulled Its Crunch Time from third and rocketed to the lead by three-quarters. But just like that, Its Crunch Time made an untimely break, leaving American Lily, Beantown Deuce and a now interested Chasing Dudes (Nick Graffam) just a length apart at the top of the stretch. As they made their way down the stretch, Beantown Deuce did the better work of the three and pulled away to a two length win in 1:54.4, taking a new lifetime mark in the lone non-betting event of the day.
Beantown Deuce is owned by Michael Goldberg Racing, who also bred the filly in conjunction with Andrew Harris Racing.
The second set of filly pacers was bested by Wassail Blue Chip (Courtly Choice-Baccara Hanover) who had control of the race from start to finish.
Marcus Miller had Wassail Blue Chip in front through quarters of :28.4, :59.1 and 1:27.3, where Moneymakesherhappy (Brett Beckwith) who had recovered from an earlier break and was now second on the outside. That challenge lasted to the top of the stretch where Wassail Blue Chip paced away from Moneymakesherhappy while holding off the pocket-sitting Beantown Roberta (Matty Athearn) in deep stretch to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:56.1.
The win was the third win in the last four starts for Wassail Blue Chip ($2.10), who is owned by his trainer Erv Miller, in partnership with Andray Farm and David Miller. Blue Chip Bloodstock bred Wassail Blue Chip.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 2 p.m. and there will be a $1,715 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in race six.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)