The third leg of the Massachusetts Breeders Stake for two-year-olds of both gaits and sexes was held at Plainridge Park on Monday (Oct. 14) and state-bred first year starters competed for a total of $425,675 in purses.
Filly pacers and trotters and colt and gelding pacers went in split divisions due to number of entries worth $40,000 each, while the male trotters went a single $75,000 race.
Driver Scott Zeron had the hot hand on Monday, winning a total of three stake events. Two of his winners were horses trained by George Ducharme, who topped his fellow conditioners for the afternoon.
In the first filly trot, Fourth Warning (Greenshoe-Concentration) took control past the half and never looked back.
Fourth Warning (Mark Athearn) got away fourth while Bridgeoverbroadway (Troy Beyer) had the lead in the first turn before making a break bear the quarter. That left Arianell (Steve Smith) in control and she trotted to the half in 1:00.2. Passing that station, Fourth Warning was out and rolling and she took the lead on the backside heading to three-quarters. Fourth Warning rounded the last turn and then just pulled away in the lane to win by 7-3/4 lengths in 1:59.1.
Fourth Warning ($9.40) is owned and bred by Ray Campbell Jr. and is trained by Gretchen Athearn.
The second group of girls saw R Lady W (Walner-Born Lindy) take her second straight MBS event.
Riviera Princess (Yannick Gingras) and R Lady W (Scott Zeron) lined up one-two off the gate and remained that way through quarters of :29.3, 1:00 and 1:29.3. With the bulk of the rest of the field far behind, the two leading ladies trotted around the last turn and at the head of the stretch, Zeron tipped R Lady W and she went right by Riviera Princess en route to a 5-1/2 length, 1:57.4 victory.
R Lady W ($2.80) is leased by M&L of Delaware and trained by Linda Toscano.
Lindy Farms of Connecticut bred R Lady W.
The filly pacers were next and in round one, Beantown Roberta (Papi Rob Hanover-Ace of Pace) got her first lifetime and stake win.
Beantown Roberta (Matty Athearn) shot right for the lead and set the pace from there. After getting to the quarter in :28.1 and the half in :57.2, Seafood CC (Scott Zeron) pulled from third and approached Beantown Roberta at three-quarters. The two fillies battled around the last turn and down the lane where Beantown Roberta won the war with Seafood CC by a neck in 1:57.1 to set a lifetime mark.
Beantown Roberta ($12.40) is owned and trained by Wil Dubious.
Michael Goldberg Racing bred the winner.
The second division went to Its Crunch Time (Captain Crunch-Meghan Lynn) who also claimed her second stake win.
Wassail Blue Chip (Marcus Miller) brushed to the front, but Its Crunch Time (Yannick Gingras) was rolling on the outside, made her way to the top past the :28.3 quarter and then marched to the half in :58.3. Its Crunch Time opened up two lengths on the backside and sped to three-quarters in 1:27 flat. She then circled the far turn and headed into the stretch where she turned back a challenge from the late closing Beantown Deuce (Brett Beckwith) to win in 1:55.3.
Its Crunch Time ($3.00) is owned by Thomas and Scott Dillon and trained by Ron Burke.
Crawford Farms bred Its Crunch Time.
The male pacers put on quite a show and Digging For Gold (Huntsville-Gold Orchid N) remained undefeated in the MBS this year.
Digging For Gold (Scott Zeron) took the lead and called all the shots during the mile. With Jon I Love Dat (Yannick Gingras) sitting in the pocket, Digging For Gold went :27.3, :58.1 and 1:26.4 with only a mild bid from Southpaw (Jimmy Whittemore) at that last station. Coming off the turn, Digging For Gold was in full flight and didn't allow Jon I Love Dat to gain any ground as he won by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:54.3 for his third straight win.
Digging For Gold ($2.60) is owned by his trainer, George Ducharme, in partnership with Jim Winske and Dr. Megan Moschgat.
Bamq bred the winner.
The second division was won by Mccusker (Cattlewash-Robocall Hanover) who got a perfect trip to victory.
Mccusker (Scott Zeron) got away fourth and watched Seafood Star (Matty Athearn) overtake Sweet Lucky Lou (Bruce Ranger) for the lead passing the :27.2 quarter. Seafood Star continued to pace sharply on the lead to the half and didn't receive any pressure until the backstretch, where Mass Transit (Ron Cushing) made a first-over move, followed by Mccusker as they paced past three-quarters. Positions remained the same around the final bend until Mccusker swung three-wide heading into the stretch and then paced home the best by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:54.
Mccusker ($3.60) is owned and bred by Winters Racing Stable.
Then in the lone trot for colts and geldings, track record holder Belmondo (Walner-Love Lockdown) chalked up his second straight MBS win.
Belmondo (Marcus Miller) got away fourth as Moni Man (Brett Beckwith) and Our Father Lindy (Bruce Ranger) traded leads to the quarter. Once on top, Our Father Lindy got to the half in :58 before all the action started. Castel Lindy (Yannick Gingras) rushed to the front from third, and was followed by Belmondo and Moni Man, who were pursuing on the outside. Positions remained the same until they came out of the turn where Belmondo swelled up and trotted away to a 3-1/2 length win in 1:56.2.
Belmondo ($3.60) is owned by the Andy Miller Stable, One Legend Stable and Jean Goehlen and trained by Julie Miller.
Lindy Farms of Connecticut bred Belmondo.
The finals of the Massachusetts Breeders Stake will be held on Thursday (Oct. 24) at Plainridge Park.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Oct. 15) at 2 p.m. and there will be a $1,460 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in race six. The card will also feature the third leg of the Massachusetts Breeders Stake for three-year-olds.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)