Plainridge Park will be hosting the finals of the Massachusetts Breeders Stakes on Thursday, Oct. 29.
Eight divisions worth $165,000 USD each will bring together the finest two and three-year-old Standardbreds of both gaits and sexes bred in Massachusetts to decide this year’s champions. First race post time is 2 p.m., with the stakes scheduled as races two through nine.
All four two-year-old champions from last year are back in these finals at three looking for their second crown, while a very tough two-year-old class is poised to make their mark. As a group through three weeks of preliminary legs leading up to these finals, this year’s crop has either set or tied 31 personal lifetime marks, seven stakes records, six track records and five all-time Massachusetts-bred speed records. These finals are sure to challenge all those performances to date and attempt to re-write those record books once again.
Here’s a look at all the classes competing on Thursday:
Three-Year-Old Filly Pacers
Two Twenty Swift (Huntsville-Jag Out) was last year’s champion as is a perfect three-for-three in Massachusetts Breeders Stakes action coming into the finals this year. Two Twenty Swift also competed in the New York Sire Stake final in September. Vainglorious (Bettors Delight-Bronskimackenzie A) has won two legs with Sweet Cindy Lou (Sweet Lou-Firefly) posting one win and two seconds, both of which were behind Two Twenty Swift.
Three-Year-Old Male Pacers
Hard To Forget (American Ideal-Nota Fool Bluechip), who competed in the New York Sire Stake final in September just prior to these stakes, has swept this division with three straight Massachusetts Breeders Stakes victories while the defending champion, Beantown Dragon (Fear The Dragon-Ace Of Pace), won his first leg this year before finishing third in the last two. Altair Blue Chip (Lazarus N-Lily Sweet Sue) is the only other entrant with a stakes win this year and hopes to improve on that.
Three-Year-Old Filly Trotters
This division has been dominated by Cash Out Express (International Moni-Maliziosa Lindy), who has posted three straight Massachusetts Breeders Stakes victories. Last year’s champion, Lindy In My Dreams (Ready For Moni-Lindy Of My Dreams), has finished second to her two out of three starts while Adios My Lindy (Walner-Adios Lindy) was also second to her by a close margin in their last outing. Adios My Lindy competed in the New Jersey Classic in September, right before the start of these stakes.
Three-Year-Old Male Trotters
Geologic (Captain Corey-Crystalline) has simply been a monster, winning all three Massachusetts Breeders Stakes legs while entering himself in the stakes and track record books multiple times during those outings. Geologic has already won the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final in September. Mothers Moni (International Moni-Mother Teresa) has been the runner-up in all three of those Massachusetts races and will look to avenge those losses in the final. Mothers Moni won a division of the Simcoe Stakes in a sophomore gelding track record at Woodbine Mohawk Park and the Muscle Hill Stakes just prior to the start of these stakes.
Two-Year-Old Filly Pacers
Lindy Believer (Captaintreacherous-Believe Its Lindy) has been peerless in this division by winning three dominant starts in the Massachusetts Breeders Stakes and placing herself in all three Massachusetts record books. Griselda (American Ideal-Bronskimackenzie A) entered her name in the record books as well off her big win in week one, while Stayoutofmylane (Stay Hungry-Gold Orchid N) is a two-time winner while finishing third behind Lindy Believer in her third start.
Two-Year-Old Male Pacers
Bacchus Blue Chip (American Ideal-Sunnynseventyfive) has two stakes wins coming in, including his multi-record breaking performance just last week. He’s already won the New York Sire Stakes Excelsior Series final and looks to add another championship here. Right behind him are Sting Me (Perfect Sting-Gallie On Thebeach), whose back-to-back victories the last two weeks were also record breakers; Takes Courage (American Courage-Norinoro Hanover), who won two legs while also placing fifth through a disqualification that would have been his third win of the series; and Bastonata Bluechip (American Courage-Ascending), who finished second for three straight weeks in his Massachusetts legs. Bastonata Bluechip has already won the New York Sire Stakes final in September.
Two-Year-Old Filly Trotters
Luxe Lindy (Walner-Decadence) is a two-time Massachusetts Breeders Stakes winner with one second to Nannys Ce Ce (Muscle Hill-Bomb Hugger), who also won two legs while finishing second in a third behind Luxe Lindy. As this rivalry continues, Beyond The Rules (Back Of The Neck-Crystalline) will look to upset off his big win last week.
Two-Year-Old Male Trotters
Once Upon Lindy (International Moni-Origin Story) has swept this division with three consecutive Massachusetts Breeders Stakes wins, but Sparkling Lindy (International Moni-Lindy Spritz) and Two Fifty (Walner-Highscore Kemp) each have a win in the series and good draws for this final.
Thursday’s card includes a $22,204 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager that is available in race six. If it’s not hit there, it will carryover again to that same wager in race nine on Thursday’s card.
(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts; photo of Geologic winning at Plainridge Park)