The $2.56 million Massachusetts Sire Stakes will be off this weekend after conducting the first two legs of the series in successive weeks. However, eligible horses will reconvene for the third preliminary leg at Plainridge Park on Sunday (Oct. 16) when two-year-old action resumes and Monday (Oct. 17) when the three-year-olds will again line up. The eight $125,000 finals will be held on “Million Dollar Monday” (Oct. 24) at Plainridge Park.
After two weeks of action there are four undefeated horses.
The two-year-old trotting filly Milliondollarwall (Walner-Moms Millionaire) has won convincingly in her two stakes starts while extending her overall winning streak to four races, making her undefeated lifetime. Milliondollarwall, pictured above, is a sister to $1.4 million earner Snow White out of Moms Millionaire, who has produced a list of other stake winners that also includes $500,000 winner Thats All Moni. Moni Maker Stable bred and owns the Domenico Cecere-trained filly that was driven to both stake victories by Yannick Gingras.
Another unbeaten freshman in this series is the pacing gelding Rooster Bennett (So Surreal-Teddy Ballgirl) who too is riding a four-race win streak for trainer George Ducharme. Gingras has twice teamed the Nancy and Domenic Longobardi-bred and owned Rooster Bennett, who is a brother to $500,000 stake winner So Awesome, out of proven stake producer Teddy Ballgirl.
The three-year-old two-time winners include the pacing filly Wolverina (Cheyenne Hollywood-Terri I Fra) who is currently boasting a 10-race winning streak. In her most recent win she beat a full field of nine starters while taking a new lifetime mark of 1:53.2 and pushing her season purse total to $113,032. Mike Graffam bred and owns the Nick Graffam driven Wolverina in partnership with William Arnold.
Second year pacing gelding Treacherous Tom (Captaintreacherous-Kate Is Well Said) is also two-for-two in the stake but should come as no surprise because he has been a win machine all year. So far he has claimed eight victories from 10 starts, all at Plainridge Park, with Bruce Ranger in the bike for trainer Joe Nelson. Bred by Fashion Farms, Treacherous Tom has earned $102,205 to this point this year for owners Tom and Scott Dillon.
After the first 20 races contested in the 2022 Massachusetts Sire Stakes, Yannick Gingras is again the leading driver with nine wins with the leading trainers George Ducharme and Domenico Cecere, tied at the top with three wins apiece.
The entire points and earnings list for all Massachusetts Sire Stake participants is available at the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts website and Facebook page.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)