Massachusetts-bred two- and three-year-old trotters and pacers who are eligible to the $2.4 million (est.) Massachusetts Sire Stakes later this year have already gotten underway and are winning at tracks across the northeast.
The list starts with a pair of three-year-old trotters who made a lot of news at two, and are ready to do the same again in their sophomore campaigns.
Branded By Lindy (Chapter Seven-The Lindy Label) became the all-time fastest two-year-old trotting colt ever bred in Massachusetts on the strength of his 1:52 mile at the Red Mile last fall. He also had eight wins in 11 starts and earned $230,650 for his efforts. He won six out of seven Kentucky Sire Stakes and finished third in the $600,000 Breeders Crown. This year he won his qualifier at The Meadowlands on Saturday (May 28) in 1:52.1, which was just a fifth of a second off his lifetime mark, and then, won handily in his three-year-old debut at Vernon Downs in a New York Sire Stake timed in 1:54.2. In his only other start this year, he finished second as the heavy favourite in the $187,500 Empire Breeders Classic at Vernon.
Branded By Lindy (pictured above) spent three weeks at number one in Ken Warkentin’s Road To The Hambletonian ranking and currently sits at number three.
Raised By Lindy (Walner-Birthright) also etched her name in the history books at two, becoming the all-time fastest two-year-old trotting filly ever bred in Massachusetts after winning in 1:51.3 at Lexington last year. A multiple stakes winner, Raised By Lindy finished second by a nose to Joviality S in the $600,000 Breeders Crown and pushed her earnings to $295,243 as a result. In 2022, the filly had a winning qualifier at the Meadowlands in 1:53.4 and followed that up with an overnight win in the Open at Vernon against aged trotters where she won by two and a quarter lengths in 1:54.1. In her most recent start at the Meadowlands on Saturday (June 25), she finished a fast-closing fourth to Molotov Cocktail, timed in 1:52.3 with a last quarter in :26.2, and did beat King Of The North (who finished sixth) who is currently ranked seventh in Warkentin’s Hambo summary.
Raised By Lindy is Hambletonian Oaks eligible and is positioned to be a major player in that stake as well.
All four of last year’s Massachusetts Sire Stake champions have also come back strong this year and are working their way towards repeating in the MASS series that starts on Sunday (Sept. 25).
Three-year-old pacing gelding Striking Impact (Always B Miki-Aunt Caroline) has won four races out of eight starts, all of which were taken at Plainridge Park. He took a new lifetime mark of 1:52.2 on May 5 and is showing the kind of form that won him the $100,000 final last year.
Three-year-old trotting colt Bill Bauer (E L Titan-Miss Flaggy Meadow) has already seen stake action after competing in the $100,000 Bunker Hill Trot at Plainridge and the $15,000 New York Sire Stakes Excelsior at Tioga, but unfortunately made a break in each event. That being said, he also took a new lifetime mark of 1:56.3 in a three and a quarter length overnight romp at Harrah’s Philly.
Three-year-old pacing filly Pembroke Legacy (Baron Biltmore-Pembroke Oasis) has come back as good as she was last year having already won two of three 2022 starts that include two Maine Sire Stakes at Bangor Raceway. She has not yet improved her best speed mark but has been competing solely over half mile tracks so far this year.
Three-year-old trotting filly Tennessee Lindy (Muscle Hill-Nashville Lindy) just started back in June, but has already taken a new mark of 1:57 at Plainridge in her second outing. However, her first stakes action is still in the offing.
Some other Mass-breds who are already stake winners this year include the following.
Three-year-old pacing colt Galactic Storm (American Ideal- Betit To Getit) has won a $15,000 NYSS Excelsior in a lifetime best time of 1:54.1 at Vernon Downs after finishing second the week before in that same series at Saratoga Raceway, timed in 1:53.4.
Three-year-old pacing colt Deal With It Roman (Western Maverick-Deal With Life) has won three out of four starts including two Maine Sire Stakes at Bangor Raceway and has also taken a new lifetime mark of 1:58.3 over the half at Cumberland Raceway.
Three-year-old pacing filly Dudes Sweet Bet (Dudes The Man-Sweet Bettor) has also won two starts in 2022 including one $15,000 NYSS Excelsior with a second and third also in that series. She took a new lifetime mark of 1:53.1 at Vernon Downs, scoring a seven and a quarter length romp in an overnight.
Recent Mass-bred overnight winners include:
For two-year-old pacing colts, Rockaroundsam (Rock N’ Roll World-Swingnsway Sammy K) won in 2:04.1 at Cumberland Raceway
For two-year-old trotting colts, Outlawofthevalley (Pembroke Slugger-Fox Valley Demon) won in 2:11.4 at Cumberland Raceway
Three-year-old pacing colts include Daughtry (Western Maverick-Unknown Artist) in 1:59.1 at Bangor Raceway, Ranaldi (Western Maverick-Fire Can Fly) in 1:58.4 at Bangor Raceway, Treacherous Tom (Captaintreacherous-Kate Is Well Said) in 1:55.1 at Plainridge Park, and Use Yah Blinkah (Western Maverick-Caila Fra) in 1:59.1 at Bangor Raceway.
Of the three-year-old pacing fillies were Adela (Heston Blue Chip-Real Armor) in 1:59 at Cumberland Raceway and Seafood Sapphire (American Ideal-Seafood Annie) in 1:55.3 at Plainridge Park.
Three-year-old trotting colts Stamped By Lindy (Muscle Hill-Born Lindy) in 1:58 at Harrah’s Philadelphia and Warriorofthevalley (Pembroke Slugger-Fox Valley Shannon) in 2:03.2 at Cumberland Raceway.
Three-year-old trotting fillies that secured victories were Origin Story (Walner-Highscore Kemp) in 1:54.4 at Plainridge Park, Just Liv Broadway (E L Titan-Black Broadway) in 1:55.4 at Plainridge Park, and Pembroke Faye (Pembroke Slugger-Pembroke Maiden) in 2:10.4 at Bangor Raceway.
Finally, Mass-breds who have recently won qualifiers include:
Two-year-old pacing colts Luke McGook (Rock N’ Roll World-Madonna Hanover) in 2:04 at Cumberland Raceway and Rooster Bennett (So Surreal-Teddy Ballgirl) in 1:59.1 at Vernon Downs.
Two-year-old pacing fillies Dame (Dudes The Man-Seat By The Window) in 1:57.1 at Scioto Downs, Katelyns Angel (Western Maverick-Avacal Bliss) in 2:02.4 at Cumberland Raceway, Polyester (Dudes The Man-Love You Bye) in 1:57.4 at Vernon Downs, and Seafood Beauty (American Ideal-Seafood Annie) in 1:58.3 at Plainridge Park
Two-year-old trotting colts Bravado (Trixton-Bourbon ‘N Grits) in 2:02 at Vernon Downs, Inter Mischief (International Moni-Blinded By Lindy) in 2:00.4 at Harrah’s Philadelphia, RFLs Jasper (Royalty For Life-Just Like This) in 2:01.3 at Vernon Downs, Te Amo Lindy (Muscle Hill-Lovely Lindy) in 1:59.1 at the Meadowlands, and Yo Lucky Moni (International Moni-Unbelindyble) in 2:00.3 at Hoosier Park.
Two-year-old trotting fillies Backstitch (Muscle Mass-Dancing Coed) in 2:00.3 at Vernon Downs, Get The Picture (Trixton-Royalty Free) in 2:02.3 at Vernon Downs, Laurens Hoopla (E L Titan-Tattoo You) in 2:02 at Vernon Downs
Three-year-old pacing colt Storm Artist (Gaelic Thunder-Art N Sassy) in 2:00.3 at Cumberland Raceway.
Three-year-old trotting fillies Grits N Trix (Trixton-Bourbon ‘N Grits) in 1:57.1 at Vernon Downs and Shesaworkout (Whataworkout-Final Time) in 2:02.2 at Vernon Downs.
Here is the complete 2022 Massachusetts Sire Stake Racing Schedule:
Sunday (Sept. 25) – Three-year-old first leg
Monday (Sept. 26) – Two-year-old first leg
Sunday (Oct. 2) – Three-year-old second leg
Monday (Oct. 3) – Two-year-old second leg
Sunday (Oct. 16) – Two-year-old third leg
Monday (Oct. 17) – Three-year-old third leg
Monday (Oct. 24) – Two- & Three-year-old finals
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)