After taking a one week respite, the Massachusetts Sire Stakes will reconvene at Plainridge Park on Sunday (Oct. 17) and then continue on Monday (Oct. 18) with post time for both days set at 2:00 p.m. Two of the stakes on Monday’s card are non-betting and will be contested at 1:30 p.m. and 1:45 p.m.
Sunday’s races feature four $60,000 divisions of two-year-olds competing in their third leg while Monday’s card also has four $60,000 divisions for three-year-olds. Both age groups will be making their last attempts to reach the $800,000 (est.) finals that will be contested at Plainridge Park on Monday (Oct. 25).
Yannick Gingras will be returning to Massachusetts this weekend to drive in six of the eight legs and is scheduled to steer two-time series three-year-old winners trotting gelding Incommunicado (Chapter Seven-Gran Cavalla), pacing colt Mullinax (American Ideal-Up Front Kellie Jo, pictured below) and trotting filly Moni For Lindy (Credit Winner-Live Moni) who will all try for the MASS hat trick on Monday.
Other horses to watch are up and coming two-year-old stars trotting colt Wallet (Walner-Touch Of Moni), pacing filly Dudes Sweet Bet (Dudes The Man-Sweet Bettor) and trotting filly Grateful Express (Cantab Hall-Tough Girl Lindy) who are all two-time winners as well, looking to sweep on Sunday.
The $480,000 in purses up for grabs this weekend combined with the two weeks already raced for the same value in the books and the $800,000 (est.) finals scheduled for next week make the 2021 Massachusetts Sire Stakes the most lucrative to date. The series has been the reason the amount and quality of Standardbred breeding in Massachusetts has continually increased in recent years, engaging many new connections to invest in the state and help to secure the long-term viability of the sport in the Commonwealth.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)