$3 million Massachusetts Sire Stakes starts Monday

Plainville, MA — The Massachusetts Sire Stakes will kick off its four-week harness racing run at Plainridge Park on Monday (Sept. 25) and for the first time in its history, total purses have hit the $3 million mark. Another milestone that was achieved this year was the largest number of eligible horses that entered the first weekend. A total of 74 horses will compete over the first two days, making it the most populated stake draw in the 25 years the series has been held at Plainridge.

There will be eight 3-year-old divisions going on Monday for a total of $320,000 and six 2-year-old groups will start on Tuesday (Sept. 26) for a combined $310,000. Post time for both days is 2 p.m.

Walpole, Massachusetts native trainer George Ducharme has entered a total of 11 horses over the two days including the 2-year-old trotting colt Keep Asking (Chapter Seven– Sensibility), who is a two-time winner on the New York Sire Stake circuit this year, took a new mark of 1:54 at Vernon Downs and has already earned $148,813 in purses. That 1:54 win at Vernon equalled the track record for 2-year-old trotting colts set by Crazy Wow in 2014.

Ducharme also has the promising 2-year-old trotting gelding Foreign Moni (International Moni-Dancing Coed) who is a three-time winner this year coming into the series.

Another Plainridge regular trainer who is well represented is Domenico Cecere who will start five in week one led by the 3-year-old trotting filly The Wise One (Muscle Hill-Grandma’s Moni), who is a five-time winner this year, has a mark of 1:54.1 at Mohegan Sun Pocono and has made multiple stakes starts in New Jersey that have helped her amass $103,125 in earnings to date.

Cecere will also be starting another three-time winner in 2023, the 3-year-old trotting filly Milliondollarwall (Walner-Mom’s Millionaire).

Ron Burke is bringing a formidable 2-year-old tandem to Plainridge this year. The pacing filly Every Man’s Desire (Always B Miki-Lindy’s Nightmare) has been outstanding in Kentucky stakes action all summer, winning four out of seven starts and never finishing off the board. In her last start, Every Man’s Desire just took a new lifetime mark of 1:51.2 in the $50,000 Golden Rod series final on September 19.

Burke also has the pacing colt Rocknroll Lou (Sweet Lou-Beautiful Lady) who has been competing successfully in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, cashing in on three out of four starts.

Erv Miller’s 2-year-old trotting gelding International Law (International Moni-Love N Lindy) won three consecutive Kentucky stake outings before making two consecutive breaks including one in that series $100,000 final. That said, he has earned $45,000 and taken a mark of 1:54 in the process and has stake experience not many of his competitors have coming into this week.

Marc Tardif has entered his dynamic duo of 3-year-old pacing geldings, Luke McGook (Rock N Roll World-Madonna Hanover) and So Rock N Roll (Western Maverick-So So Sweet) who have both been dominating in the Maine Sire Stakes all summer long. Luke McGook has won eight out of 10 starts with two seconds while earning $67,837 and So Rock N Roll has won five out of 10 starts with four seconds and one third, banking $54,606.

Some notable 3-year-old horses to watch on Monday are pacing filly Dame (Dude’s The Man-Seat By The Window) who was the Massachusetts champion last year at two and just won the $225,000 3-year-old final of the New York Sire Stakes at Yonkers on September 9. Dame has won $157,955 this year and has taken a new mark of 1:53 at Scioto Downs over the summer.

Another returning 2-year-old champion looking to defend her title is Pembroke Moni (International Moni-Possessed By Lindy) who won the Landmark Stake at Historic Track in Goshen in July before hitting the Pennsylvania Sire Stake circuit where she drew five checks in five starts. She matched her lifetime best effort of 1:57.3 at Saratoga this year and is a top candidate to dominate her division.

Rooster Bennett (So Surreal-Teddy Ballgirl) was the 2-year-old Massachusetts male pacing champion and has backed up his initial work with a solid 3-year-old campaign. He was a multiple check-getter in the NYSS Excel series before running off three consecutive overnight wins that netted him a new lifetime mark of 1:52.1 at his home track, Plainridge Park.

The pacing colt, Colt Bennett (Rock N Roll World-Unbleachable) has been an ATM on the Maine Sire Stake circuit this year, quietly amassing $55,022 on the strength of hitting the board every start including two wins. However it’s important to note that those two wins came over Luke McGook and So Rock N Roll.

The trotting gelding Yo Lucky Moni (International Moni-Unbelindyble) is another horse that spent his summer in Kentucky stakes and although he hit the board in multiple starts, didn’t get his first win until September 9 in an overnight event at Tioga Downs with a 1:56.4 effort. He has since started and finished second at Plainridge and is ready for this start.

The pacing filly South St. Dottie (Western Maverick-No Shadows) has won eight of her last 10 starts and all in Maine Sire Stakes. She has put away $66,285 as a result of those starts and could be a major player this year.

Here is a look at the complete Massachusetts sire Stake schedule for 2023:

Monday (Sept. 25)
3-year-old First Leg

Tuesday (Sept. 26)
2-year-old First Leg

Monday (Oct. 2)
3-year-old Second Leg

Tuesday (Oct. 3)
2-year-old Second Leg

Monday (Oct. 16)
2-year-old Third Leg

Tuesday (Oct. 17)
3-year-old Third Leg

Tuesday (Oct. 24)
2 and 3-year-old Finals

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts