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Plainville, MA — With perfect fall weather and a lightning-fast track greeting the harness racing contestants at Plainridge Park on Sunday (Oct. 16), stake and track records along with lifetime marks were the order of the day as the third leg of the $2.56 Massachusetts Sire Stakes for 2-year-old eligibles were held.
The trotting fillies were split into two $32,500 races while the remaining three divisions each went one for $65,000 apiece.
The first filly trot went to Milliondollarwall (Walner-Mom’s Millionaire) who claimed her third straight Mass stake win.
Get The Picture (Jay Randall) left from pylon position and set fractions of :29, :58.3 and 1:27.4 while Milliondollarwall (Yannick Gingras) sat in the pocket waiting to pounce, and that happened at the top of the far turn. Milliondollarwall engaged Get The Picture heading into the stretch and had a hard time getting separation from her gutsy rival. But just before the wire, Milliondollarwall finally got the advantage and won by three-quarters of a length in 1:57.2.
It was the fourth win in only five lifetime starts for the heavily favored Milliondollarwall ($2.10) who is owned and bred by Moni Maker Stable. Domenico Cecere trains the winner.
MILLIONDOLLARWALL REPLAY
The second group of trotting girls were bested by Laurens Hoopla (E L Titan-Tattoo You) who won her second consecutive Mass stake.
Nick Graffam went right for the lead from post four with Laurens Hoopla as Pembroke Moni (Yannick Gingras), who also left, dropped into the garden spot. When the race reached the half in :56.3 the top two had gapped from the field with only the Wise One (Bruce Ranger) staying close. Positions remained unchanged until the seven-eighths pole where Gingras pulled Pembroke Moni and tried to overtake Laurens Hoopla. Although she gained ground with every stride, Pembroke Moni could not get past Laurens Hoopla, who hit the line on top by a neck in 1:56.3.
Laurens Hoopla ($4.60) was bred and is owned by Ray Campbell Jr. and is trained by George Ducharme.
Inter Mischief (International Moni-Blinded By Lindy) had a big day winning the trot for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings and broke several records in the process.
Inter Mischief (Kevin Switzer Jr.) took the early lead but yielded it to Yo Lucky Moni (Jimmy Whittemore) past the speedy :27.4 quarter. It was there that the favored Te Amo Lindy (Yannick Gingras) made a break and that changed the complexion of the race. Yo Lucky Moni then backed off the half to :58.4 and headed up the backstretch, seemingly in complete control.
However, in the far turn, Switzer tipped Inter Mischief and got his colt in gear. He got up alongside Yo Lucky Moni and the two trotted together all the way to the wire with Inter Mischief getting the advantage by three-quarters of a length to win in 1:55.4.
The time was a new lifetime mark for the winner, and it also broke the Mass stake and Plainridge track records for 2-year-old trotting colts.
It was the second stakes win for Inter Mischief ($4.80) and owners Frank Chic and Jamie Lee Sullivan, who also trains the record setter. Inter Mischief was bred by K R Breeding.
INTER MISCHIEF REPLAY
The pacing fillies had a field of eight go to post and Dame (Dude’s The Man-Seat By The Window) exerted her muscle to take her second straight victory.
Jimmy Hardy pushed Dame off the gate but Seafood Beauty (Jay Randall) who had pylon position played hardball and would not release the leaver. It wasn’t until past the :27 quarter that Dame took control and crossed over. Once on the was not good enough as Dame paced away to a 3-1/4 length lead down the stretch and won in a new lifetime best tipoint, Dame went to the half in :56.4 and three-quarters in 1:25.3 as Seafood Beauty tried to stay close. But closeme of 1:54.2.
Dame ($3.00) was bred and is owned by Stephen Richard. Jolene Andrews trains the winner.
DAME REPLAY
Finally, it was a full field of nine pacing colts and geldings that lined up with Luke McGook getting up late for a win and a new mark.
Kevin Switzer Jr. put Luke McGook on the point after a battle with Good Will Lindy (Shawn Gray) and then took the field to the quarter in :27.1. However, his stablemate So Rock N’ Roll (Drew Monti) was out and rolling early and took the lead from him in front of the grandstand.
As they headed into the second half, Rooster Bennett (Yannick Gingras) moved first-over from fourth and got within close proximity of So Rock N’ Roll. These two went at it around the last turn while Luke McGook drafted behind, waiting for an opening. That came halfway down the stretch when the pylon lane opened up as So Rock ‘M Roll was fighting off Rooster Bennett. Switzer guided Luke McGook through the gap and shot to the front by one-half length at the light and won in 1:54.1.
The time was a new lifetime mark for the winner and also tied the Plainridge track record for 2-year-old pacing geldings.
It was the eighth win of the year for Luke McGook ($9.80) who is owned by Leighton Properties and trained by Marc Tardif. Erica Saucier bred the winner.
LUKE MCGOOK REPLAY
Switzer was the leading driver on Sunday winning three races during the afternoon.
Live racing resumes at Plainridge Park at 2 p.m. on Monday afternoon (Oct. 17) when the third leg of the $2.56 million Massachusetts Sire Stakes for 3-year-olds gets back on the track. Free full past performance race programs for all live race days can be downloaded by visiting the track’s website here and clicking the “Racing” tab.
For complete race results, click here.
by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts
