Ithinkthatsmine, I’m A Clown three-peat in Massachusetts Sire Stakes
October 23, 2018,by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts
Plainville, MA — Weather was a factor as the $163,000 second leg of the Massachusetts Sire Stakes (MASS) for 3-year-olds assembled at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 23). Rain that started after the early non-betting race continued to increase and the track became sloppy after the first race of the card. But conditions did not stop Ithinkthatsmine and I’m A Clown from remaining undefeated in the series this year, nor keep Gonna Hear Me Rohr, Kinda Lucky Lindy and Latent Print from scoring their first 2018 wins in the stake.
$40,400 3-Year-Old Filly Trot
Ithinkthatsmine was a convincing winner in Tuesday’s Massachusetts Sire Stakes preliminary for 3-year-old trotting fillies.
Winner: Ithinkthatsmine (RC Royalty-Super Starlet) 1:58.1
Owner: Ray Campbell Jr.
Trainer: George Ducharme
Breeder: Ray Campbell Jr.
Ithinkthatsmine (Shawn Gray) remained the second-year trotting filly to beat in this series, winning in convincing style once again. Leading at every post, Ithinkthatsmine dictated by open lengths and was clocked in :28.4, :58.1 and 1:27.3 before turning for home and cruising to a five-length win in 1:58.1. Now with 10 wins on the year, Ithinkthatsmine now boasts $112,280 in purses.
$40,100 3-Year-Old Filly Pace
Winner: Gonna Hear Me Rohr (Western Maverick-Heather K) 1:56
Owner: Bradford Veilleux
Trainer: James Dunn
Breeder: Heidi Rohr
Mutuel: $9.00
Gonna Hear Me Rohr (Drew Campbell) took the lead and went to the quarter in :29. Not happy with the pace, Deco Dusty (Shawn Gray) pulled from third and claimed the front before they hit the second turn. Positions remained unchanged until the three-quarter pole, when Rock Me Threetimes (Mitchell Cushing) came storming up the outside to get within a length of the leader as they hit the stretch. But when her bid failed, Delco Dusty faded off the pylons, allowing Gonna Hear Me Rohr a clear path down the lane. Gonna Hear Me Rohr then flew through under heavy urging by Campbell and won in 1:56.
$42,150 3-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot
Winner: Kinda Lucky Lindy (Lucky Chucky-Kinda Crazy Lindy) 1:58.2
Owner: Lindy Farms of Connecticut
Trainer: Domenico Cecere
Breeder: Lindy Farms of Connecticut
Mutuel: $5.00
Long shot Paging Doctor Teo (Sergio Corona) surprisingly left while Kinda Lucky Lindy (Greg Merton) sat second and Hashtagmadeyalook (Shawn Gray) ducked in third. After the leader got to the quarter in :28.4, Hashtagmadeyalook quickly pulled and tried to take command, but got parked to the five-eighths before he actually cleared. When he did, Kinda Lucky Lindy was on his back. Merton pulled Kinda Lucky Lindy and came right at Hashtagmadeyalook as they hit the turn, and from there the two trotted side by side around the turn and into the stretch. But when they straightened out, Kinda Lucky Lindy proved the best as he pulled away to a two-length win in 1:58.2.
$20,175 3-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace (first division)
Tom Melanson photos
I’m A Clown parries an extended bid from Twelve before drawing away to a decisive win in his MASS preliminary.
Winner: I’m A Clown (I’m Gorgeous-Lordy Miss Scarlet) 1:56.3
Owner: Nelson Malin III
Trainer: Kevin Switzer
Breeders: KDK Standardbreds and Nelson Malin III
Mutuel: $2.20
Heavy 1-9 post time favorite I’m A Clown (Mitchell Cushing) left quickly for the lead but had early opposition on the point this week from Twelve (Jim Hardy), who also left and rode shotgun outside the leader to the five-eighths marker. At that station, Cushing fed I’m A Clown some line and the pacer opened up a two-length advantage. As the race went around the last turn, I’m A Clown continued to extend his lead and ended up six lengths in front at the wire under no urging whatsoever in 1:56.3.
$20,175 3-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace (second division)
Winner: Latent Print (Camluck-Affluence) 1:55.4
Owners: Holly Guastalli and Scott Renz
Trainer: Scott Renz
Breeders: John Sears and Holly Guastalli
Mutuel: $14.00
Latent Print (Scott Renz) got away third while Shiplap (Ivan Davies) hustled to the front. With the field in single file through three-quarters of the mile behind the leader, Shiplap got everything his own way. But Renz rolled Latent Print off the pylons heading into the last turn and drew even with the leader at the head of the stretch. The top two tangled when Beantown Elijah (Jimmy Whittemore) joined the fray, and all three were within a length of each other for the drive. However, Latent Print was able to get the advantage at the wire to win by a neck in 1:55.4, which was a new lifetime mark.
The $800,000 finals of the 2018 Massachusetts Sire Stakes will be held at Plainridge Park next Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 30). Eight $100,000 divisions will go postward starting at 2 p.m. and state-bred champions will all be crowned by the end of the day.
For more information on the Massachusetts Sire Stakes, please log on to www.sominc.net.