Plainville, MA — There was $330,500 in purse money up for grabs on Tuesday (Oct. 6) at Plainridge Park as the second week of the $3.2 million (est.) Massachusetts Breeders Stakes continued. Tuesday showcased the 3-year-old class of Massachusetts-breds in six divisions, two each per gender for pacers and one each for trotters.
Highlights from the competition include Yannick Gingras winning four of the six stakes, four horses winning for the second straight week, two more lifetime marks being set, and a stakes record-tying mile.
The first group of filly pacers kicked off the afternoon for $42,000, and Vainglorious (Bettor’s Delight-Bronskimackenzie A) got back to her winning ways with an impressive victory.
Ideal Lilly (Shawn Gray) struck the front first and reached the quarter in :28. But Vainglorious (Dexter Dunn) was not content sitting third and bolted to the lead as they passed the stands. Vainglorious then set even fractions of :56.3 to the half and 1:24.2 to three-quarters as Ideal Lilly chased from the pocket and Daisy dudes (Matthew Athearn) closed sharply on the outside into second. Positions remained unchanged around the last turn and into the stretch, where Vainglorious was a wrapped-up winner by 4-1/4 lengths in 1:52.2.
Vainglorious ($2.10) is trained, bred and co-owned by Tahnee Camilleri, in partnership with David Kryway.
Later, the second group of fillies vied for $42,400 with Two Twenty Swift (Huntsville-Jag Out) making a repeat stakes visit to the winner’s circle.
Seafood Treasure (Bruce Ranger) got to the front quickly but was just as quickly challenged by Two Twenty Swift (Gingras) for the lead as they passed the quarter in :27.2. Two Twenty Swift set up shop on top and rationed out the speed from there with back-to-back :28.2 quarters. As the race moved onto the far turn, Sweet Cindy Lou (Corey Callahan) was pressing in the breeze while Seafood Treasure was still following closely in the pocket. When the three horses turned for home, Two Twenty Swift edged away by 1-3/4 lengths and won in 1:51.4, home in :27.3.
Two Twenty Swift ($2.10) is owned by Donald MacRae and Beasty and trained by Debbie Daguet. Ross Bonafield was the winning breeder.
The first set of male pacers lined up for $42,800, and Hard To Forget (American Ideal-Nota Fool Bluechip) made it two straight wins in Massachusetts stakes competition.
Hard To Forget (Gingras) got away fourth as Beantown Dragon (Brett Beckwith) led through splits of :27.3 and :56.1. As the race headed up the backstretch, Hard To Forget tipped out first-over and made his way to the lead as they passed three-quarters. From there, Hard To Forget had a clear lead but had to fend off a late-closing Mr McTygue (Athearn), which he did by 1-1/4 lengths at the line to win in 1:51.4.
Hard To Forget ($2.80) is owned and bred by Fiddler’s Creek Stable and trained by Travis Alexander.
The second group competed for $42,800, with Altair Blue Chip (Lazarus N-Lilly Sweet Sue) scoring in a career-best effort.
Alcatraz Blue Chip (Athearn) shot to the lead and carried the group to the quarter in :27.3. But as they were passing that station, Altair Blue Chip (Dunn) was out and passing Alcatraz Blue Chip in front of the stands, where he took the lead for good. Altair Blue Chip paced sharply to three-quarters as Beantown Miki (Corey Callahan) was challenging from the outside and Alcatraz Blue Chip continued to track from the pocket. As the field came off the turn and headed for home, Alcatraz Blue Chip found room on the pegs and made up ground quickly on the leader, but Altair Blue Chip would not relent and hung on to win by a half length in 1:52.3.
Altair Blue Chip ($2.80) is owned by Michael Miller, trained by Jimmy Whittemore, and bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock.
The last two events of the day were the trots. The fillies lined up first for $81,000, and Cash Out Express (International Moni-Maliziosa Lindy) made it two in a row while taking a new career mark.
Adios My Lindy (Beckwith) led Lindy In My Dreams (Dunn) and Cash Out Express (Gingras) through quarters of :28 and :56.1 before the challenge from Cash Out Express presented itself, as she was out and rolling past the half. Cash Out Express made her way to second in the breeze at three-quarters and then matched strides with Adios My Lindy around the last turn. When they straightened for home, Cash Out Express turned away Adios My Lindy while also holding off the late-closing Lindy In My Dreams to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.2.
Cash Out Express ($3.20) is owned by her trainer, George Ducharme, in partnership with James DeArmond, Jim Winske and Sal Vullo. Lindy Farms of Connecticut bred the winner.
Then, the male trotters entered the track last for $79,500, and Geologic (Captain Corey-Crystalline) tripped out to his second straight Massachusetts stakes win and tied his own stakes record of 1:52.2, which he set last week.
Mother’s Moni (Dunn) got away quickly and watched as Geologic (Gingras) dropped into the garden spot as they rolled past the quarter in a quick :26.4. With Brewster Baker (Brad Irvine) trotting a close third, Mother’s Moni reached the half in :55.3 and then moved onto the backstretch. As the trotters raced to three-quarters, Mother’s Moni and Geologic started to pull away from the field as they posted a :28.3 third panel. Then about halfway through turn three, Geologic angled off the pegs and took dead aim at Mother’s Moni as they were heading towards the stretch. Mother’s Moni and Geologic matched strides down the lane until Geologic pulled ahead by 1-1/4 lengths and won in 1:52.2.
Geologic ($2.40) is owned by his trainer, Paul Kelley, in partnership with Go For Glory Stable, Matthew Lamont and VIP Internet Stable. Ray Campbell Jr. was the winning breeder.
Racing at Plainridge Park will resume on Thursday (Oct. 8) at 2 p.m. Free full-card past performance programs and replays for every card of racing at Plainridge Park are available at plainridgeparkcasino.com.