by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Pat Lachance is betting on a son of Bettor’s Delight to make Saturday’s New York Sire Stakes championship for 2-year-old male pacers a joyous event.

Southwind Masimo, trained by Lachance, was his division’s top points earner through the preliminary rounds and will start Saturday’s $225,000 final from post No. 1 at Yonkers Raceway. Lachance will handle the driving, as he has in all but one of the colt’s previous five races.

The race is part of the Night of Champions card at Yonkers, where eight NYSS champions will be crowned. Post time is 7:10 p.m. for the first race.

USTA/Ken Weingartner photo

Pat Lachance will start Southwind Masimo in the NYSS final for 2-year-old male pacers.

Southwind Masimo, owned by Hudson Standardbred Stable and Conrad Leber, has won four of five starts — all on the sire stakes circuit — and earned $85,481. He is the 7-2 second choice on the morning line, behind Tom Fanning’s Betting Exchange, who starts from post two and is 3-1.

Betting Exchange, also a son of Bettor’s Delight, has won two of five races and earned $66,125. His victories have come in his two most recent starts, including a 1:51.1 triumph in a sire stakes division on Aug. 30 at Vernon Downs. Only six 2-year-old pacers have won with a faster time so far this season.

“I don’t know who the best one is in there, but there’s a few of them that can go,” Lachance said. “There are some good ones for sure. I think (Southwind Masimo) has got as much of a chance as anybody.

“I’m going to try to get away as close as I can to the front and we’ll see what happens. With a little racing luck we’ll be in good shape, I think.”

Southwind Masimo is the first foal out of the dam Max’s Leading Lady and was purchased for $65,000 at last October’s Lexington Selected Sale. Max’s Leading Lady was a multiple winner on the New York Sire Stakes circuit and second dam Ascending won an Ontario Sire Stakes Super Final and Canadian Breeders Championship.

Lachance has trained two million-dollar-earners by Bettor’s Delight, Forensic Z Tam and Hula’s Z Tam, so that was another prime selling point. Hula’s Z Tam was the 2009 New York Sire Stakes champion for 2-year-old female pacers and Forensic Z Tam was a two-time runner-up to Kenneth J in NYSS finals.

“Bettor’s Delight has been very good to me, so that was the first thing I liked about him,” Lachance said about Southwind Masimo. “He had decent size and his conformation was good. We were just trying to get the best conformation, the best pedigree possible, obviously for what you can afford. He was well put together and we took a shot at him.”

Following the New York Sire Stakes championship, Southwind Masimo is scheduled to head to Lexington’s Red Mile for the Bluegrass and International Stallion stakes. He also is eligible to the Matron and Breeders Crown.

“We’d like to go on and give him a chance,” Lachance said. “He’s always showed ability and racing in New York is as good as anywhere. You’re going to race against Grand Circuit horses Saturday night.

“I think he’ll like a big track,” he added about his colt, who has raced so far only on half-mile and five-eighths-mile ovals. “He certainly can get around a half very well, but I think a big track will really help him. I think he’ll step up. I don’t think it will be a problem at all.”

Lachance’s hopes in the NYSS are not limited to Southwind Masimo. He sends out longshot Sir Sam’s Z Tam in the final for 3-year-old male pacers, starting from post three at 20-1 on the morning line. Ron Burke’s entry of All Bets Off, a multiple stakes-winner, and Forty Five Red is the 4-5 choice.

“We’re shooting for a check,” Lachance said. “He’s had a decent year. He’s not the best one in there, but I hope to hit the board with him.”

For more about Saturday’s Night of Champions, read here.