Plainville, MA — The $2.4 million Massachusetts Breeders Stakes returned to Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Oct. 7) with seven events featuring 3-year-old trotters and pacers. The undoubted star of the show was My Degenerate (Muscle Hill-Decadence), who set new stakes and track records and became the fastest 3-year-old trotting gelding ever bred in the Bay State after going gate-to-wire in the lone $75,000 trotting division for colts and geldings, stopping the clock in 1:53.1.
Andy Miller sent My Degenerate to the front and set fractions of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:24.3 while stablemate Te Quiero Lindy (Tyler Miller) followed in step. As they made their way through turn three, My Degenerate started to pull away, and when he did, Te Quiero Lindy tried to keep up and made a break that took him out of contention. That left My Degenerate loose on the lead in the stretch, where he jogged to the line easily in 1:53.1.
My Degenerate ($5.60) is owned by Knutsson Trotting, Little E, Lindy Farms of Connecticut and Andy Miller Stable.
K R Breeding and Preferred Equine bred My Degenerate.
The previous stakes and track record of 1:53.2 was set just last week by Te Quiero Lindy, and the previous overall Mass-bred speed mark of 1:54.2 for a 3-year-old trotting gelding was established by Double Dealing in 2020.
The day started out with two non-betting events. The first was a $45,000 division for pacing fillies that saw Beantown Deuce (Huntsville-Don’t Think Twice A) go gate-to-wire in a career performance.
Beantown Deuce and Matt Kakaley took a quick lead at the start and led a single-file field through quarters of :27.4, :56.2 and 1:24.3. As she made her way through the turn, Beantown Deuce began to separate from the field, and when she entered the top of the stretch, she bolted home in :28.2 to win by seven lengths in a lifetime best 1:53.
Beantown Deuce is owned by Michael Goldberg Racing, who also bred the filly in partnership with Andrew Harris Racing.
The second pre-card field was a $45,000 split of trotting fillies, where Global Heritage (International Moni-Birthright) made her first Massachusetts stakes start of the year a winning one.
Global Heritage (Dexter Dunn) lined up second behind R Lady W (Kakaley) through quarters of :27.1, :56.1 and 1:24.4 in a two-horse breakaway. At the top of the last turn, Dunn tipped Global Heritage and eased by R Lady W on the way to the wire, where she won by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:53.1.
Global Heritage is owned and bred by Lindy Farms of Connecticut.
The regular card kicked off with the first $45,000 division of colt and gelding pacers, and Jon I Love Dat (Downbytheseaside-Franney Love Dat) set a new stakes record, tied his lifetime mark, and tied Apache Max (1994) as the fastest 3-year-old pacing colt ever bred in Massachusetts.
Jon I Love Dat (Yannick Gingras) drafted third behind Digging For Gold (Nick Graffam) through quarters of :26.2, :55.2 and 1:23.1. As the race was in the turn, Gingras tipped Jon I Love Dat, drew alongside Digging For Gold at the top of the stretch, and then pulled away by 3-3/4 lengths while Gingras sat chilly and won in 1:51.
Jon I Love Dat ($3.20) is owned and bred by Robert Lovett and trained by Janice Connor.
The next event was the second $45,000 split of pacing fillies, with Wassail Blue Chip (Courtly Choice-Baccara Hanover) winning her second straight stakes start.
Cindy’s Faith (Bruce Ranger) set up on the point while Wassail Blue Chip (Gingras) settled in third as they made their way to the half in :55.2. As the fillies entered the backstretch, Gingras tipped Wassail Blue Chip and crossed over to the lead before three-quarters. Treacherous Idol (Nick Graffam) made a mild bid as they rounded the far turn but it had no effect on Wassail Blue Chip, who paced to the wire clear by 3-1/2 lengths in 1:52.3.
Wassail Blue Chip ($4.40) is owned by Ervin Miller Stable, Andray Farm and David J. Miller, and trained by Alicia Gray.
Blue Chip Bloodstock bred Wassail Blue Chip.
Next came the second $45,000 split of trotting fillies, where Tactical Moni (Tactical Landing-All Our Moni) made it two in a row in Massachusetts.
After an early four-horse dash, Bridgeoverbroadway (Mitchell Cushing) took the first lead but soon relinquished it to Tactical Moni (Dunn), who pulled from third to take control. Tactical Moni opened up a gapped advantage on the backstretch, but Corner Store (Brett Beckwith) was out and moving and found herself right on Tactical Moni’s back as they came out of the final turn. When they entered the stretch, Corner Store tipped to go, but Tactical Moni was already gone, and trotted home on top by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:53.4.
It was the fourth win in a row for Tactical Moni ($2.10), who is owned and bred by Moni Maker Stable and trained by Domenico Cecere.
The next race was the second split of pacing colts and geldings, and RJs Red Devil (Huntsville-Ruthie J Killeen) made a bold backside brush pay big dividends at 11-1.
Courageous Warrior (Matty Athearn) and Sweet Lucky Lou (Kevin Switzer Jr.) battled side by side through quarters of :27.3 and :55.2. Then as the race approached five-eighths, Kakaley tipped RJs Red Devil from last and blew by the entire field, opening up a three-length lead at three-quarters. RJs Red Devil then rounded the turn and flew home under tippy-tap urging to win by four lengths in 1:52.
RJs Red Devil ($24.00) is owned and bred by Fiddler’s Creek Stables and trained by Travis Alexander.
Drivers Dunn, Gingras and Kakaley, along with trainer Domenico Cecere, all had two wins in stakes action on Tuesday.
Live racing at Plainridge Park will resume on Thursday (Oct. 9) at 2 p.m., and there will be a $756 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 in the sixth race.
Free full past performance programs and race replays for all live racing days at Plainridge Park can be found at plainridgeparkcasino.com.