Plainridge: Han shot first in Massachusetts Sire Stakes

Monday (Sept. 30) was the second day of the $1.8 million (est.) Massachusetts Sire Stakes (MASS) at Plainridge Park, featuring the 2-year-old performers, and that group picked up where their 3-year-old counterparts left off on Sunday (Sept. 29) by breaking records.

Topping the list were Life Is A Feast and Han Solo, who put on brilliant performances in their non-betting events and etched themselves into the Massachusetts record books.

In the $38,500 trot for colts and geldings, Life Is A Feast (Howard Parker) went gate-to-wire uncontested and pulled away in the last half of the race to be the easiest of winners by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:55 4/5.

Life Is A Feast (Royalty For Life-Luau Hanover) not only extended his current win streak to three, he also took a new lifetime mark, set a new MASS stake record, and a new Plainridge Park track record for 2-year-old trotting geldings. Both former marks were 1:56 3/5 set by Hashtagmadeyalook in 2017.

Life Is A Feast is owned by Al Ross and Paul Fontaine and is trained by George Ducharme. Karen Carroll bred the gelding.

Then in the first $22,100 division for pacing colts and geldings, Han Solo (Kevin Switzer Jr.) undertook an identical race strategy by taking the front, leading at every station, and maintaining a 1 1/4 length lead to the wire where he stopped the timer in 1:54 4/5.

Han Solo (Mister Big-Leah) is now on a four-race win streak and with this victory, set a new MASS stake record for 2-year-old pacing colts. He broke the former mark of 1:56 set by Ideal Smile in 2011 and later matched by Twelve in 2017.

Monique Cohen bred, owns, and trains Han Solo.

The next three stake races were on the regular pari-mutuel card, and they returned some healthy payoffs for the betting faithful.

In the second $22,450 division for pacing colts and geldings, the 38-1 Spatterdash (Mike Stevenson) got away sixth while the heavily-favored R Maddy Blue Chip (Gary Mosher) cut all the fractions. Stevenson pulled Spatterdash second-over behind Kevmarvelous (Kevin Switzer Jr.) at the three-quarters, then tipped three-deep into the stretch and barreled down the lane to beat a fast-closing McBeantown (Mitchell Cushing) at the wire in 1:56 3/5.

It was the first lifetime win and mark for Spatterdash ($78.00), who is owned and trained by Ralph Anderson. Anderson also bred Spatterdash (Deuce Seelster-Poster Hanover).

The $41,300 pace for fillies was a full field of nine that I Am Wonder Woman (Wally Watson) took to the half in 56 4/5. Odds On Orlando (Drew Monti) was out and rolling at that point, and she continued to grind around the second turn, up the backstretch, and to the three-quarters where she found welcomed cover from the favored Ry’s Red Rocket (Matty Athearn), who popped the pocket for the advance. Positions remained the same until the top of the stretch where Ry’s Red Rocket opened up a two length lead. However, Odds On Orlando was relentless in pursuit, tracking her down and catching the leader at the wire to win in 1:56 1/5.

It was the first lifetime win and mark for Odds On Orlando ($28.40) who is owned by Odds On Racing and trained by Tony Alagna. Lindy Farms of Connecticut bred Odds On Orlando (Captaintreacherous-Lindys Old Lady).

The only favored winner of the day came in the $39,900 filly trot where Without A Warning (Shawn Gray) got away 10 lengths behind the front-stepping RT’s Warrior (Matty Athearn). She eventually tripped-out a gapped third-over from the half to the three-quarters where the field finally bunched in 1:27 4/5. Gray tipped Without A Warning three-deep into the last turn and proceeded to make up ground. At the head of the lane Without A Warning fanned five-wide and was in full stride, flying down the lane under a hand drive from Gray and passing everyone at the wire in 1:58 4/5.

Without A Warning ($2.20) scored her first lifetime win for owner Ray Campbell Jr. and trainer George Ducharme. Campbell also bred Without A Warning (RC Royalty-Concentration).

After only nine races in the first leg of the MASS this year, three stake and two track records have already been rewritten between the two age groups.

--press release (Plainridge)--