Plainridge: Massachusetts Breeders Stake prelims conclude

The third leg of the Massachusetts Breeders Stake for 3-year-olds of both gaits and sexes was held at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Oct. 15). The trotters and pacers competed for a total of $305,000 in purses.

The team of driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Ron Burke and owners Tom and Scott Dillon led the way as they combined to win two of the five races contested.

The filly pacers went in two divisions worth $40,000 each due to the number of entries. All other groups went a single $75,000 race.

In the first $40,000 filly pace, Every Mans Dream (Always B Miki-Lindy's Nightmare) handily scored her third consecutive MBS win.

Beantown Ace (Nick Graffam) was the leader at the 28 3/5 quarter, but Gingras pulled Every Mans Dream from third in front of the grandstands and took the lead before the 57 3/5 half. From there, Every Mans Dream was in complete control and cruised to a 4 3/4 length victory in 1:53 4/5 in the non-betting event.

Every Mans Dream is owned by the Dillons and trained by Burke. Lindy Farms of Connecticut bred the winner.

The second $40,000 group of pacing fillies saw Real Shady Lady (So Surreal-Eyemajet) capture her first MBS win of the year.

Shawn Gray and Real Shady Lady led from the start and set fractions of 28 3/5 and 59 seconds before Valentine Rose (Matty Athearn) pulled first-over from third to press the issue at three-quarters in 1:28. Valentine Rose matched strides with Real Shady Lady around the last turn and down the stretch, but she could not catch the leader, as Real Shady Lady hung on to a three-quarter length lead to win in 1:56 2/5.

Real Shady Lady ($2.80) is owned, trained and was bred by Alicia Gray.

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The $75,000 division of pacing colts and geldings experienced continued domination by Rocknroll Lou (Sweet Lou-Beautiful Lady), who claimed his third straight stake win at Plainridge.

Gingras took off the gate and sat third with Rocknroll Lou as O'er The Ramparts (Brett Beckwith) set solid fractions of 26 2/5 and 55 2/5 to the half. That's where Rocknroll Lou made his move and cleared the front before the race reached three-quarters. From there, Rocknroll Lou was driven confidently to the line on top by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:51 4/5.

Rocknroll Lou ($2.10) is owned by the Dillons and trained by Burke. Lester Gelardi and Anthony Passafaeo bred Rocknroll Lou.

Next came the trotting fillies, who vied for $75,000, and Treatyofversailles (International Moni-Birthright) backed up her big effort last week with another impressive victory.

Bruce Ranger wasted no time sending Treatyofversailles to the front and called all the shots from there. After stopping the timer in 28 4/5, 58 2/5 and 1:27 1/5, Treatyofversailles turned back challenges from Dawn Of Lindy (Yannick Gingras) and International Gift (Scott Zeron) to win by two lengths over Sassy Zaza (Brett Beckwith) in 1:56.

Treatyofversailles ($2.80) is owned and bred by Lindy Farms of Connecticut and trained by Domenico Cecere.

The final competition of the day was the $75,000 colt and gelding trot where Keep Asking (Chapter Seven-Sensibility) made quick and easy work of the competition.

Scott Zeron and Keep Asking left like a bullet off the gate and set up shop on the point. With International Law (Marcus Miller) positioned perfectly in second, Keep Asking tripped the timer in 28 1/5, 57 4/5 and 1:26 with no opposition from behind. In the final bend, Keep Asking and International Law separated from the field and entered the stretch to settle the score. In the stretch, Keep Asking kept giving and held off International Law by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:54 1/5.

Keep Asking ($2.40) is owned by W.J. Donovan, Joe Sbrocco, Jim Winske and his trainer George Ducharme. Donovan, Winske and Sbrocco also bred Keep Asking.

The finals of the Massachusetts Breeders Stake will be held on Thursday (Oct. 24) at Plainridge Park.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday (Oct. 17) at 2 p.m.

--press release (Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)--