Plainridge: Sting Me buzzes in Massachusetts Breeders Stakes

The $3.2 million (est.) Massachusetts Breeder Stakes began week two at Plainridge Park on Monday (Oct. 5) and featured the 2-year-old Standardbred stars bred in Massachusetts. Eight divisions, two for each gender and gait, went postward for a total of $338,800 in purses.

During the stakes there were four new lifetime marks taken, three horses remained undefeated in the series and several records were set. But the big news came in the first division of male pacers, who went postward for $42,000, where Sting Me (Perfect Sting-Gallie On Thebeach) got a perfect trip to victory and entered the record books as a result.

Sting Me (Mitchell Cushing) flew to the front off the gate and reached the quarter in 28 3/5, but then Bastonata Bluechip (Matt Kakaley) left the pocket to take the lead as the group passed the stands. Bastonata Bluechip got to the half in 56 2/5 and three-quarters in 1:25 with Sting Me on his back, just waiting to make his move. That move came as they turned for home when Sting Me tipped to the center of the track and ran down Bastonata Bluechip by 2 3/4 lengths, winning in 1:52 4/5, home in 27 3/5.

The clocking was a new lifetime mark for Sting Me, set a track record for 2-year-old pacing geldings and made Sting Me the fastest pacing gelding ever bred in Massachusetts.

Sting Me ($6.00) is owned by Nancy Longobardi and Domenic Longobardi and trained by George Ducharme. Sting Me was bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock.

The second division of male pacers vied for $42,000, and You Gotta Gogogo (Shadow Play-Primrose) was declared the winner after a disqualification.

You Gotta Gogogo (Mitchell Cushing) took an early lead while seating Atreides (Brett Beckwith) at the quarter in 26 4/5. Takes Courage (Matt Kakaley) then made a quick trip from third to first before the 54 4/5 half. The field then bunched up behind Takes Courage in the 30 1/5 third quarter, with all in contention within three lengths of the leader, but when they turned for home, Takes Courage scooted away to a 2 1/2 length win in 1:54 1/5.

However, after a judges inquiry, Takes Courage was disqualified for interference at the half. That moved You Gotta Gogogo up to first.

You Gotta Gogogo ($8.20) is owned by Ya Gotta Love It Stable and trained by Chuck Connor Jr. Blue Chip Bloodstock bred the winner.

The first division of male trotters was a non-betting event that went for $41,600, and Once Upon Lindy (International Moni-Origin Story) made it two in-a-row in this series.

Pendulum (Matty Athearn) swung to the lead at the quarter in 30 seconds flat, but Once Upon Lindy (Yannick Gingras) tipped early and flew to the front passing the stands. Once on top, Once Upon Lindy reached the half in 59 1/5 and three-quarters in 1:27 4/5 before rounding the last turn and romping to the line on top by 13 lengths in 1:57.

Once Upon Lindy is owned and was bred by K R Breeding and is trained by Domenico Cecere.

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The second group lined up for $42,000 and was won by Sparkling Lindy (International Moni-Lindy Spritz), who also did his work on the front-end.

Sparkling Lindy (Matt Kakaley) reached the front at the 29 1/5 quarter and then motored to the half in 58 3/5. Moving up the backstretch, Maxman (Yannick Gingras) pulled from third and pushed the issue to three-quarters, while Two Fifty (Brett Beckwith) drafted in the pocket, third. Positions remained unchanged around the last turn until Sparkling Lindy reached the stretch, where Two Fifty tipped out and was trotting hard. Two Fifty made up some ground, but Sparkling Lindy held his ground and won by 1 1/4 lengths and won in 1:56.

The clocking was a new lifetime mark for Sparkling Lindy and also tied him as the fastest 2-year-old trotting gelding ever bred in Massachusetts.

Sparkling Lindy ($4.00) is owned and trained by Mahlon Martin. Lindy Farms of Connecticut bred the winner.

The first of two filly trotting tests was next and went for $42,400 where Luxe Lindy (Walner-Decadence) got her first lifetime win.

National Mall (Matt Kakaley) and Beyond The Rules (Michael Oosting) traded leads through the 28 1/5 quarter while Luxe Lindy (Tyler Miller) sat in third, watching the action. Beyond The Rules then led the field to the half and onto the backstretch where Luxe Lindy pulled first and made her way to the lead on the outside at three-quarters in 1:26 1/5, in a two-horse breakaway. As Beyond The Rules fought hard to regain her advantage, she made a break in the last turn, leaving Luxe Lindy in front by a large advantage. Luxe Lindy turned for home and ran away by seven lengths in 1:56 2/5, setting her lifetime mark.

Luxe Lindy ($2.80) is owned by Andy Miller Stable, Jean Goehlen, Little E LLC. and Coyote Wynd Farms and trained by Julie Miller. K R Breeding and Preferred Equine bred Luxe Lindy.

The second $42,400 split was won by Nanny's Ce Ce (Muscle Hill-Bomb Hugger), who is now two-for-two in the stake.

Nanny's Ce Ce (Jeff Gregory) got away third as Halo Lindy (Tyler Miller) and Ma's Always Right (Yannick Gingras) took turns on the point at the quarter in 29 1/5 and the half in 58 2/5. With Ma's Always Right in front, the race moved to five-eighths where Nanny's Ce Ce tipped from third and trotted to the lead passing three-quarters before crossing over into the turn. With the competition in her mirror, Nanny's Ce Ce swelled up and bolted home on top by 5 1/4 lengths in 1:56 3/5, taking a new lifetime mark.

The heavily-backed Nanny's Ce Ce ($2.10) is owned and was bred by Jesmeral Stable and trained by her driver Jeff Gregory.

Finally, two divisions of pacing fillies each went for $43,200, and in the first group, Chase News Network (Bettor's Wish-Hidden Land) turned in a hard-fought gate-to-wire effort for the win.

Four horses left three-deep off the gate with Chase News Network (Brett Beckwith) the one who finally took control. Chase News Network then set splits of 27 1/5, 55 4/5 and 1:25 1/5, as Maggie Lynn (Yannick Gingras) had made her way to second in the breeze and was pushing the issue. The top three horses remained tight around the last turn, but Chase News Network still had the edge. When they turned for home, Chase News Network held off Maggie Lynn and Always B Winning (Mitchell Cushing), who was pinned-in on the pylons, to win by one-half length in 1:55 3/5.

Chase News Network ($4.60) is owned and was bred by Jesmeral Stable and is trained by Matty Medeiros.

Then, in the second group, Lindy Believer (Captaintreacherous-Believe It's Lindy) scored her second straight MASS win.

There was a lot of early action with multiple lead changes, starting with Sweetness Lindy (Mitchell Cushing) who led to the quarter, before Griselda (Nick Graffam) rushed to the top, only to relent to Lindy Believer (Yannick Gingras), who struck the front at the half in 55 2/5. From there, Lindy Believer paced smartly on the point to three-quarters in 1:24 3/5 before entering the last turn. After leaving that bend, Lindy Believer straightened for home and paced clear by 3 1/4 lengths and won in 1:53 1/5.

Lindy Believer ($2.40) is owned by Engblom Farm, R A W Equine, Evans Nation and Hickory Hollow Stable and trained by Petter Engblom. Lindy Farms of Connecticut bred Lindy Believer.

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