Plainville, MA —– The $1.4 million (est.) Massachusetts Sire Stakes kicked off its 2020 season at Plainridge Park on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 27) when the 3-year-olds took center stage for their first of three legs. The harness racing track was lightning fast and the performances were as well as three stake records fell right out of the box.
In the $29,000 male pacing division, Wyatt J (American Ideal-Think Pink) drafted third on the rail while R Maddy Blue Chip (Kevin Switzer) and Spatterdash (Mike Stevenson) traded leads before the half. Passing the five-eighths, driver Scott Zeron tipped Wyatt J and marched up the outside towards the leading Spatterdash and paced alongside him around the last turn. At the head of the stretch Wyatt J pulled away to a 1-3/4 length lead and won in 1:52.1.
The time was a new lifetime mark for the winner and a new stake record for a 3-year-old pacing colt.
Wyatt J ($2.20) registered his fifth win in a row for owner Ken Jacobs and trainer Linda Toscano. Lindy Farms of Connecticut bred the winner.
Then in the $28,000 leg for pacing fillies, She’s A Fireball (Western Maverick-Fire Can Fly) got away fourth behind the heavily favored Ry’s Red Rocket (Matty Athearn) before pulling first-over past the half to engage the leader by the three-quarter pole. From there driver Ron Cushing urged She’s A Fireball around the final turn and all the way down the stretch and his filly out-fought a very game Ry’s Red Rocket to win by a neck in 1:54.1.
The time was another new lifetime mark and a new stake record for a 3-year-old pacing filly.
She’s A Fireball ($7.40) scored her second win in her last three starts for owners Ron Cushing and Adams Racing. She’s A Fireball is trained by Heidi Gibbs and was bred by Lucia Les and Kenneth Clairmont.
The trotting fillies went for $29,000 in their first grouping and Without A Warning (RC Royalty-Concentration) put on quite a show. After taking the lead at the quarter, Without A Warning was visited by stablemate Dramatra at the half and the two trotted stride for stride to the three quarters. At that point Without A Warning switched gears and left Dramatra in her dust. She spun off the far turn and opened up a six length gap at the wire to win in 1:54.2.
As in the previous two races, the time was a new lifetime mark for the winner and a new stake record for a 3-year-old trotting filly.
Without A Warning ($2.40) gave Zeron his second win of the day and now has three wins this year for owner/breeder Ray Campbell Jr. George Ducharme trains the winner.
Owner/breeder Campbell and trainer Ducharme also had the winner of the $28,000 male trotting division, Double Dealing, who left from post one led the entire race by 1-1/4 lengths before turning for home and stretching out to a four length advantage at the beam in 1:56.1.
Double Dealing ($6.20) now has five wins on the year for his connections. Shawn Gray drove the winner.
The Massachusetts Sire Stakes continue at Plainridge Park on Monday (Sept. 28) at 2 p.m. when four divisions of 2-year-olds will vie for $114,000 in purses.