With plenty of speed in front of him, Lovedbythemasses played it cool for driver Tim Tetrick and then exploded home for driver Tim Tetrick to match his career-best clocking of 1:50.2 in the Vincennes Preferred.
Its Academic and Angel Nation battled to the quarter pole in :26 before Its Academic brushed to the top. Once he cleared, he found himself on the hook for middle fractions of :54.4 and 1:23.2. The leader was pressed to the three-quarter pole by the first-over Lovedbythemasses, and that attacker went on to use a closing panel of :27 to deliver the deep stretch knockout punch. Lovedbythemasses drew clear to win by 3-1/4 lengths over Chaptiama. Its Academic held on to finish third.
Trainer Jeff Cullipher co-owns the four-year-old son of Muscle Mass-Incredibility with Pollack Racing LLC of Venetia, PA. The graduate of the Ontario Sires Stakes program, who was sent off at odds of 6-1, now boasts a 6-0-4 record from 20 trips to the track this season. The 16-time winner pushed his lifetime earnings over $300,000 with the win.
The Vincennes Preferred is part of a stakes-packed card of harness racing on Hambletonian Day. Be sure to check out the 2021 Hambletonian Day News Centre for recaps and replays of all the action.