Fresh off a victory in her seasonal debut last week, Black Broadway came off cover to capture the $14,000 Open trotting feature at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon and made history in the process.

When the gate released the seven classy trotters, Waiting On A Woman (Greg Merton) shot right to the front and authored a brisk :26.4 opening panel. With all participants seated only briefly, the outer flow was on the move with Tag Up And Go (Bruce Aldrich, Jr.) coming first, bringing Black Broadway (Ron Cushing) along for the ride to the half in :56.4.

Positions remained status quo until the trotters moved through the last turn. Tag Up And Go cleared Waiting On A Woman and Black Broadway swung three-high around him before the two separated themselves from the field. Down the lane it was Tag Up And Go on the inside holding onto a diminishing lead as Black Broadway was outside gobbling up ground.

Under steady urging from Cushing and seemingly aware of where the line was, Black Broadway got up just in time in the shadow of the wire to win by a nose in 1:54.4.
The time of 1:54.4 was a new track record for both four-year-old and aged trotting mares.

It was the second win in as many starts for Black Broadway ($5.60) this year and it raised her 2017 bank to $12,000. Black Broadway is owned by Robert McHugh and Mike Eaton. Eaton also trains the mare.

Six horsemen and one horsewoman registered multiple wins during Thursday’s card. Kevin Switzer, Jr., Jim Hardy, Bruce Aldrich, Jr., Jimmy Whittemore and Greg Merton all scored driving doubles. On the training side, Jim Hardy also captured two victories along with Dennis Whittemore and Charlene Cushing.

After the first two weeks of racing at Plainridge Park, Bruce Aldrich Jr. leads all drivers with 14 wins, sitting ahead of Greg Merton with 11 and Ron Cushing and Jim Hardy with six apiece. Monique Cohen leads all conditioners with five wins followed by Heidi Gibbs, Dan Gill and Jim Hardy with four each.

Live racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Monday, April 24) with post time at 4 p.m.

(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)