Making amends for a runner-up effort last week, Buff moved up in class, put in a game effort and came away with a “W” in the $14,000 winners-over featured trot at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon.

Last week’s winner, Manssive (Ron Cushing), took early command and cut quarters of :27 and :56.2 before Buff (Greg Merton) pulled first-over on the attack. Buff caught the tail of Manssive by the three-quarters in 1:25, but the leader was trotting strong on the front and would not let him get any closer than that around the last turn. But when they hit the stretch Buff drew even and the two trotted together to the wire where Buff put a head in front for the win in 1:54.3.

Buff ($4.00) made his second win of the year his seasonal best effort for owners Bill Reepmeyer LLC, Jackie Rousse Stable LLC, Frank Witz and Jill Witz. Jackie Greene trains the winner.

The Merton and Greene combination also struck in the co-featured $12,000 conditioned trot when Stirling Cadet went gate to wire, holding off a strong finishing Dream Massive (Shawn Gray) to win by a neck in 1:54.3, which was also a seasonal mark. The Kellogg Racing Stable LLC owns the winner.

Merton eventually won three races on the card, besting all his rivals for the day.

The string of colossal win payouts continued at the Ridge on Thursday when Joe Di Stefano left like a rocket from post nine with 44-1 Dial A Chic to take the lead before yielding to 1-5 Battle Mage (Shawn Gray) and settling into a perfect garden spot trip. From there he sat until mid-stretch when Di Stefano pulled him and went right by the leader to win in 1:55.3, which tied his lifetime mark.

Dial A Chic, who is owned by the Di Stefano and Son Stable and is trained by John Di Stefano, returned $90.20 to some very happy bettors.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday with the first Friday card of the season. Post time is 4 p.m.

(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)