Lindy On Stage usually races from behind, but a reverse strategy paid big dividends on Monday when an early lead turned into his first victory of the year in the featured $17,500 trotting feature at Plainridge Park. 

Wally Watson chased Lindy On Stage off the gate and to the front, leading the field to the quarter in :27.1. He looked comfortable in control when Bill Bauer (Drew Campbell) pulled from third at the half and bolted to the lead before the five-eighths. But when Campbell crossed over to the pylons, Bill Bauer made a break and just like that, Lindy On Stage was in charge once again. With Dewey Dog (Jim Hardy) following in the garden spot and The World Owes Me (Nick Graffam) alongside him in the breeze, Lindy On Stage opened up a two-length advantage while making his way into the stretch. As they trotted for the line, Dewey Dog did his darnedest to derail the dictator, but Lindy On Stage stayed the course and hung on for the win in 1:55.4. Owned by John and Susan Muldoon, Lindy On Stage ($11.60) turned in a season’s best effort for trainer Lisa Watson. 

Earlier in the $16,000 conditioned trot, Sidd Finch (Drew Campbell) trotted along sixth until the top of the last turn when Campbell tipped him four-wide and ran down Pass Key (Jim Hardy), Billy B (Wally Watson) and Massive Lightning (Nick Graffam) to win by 2-1/4 lengths in a lifetime-best 1:54.2. It was the third win in the last five starts for Sidd Finch ($4.80), who is owned by John Barnard and trained by Irwin Rosenthal. 

The fastest trot of the day occurred in the $15,000 event for six-year-olds and under where Sonnys Moni (Bruce Ranger) pulled from third heading to three-quarters, collared the front-running Harko (Kevin Switzer Jr.) and then jiggy jogged home by an impressive 3-1/2 lengths in 1:54.1 to set a new lifetime mark. It was two in a row for the unbeaten-in-2023 Sonnys Moni ($3.60) and his owner, Moni Maker Stable. Domenico Cecere trains the winner. 

Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Tuesday at 4 p.m. and there will be a $19,935 carryover in the Jackpot Wicked Hi-5 Pentafecta in race six and a $422 carryover in the Pick-6 in race four.

(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)