Plainridge Pace Produces Prize-Winning Pair
The full field of three-year-olds that went postward in the $17,500 feature race at Plainridge Park on Friday, Nov. 17 was so good, it yielded two winners. Better Option (Jay Randall) and the aptly named Finally Friday (Nick Graffam) finished in a dead heat as four horses hit the line in near unison.
Better Option took the early lead before Mach Seelster (Mitchell Cushing) approached on the outside at the quarter and cleared shortly after. The action continued as Gabe Hanover (Brett Beckwith) pulled first-over with Ben Solo (Jim Hardy) following his cover. Finally Friday was third-over in that breeze train that continued to chug forward.
Positions remained the same until halfway through the last turn where Ben Solo went three wide and Finally Friday fanned even wider around him at the top of the stretch. Better Option then found room at the pegs and joined the party as they motored home. From the pylons out it was Better Option, Gabe Hanover, Ben Solo and Finally Friday and they were fairly even and all had a shot. But when they hit the line, Better Option and Finally Friday simultaneously got there first just ahead of Ben Solo and Gabe Hanover in 1:53.
Better Option ($14.20) is owned by Samuel Abdoo and trained by Jaymes Mcassey, and Finally Friday is owned by his trainer Julia Eaton, in partnership with Robert Mc Hugh and Russell Young.
Finally Friday wasn’t Nick Graffam’s only win on Friday. He also scored with Justcallmecasey (1:55, $7) in race four and then blew up the toteboard in the nightcap with Heez Ourperseus N, who captured his first North American win in his 23rd try from post eight in a lifetime-best mile of 1:53.1 to return $117.80 for a $2 win bet.
Another lifetime mark was taken in the top pacing mare event when Pammy Jo (Shawn Gray) made a first-over move at the half before taking the lead from Game Of Shadows (Mitchell Cushing) in the final bend. Pammy Jo then swelled up and bolted home on top by 5-1/4 lengths in 1:51.3 to set her new personal best in the $15,000 contest. Pammy Jo ($5.40) is owned and trained by Alicia Gray.
Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday, Nov. 20 with post time at 1 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)