Trainer Jeff Cullipher and owner Pollack Racing LLC sent out a trio of winners on the Tuesday, Sept. 2 card at Plainridge Park, including the winners of the co-featured $34,247 Open events.

Talk Curdy To Me, the first winner of the day for the Cullipher/Pollack Racing combo, utilized front-end control to win the Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace. Swedish Starlet N (Matty Athearn) got the early lead before being pocketed by Talk Curdy To Me (Shawn Gray) at the :26.2 quarter. Gray then put the brakes on Talk Curdy To Me, going to the half in :55.4 and forcing Millwood Bliss N (Brett Beckwith) to come first-over, followed by Always Bstunning N (Kevin Switzer Jr.), to three-quarters in 1:24. As the girls spun off the last turn and headed towards the wire, Talk Curdy To Me was under a three-pronged attack by Swedish Starlet N, Millwood Bliss N, and Always Bstunning N, but she powered home in :27.1 to close out the win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:51.1. Swedish Starlet N finished second over Always Bstunning N.

The win pushed Talk Curdy To Me's bankroll to $678,385 and bolstered her record to 18-for-72. She paid $5 to win.

Fearful Intent came from last to upset a stellar field at 9-1 in a thrilling finish in the Open Pace. Fearful Intent (Mitchell Cushing) dropped back to the trailing spot from post eight as Sweet Jeff Ir (Nick Graffam) and Heinikin Bythebay (Switzer) argued for the lead passing the quarter in :26.3. Once Heinikin Bythebay settled on the front, Stonebridge Reef (Brett Beckwith) was at his throat latch, and Vintage Cheddar N (Gray) was second-over and soon to go three-wide at three-quarters in 1:21.4.

As the race passed that third station, Fearful Intent was seventh, but he moved through an opening and made his way to the outside. When they hit the stretch, he came barreling down the middle of the lane and passed the field to win by a head in 1:50.4, nailing Sweet Jeff Ir on the line. Heinikin Bythebay was a game third, beaten a half-length.

Fearful Intent has won four straight races for Cullipher and Pollack Racing, climbing the class ladder in each of his past three. The six-year-old son of Fear The Dragon-Glorious Intent took his 30th lifetime victory in his 100th start while passing a half-million in earnings as his bankroll grew to $503,112. He returned $21.60.

Cullipher and Pollack Racing's other win came in the eighth race with Arden Messi N ($4) in 1:51.4 with Beckwith at the lines. Cullipher, aiming for his third straight 300-win season, has racked up 254 victories to date this year and is winning at a 21 per cent clip. 

Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Thursday at 2 p.m. with a $5,402 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in race six.

(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts; photo of Fearful Intent winning on Sept. 2)