After following cover for the better part of the mile, the greatly overlooked Swifty Lazar got up in the shadow of the wire at 30-1 to win the featured $19,718 Trackmaster pace at Plainridge Park on Friday, Nov. 7.

Sent postward as the longest shot on the board in the field scratched down to seven, Swifty Lazar and driver Brad Irvine got away last as Rollinwithhottoddy (Fern Paquet Jr.) took the lead at the :27.4 quarter before releasing Beach Watch (/Bruce Ranger), who then strolled to the half in a stodgy :58.1. The slow pace initiated an outer flow led by Wainapedia (Matty Athearn) and had Swifty Lazar following third-over in the breeze.

Positions remained unchanged and in two rows up the backstretch and past three-quarters in 1:26.1 until the seven-eighths when favoured Clearwater Courage (Nick Graffam) tipped three-deep from second-over and Swifty Lazar went four-wide around him for the drive to the line. 

With the entire field strewn across the track, all the horses had a shot and were within two lengths of each other in deep stretch. But Swifty Lazar had the best foot on this day and won by a nose in 1:55.2, sparking a $63.40 win payout. Wainapedia missed by a nose while Domi (Wallace Watson), who was shuffled to last at the half, got up for third over Beach Watch.

Swifty Lazar, a four-year-old gelding by Sweet Lou out of Cam Swifty, is trained and owned by Laura Shock. He earned his fourth win of the season in 21 starts and ninth victory lifetime to push his earnings over $130,000.

Drivers Nick Graffam, Brad Irvine, Bruce Ranger and Kevin Switzer Jr. all had two wins apiece on Friday while 10 different trainers each won one race.

Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday, Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. 

(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)