After a game second-place finish in the top class last week, Sweet Hayley Jane A put in a career effort as she won the $34,247 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace at Plainridge Park on Monday, April 27.

As Seaside Tina (Nick Graffam) flew to the front, Ron Cushing was rolling up on the outside with Sweet Hayley Jane A and settled in third passing the quarter. But Sweet Hayley Jane A was back out in the breeze at the half in :55.1 and moved swiftly towards Seaside Tina as they motored up the backstretch.

The two mares matched strides to three-quarters in 1:22.2 and continued into the far turn. With the field beginning to bunch up, the pressure was on, but Sweet Hayley Jane A made her way to the front at the top of the stretch and held off three fast-closing mares to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:51.1, a new lifetime mark. Ambushed (Cory Stratton) took second over Elegant A (Shawn Gray).

Sweet Hayley Jane A, now four-for-12 in 2026, is owned by Ron Cushing in partnership with Kevin Sywyk. Heidi Cushing trains the six-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou-Tacthayleysdelight, who is now 16-for-57 lifetime. The win price was $5.80.

In the $23,288 upper-level conditioned pace for distaffs, Wunderkindbluechip (Mitchell Cushing) sat second behind Twin B Sunkissed (Shawn Gray) through splits of :27.1, :56.1 and 1:23.4 before tipping out on the last turn and motoring to the lead by the top of the stretch. From there, Wunderkindbluechip paced strongly to the line while holding off the rapidly approaching Royally Hot (Kevin Switzer Jr.) to win by a quarter-length in 1:52.2. Beantown Ace (Nick Graffam) was third.

The win was the first of the year in four tries for the heavily favoured Wunderkindbluechip ($2.80), who is owned by Ray Lasky and Mitchell Cushing. The latter also trains the Jk Endofanera-Seen At Rio Deo four-year-old, who is now six-for-41 lifetime.

Mitchell Cushing and Jay Randall each had two winners during the card while 11 different trainers each had one win.

The Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta was hit in the day’s sixth race. The single unique combination of 5-4-2-1-8 returned $11,506.68 for a 20-cent wager.

Racing resumes at Plainridge on Tuesday at 4 p.m. 

(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)