Open pacing mare Take Your Pick and record-setter PA Luke shared the spotlight at Plainridge Park with big performances on the Friday afternoon, Oct. 9 program.

In the featured $35,714 Open Handicap Pace for fillies and mares, Take Your Pick scored her third win in her last four starts with a hard-fought effort.

Take Your Pick and driver Bruce Ranger got away third as Swedish Starlet N (Matty Athearn) struck the front and led to the half in :55.2. As the field moved onto the backstretch, Take Your Pick pulled first-over and advanced to within a half-length of Swedish Starlet N at three-quarters in 1:24.1. The two mares battled around the last turn and into mid-stretch, where Take Your Pick got the advantage and pulled ahead by 1-1/4 lengths while holding off the fast-closing favourite, Acushla Machree N (Mitchell Cushing), to win in 1:51.3. Royally Hot (Michael Oosting) finished third off the pocket trip.

Take Your Pick, a six-year-old JK Endofanera-Intelligence mare, is trained by Enrico Robinson for owner Pollack Racing of Venetia, Pennsylvania.

Ranger also accounted for the other big news of the day when he steered favourite PA Luke to victory in the $27,143 conditioned pace for five-year-olds and under.

PA Luke was parked to the quarter in :26.4 by fellow sophomore pacer D A Lets Dance (Matty Athearn), but soon crossed over and said goodbye to the rest of the field. PA Luke reached the half in :54.4 and three-quarters in 1:22.2 while opening up a two-length advantage. He extended that lead to four around the last turn and when he turned for home, PA Luke swelled up and flew to the line on top by 8-1/4 lengths in 1:49.2, home in :27 flat. The time was a new lifetime mark for PA Luke and also set a new Plainridge track record for three-year-old pacing geldings. D A Lets Dance was second-best and No Guts No Glory (Kevin Switzer Jr.) rounded out the top three.

PA Luke made a successful debut for new connections and improved to five-for-13 on the year. The Papi Rob Hanover-Ravishnmasterpiece gelding is currently trained by John DiStefano and owned by DiStefano And Son Stable of Greenfield, Massachusetts.

Racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. and feature the $112,800 USD W. N. Reynolds Stakes. There will be a $3,239 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the sixth race. 

(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts; photo of Take Your Pick winning on Oct. 9)