They started side by side and they ended up the same way as the photo finish camera couldn't separate them. After one and one-half laps of Plainridge Park, three-year-old fillies Kitty Hoyne and Odds On Algorithm ended up in a dead-heat in the $15,000 distaff conditioned pacing feature on Friday afternoon (October 9).
Kitty Hoyne (Nick Graffam) left from post five and wrangled the lead away from Rockin Ellie (Bruce Ranger) at the quarter while Odds On Algorithm (Shawn Gray) started the race from post six and settled on the pylons fifth, during that same period. Positions remained unchanged until the half when all the fun began.
Odds On Algorithm pulled first-over and made her way towards the leader, drawing within a length at the three-quarters. From there, the two mares displayed sidewheeler synchronicity; pacing stride for stride like a mirror image, around the last turn and into the lane. Graffam and Gray were both rocking and line-driving to the wire but neither Kitty Hoyne or Odds On Algorithm could get the advantage and they hit the wire together in 1:53.1.
It was the second win in the last three starts for Kitty Hoyne ($3.60), her owner Jimmy Whittemore and trainer Marissa Chadbourne, and two straight wins for Odds On Algorithm ($2.20), who is owned by the Green Machine Stable and trainer Alicia Gray.
The secondary feature was a $10,000 fillies and mares event and it went to Age Is A Number (Drew Monti) who led at every station before turning for home and kicking away to a three-length win in 1:54.4. Age Is A Number ($12) is owned by Marc Reynolds and Richard Cortese and is trained by Jimmy Nickerson.
Driver Jim Hardy and trainer Jolene Andrews teamed up to win three races on Friday, making each the leader in their category for victories on Friday. Driver Drew Monti and trainer Jimmy Nickerson also combined efforts to score two winners while driver Nick Graffam doubled on the card as well.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Sunday (October 11) with post time at 2 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)