To say Memorynimagination is having a career year would be an understatement, and the five-year-old gelding added another win to his card in the $35,714 Open Hanidcap Trot at Plainridge Park on Thursday, Oct. 8.
Memorynimagination (Matty Athearn) took the garden-spot trip behind Kazio Dk (Brett Beckwith), who cut panels of :27.1, :56.2 and 1:25 while dealing with an outside attack from Stormont Divide (Bruce Ranger) through the middle half of the race. When the trotters entered the final turn, the entire field was bunched up behind Kazio Dk, who was still in command. Memorynimagination tipped off the pegs in the stretch and bore down hard on Kazio Dk, reaching up late by a head to prevail in 1:54.1. Pepper Wow (Mitchell Cushing) rallied for third.
The 13th win of the year in 29 starts for Memorynimagination ($7.40) makes him the co-second-winningest trotter in North America in 2026. Eight of those 13 wins occurred at Plainridge Park, where he is the winningest and richest trotter of the meet. He has also won six Plainridge Opens this season. Jimmy Nickerson trains the son of Father Patrick-Fellowship Of Two for Joe Trice.
Courtney Walsh won her lifetime training debut on Thursday in a 45-1 upset as Uncle Peters Crew ($92.40) rallied from last in the third race. The six-year-old son of Uncle Peter-B Vs Sister was sixth through fractions of :28.3, :58.1 and 1:27.1 and charged up the stretch to win by a head in 1:57.3 as the longest shot on the board. Crypto Cash (Jim Hardy) was second after a first-over trip, followed by Northern Sultan (Bruce Ranger). Athearn piloted Uncle Peters Crew to his first win of the year in 11 outings. Thursday's start was the gelding's first for Walsh, who acquired him on Oct. 5. The Pepperell, Mass. resident is now one-for-one.
In the $28,571 upper-level conditioned trot, Wall Street Edge (Jay Randall) notched his sixth win of the year in 24 starts. He sat behind Feeling Optimistic (Jim Hardy), who posted even splits of :28, :56.4 and 1:25.1, with only a mild challenge from Caviart War Room (Brett Beckwith) at three-quarters. At the top of the stretch, Wall Street Edge tipped out and matched strides with Feeling Optimistic all the way down the stretch until he moved to the lead in the shadow of the wire and won by a quarter-length in 1:54.4. Just Roxy (Matty Athearn) was third. Wall Street Edge ($37.80) is owned by Linda Kenney and Bob Kenney. The latter trains the winning five-year-old son of Walner-Evelyn.
Drivers Matty Athearn and Nick Graffam both won three races on the 10-race card while trainer Jimmy Nickerson doubled.
Racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Friday at 2 p.m.
(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)