Driver Shawn Gray registered a grand slam in the bike at Plainridge Park on Monday afternoon that included three winning horses from the barn of trainer David Crochere, who scored a hat trick of winners himself on the 10-race, all-pace program.
They kicked things off in the first race where CBF Star Power (1:55.4, $12.20) turned a first-over move into a victory over the heavily favoured Four Leaf Lindy (Bruce Ranger) for owners Glenn Harris and Marion Phelps. Next they saw CBF Squirt Gun (1:56.2, $14.00) take the lead at the half and then out-muscle the favoured Jim Rocks (Drew Campbell) by three-quarters of a length at the line, once again for owner Glenn Harris. Finally Downeast Spirit (1:57.1, $9.80) came from sixth at the top of the stretch to win by a neck over a game Tobin’s Edge (Mike Stevenson) for owner James Ramsdell to complete Crochere’s three-bagger. To top off his big day, all three Crochere trainees took new lifetime marks in victory.
Gray completed his four-win day with The Knights Shadow (1:55.3, $3.00) who took the lead past the quarter and cruised home on top by 1-1/4 lengths for trainer Franklin Hiscock and owner Cynthia Pelletier.
There was another winning tandem at The Ridge on Monday, namely driver Matty Athearn and trainer Gretchen Athearn, who took the top classes on the card.
In the $17,500 conditioned event they sent Whata Foolbelieves (1:54.2, $5.40) down the road, led every step of the mile and held off a game Miki U So Fine (Bruce Ranger) by a half-length margin at the wire to earn his third win of the year for owners Joan Harmon, Normand St. Clair and Michael Foley.
Later in the $15,000 condition, A Game Changer (1:54.2, $11.20) made a first-over move at the half, hooked up with Finnbar (Jay Randall) around the last turn and beat him to the wire by a length for his fourth win of the year for owner Katie Flaherty.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday (Nov. 4) at 1 p.m.
The management of Plainridge Park announced on Monday (Nov. 1) that pending approval from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the track will be adding Sunday (Nov. 7) and Sunday (Nov. 14) to its live racing schedule. The additional days are to make up two cards that were cancelled in August due to extreme summer heat.
The two new dates will keep Plainridge on a Sunday-Monday-Thursday-Friday schedule until the final week of the season when the Thursday (Nov. 25) card will be moved to Wednesday (Nov. 24) in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. The final day of live racing for 2021 at Plainridge Park is Friday (Nov. 26).
Post time for all remaining race dates is 1 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)