For the first time this year, all three weekly $35,211 Open features were held on the same day on Monday, Nov. 10, and Always Bstunning N by far put in the most impressive performance of the triumvirate after winning the distaff pace in 1:50.4 over an off track and through unfavourable weather conditions.
Always Bstunning N and driver Kevin Switzer Jr. got away last as Fighting Evil (Bruce Ranger) cut the :27 quarter. But Switzer was already out and swinging with Always Bstunning N, who took command in front of the stands and then proceeded past the half in :54.3 and up the backstretch. It was there that Elegant A (Shawn Gray) moved first-over into contention and engaged Always Bstunning N at the 1:22.4 three-quarters mark. The two mares then battled around the last turn, into the stretch and all the way to the wire where Always Bstunning N (pictured above) never gave way and won by one-half length in 1:50.4. Intothemysticmoon (Nick Graffam) finished in the third spot.
The win was the 11th of the year in 19 starts for Always Bstunning N ($2.20), who is owned by Richard Poillucci of South Easton, Massachusetts. Gretchen Athearn trains the six-year-old daughter of Always B Miki-Simply Stunning.
Earlier in the Open Handicap for male pacing participants, Blazing Home N and driver Larry Stalbaum sat second behind Jackies Boy (Fern Paquet Jr.) through quarters of :26.4, :56 and 1:24 with only a mild bid from Sweet Jeff IR (Nick Graffam) coming from behind. After the field rounded the last turn and headed for home, Stalbaum pulled Blazing Home N off the pylons and took dead-aim at Jackies Boy. Blazing Home N kept digging all the way to the line where he finally forged ahead by a neck to win in 1:52. Binge On Yankee (Mitchell Cushing) was third behind the top duo.
The win was the seventh of the year in 32 starts for Blazing Home N ($4.60). The six-year-old Rocknroll Heaven-Capture My Heart gelding is owned and trained by his driver.
Finally, in the Open Handicap for trotters, Pepper Wow and driver Jim Hardy got away fourth and trailed by seven lengths as Marquis Lafayette (Bruce Ranger) was on the engine to the half in :55.4 and up by four lengths with his stablemate Sforza (Kevin Switzer Jr.) trying to keep up. As the field made its way up the backstretch, Marquis Lafayette’s lead started to diminish and Pepper Wow was outside and gobbling up ground heading to three-quarters in 1:24. At that station, Pepper Wow dropped in third and stayed there until the top of the stretch where Hardy tipped back out and line-drove Pepper Wow right past Marquis Lafayette and Sforza to win by a length in 1:53.4, which was only a fifth of a second off his lifetime mark.
Pepper Wow ($21.60) won his sixth race of the year in 21 outings for owners Kathy and Earl Beaman of Winchester, New Hampshire and Ivan Davies of Bell, Florida. Jolene Andrews trains the winning four-year-old Crazy Wow-Tori Hall stallion.
There were quite a few upsets on Monday, but none were better than Muse La Rouge (1:53.3), who won the ninth race at 25-1 to pay $53.60 and trigger a $2 1-5 exacta that paid $1,171.20 and a $1 1-5-6 trifecta that paid $5,463.20.
Drivers Jim Hardy and Kevin Switzer Jr. and trainers Jolene Andrews and Gretchen Athearn, all registered two wins apiece during the card on Monday.
Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 1 p.m.
(With files from the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)