Monday’s (Nov. 13) racing action at Plainridge Park featured the $25,000 Open Trot and Saratoga Raceway import By The Book won it with the mile of his life.
Enhance Yourcalm N (Kevin Switzer Jr.) took the lead and got to the half in :57.1 while By The Book (Jay Randall) drafted second along the way. An outside blitz from Marquis Lafayette (Bruce Ranger) pushed a quick :28 third panel, but it didn’t dissuade Enhance Yourcalm N from maintaining his lead. As they entered the lane, By The Book found room inside Enhance Yourcalm N, got into gear and then trotted to the front by a length at the line in 1:54, which was a new lifetime mark.
By The Book ($29.20) is owned by Charles Harrison, Frederick Barthelmas and Tina Murray, and trained by Scott Mongeon, who was newly enshrined in the Saratoga Raceway Hall of Fame this past weekend.
By The Book was one of two winners for Randall on Monday.
When Bruce Ranger finished second with Milliondollarwall in the fifth race at Plainridge Park on Monday afternoon, he pushed his driving earnings across the $2 million mark for the 2023 meet with nine race days left on the schedule. This is the second time Ranger has achieved that status -- having earned $2,009,011 in 2021 -- and is the only driver in Plainridge history to achieve that goal. Ranger just missed doing it three years in a row after coming up only $3,013 shy in 2022 ($1,996,897).
There was also an upper-level $22,500 trot that was won by Echo De Meautis FR, who registered his 12th win of the meet to remain the undisputed winningest horse of either gate at The Ridge this year.
Echo De Meautis FR (Matty Athearn) made quick and easy work of the short field of five as he took the lead and never looked back. After cutting fractions of :28.2, :58.2 and 1:27, Echo De Meautis Fr turned for home and trotted away to a 1-1/2 length win in 1:55.2.
Echo De Meautis Fr ($6.20) is owned by Melvin Fink and trained by Jimmy Nickerson.
Athearn earned a driving triple during the afternoon.
There was a major upset in the first race on Monday when Wicked Fun (Todd O’Dea) found room late along the pegs and got up in the shadow of the wire to win by a head in 1:57.4 and capture his first lifetime win at 62-1. Wicked Fun returned $126.20 for a $2 win bet.
Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Tuesday, Nov. 14 with post time at 1 p.m.
(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)