The classic line “Thank you sir, may I have another?” from the movie Animal House seems more than fitting to describe the effort put in by top-class pacer Bettors Fire N on Thursday afternoon after taking his second straight win in identical fashion in the $15,000 Open Handicap pace at Plainridge Park.
Opus Blue Chip (Bruce Ranger) took the initial lead in the race while Bettors Fire N (Mitchell Cushing) employed an overland route to the front that he reached by the quarter in :26.2. And once he hit the pegs, the rest of the field was racing for place.
After grabbing leather and taking a leisurely saunter to the half in a pedestrian :30 flat, Cushing tapped the gas pedal and flew to the three-quarters in 1:24.1 with Bet You (Kevin Switzer Jr.) a half-length behind and outside while the rest of the field was bunched and keeping pace. But after rounding the final turn and hitting the stretch, Bettors Fire N found another gear and started to pull away from his pursuers under no urging whatsoever and cruised home to an easy two-length win in 1:52.3.
Continuing to build on an already stellar season, Bettors Fire N ($2.80) chalked up his 11th win of the year and pushed his earnings to $179,220 for owners Kevin Sywyk, Ron Cushing and Frank Ranaldi. Heidi Gibbs trains the 11-year-old gelded son of Bettors Delight-Sparks A Flyin.
Since making his North American debut in October of 2018, Bettors Fire N has never lost a race at Plainridge Park, going a perfect six for six during that time.
In the $10,000 upper-level conditioned undercard pace, Passport To Art (Shawn Gray) pulled early into an outside grind behind Beachchip Hanover (Kevin Switzer, Jr.) chasing down the leading Fernleigh Rebel N (Drew Monti) and eventually took the lead from his cover down the lane to win by a nose in 1:53.
Passport To Art ($8.00) is owned by Elizabeth and Dyce Spalluto and is trained by Alicia Gray.
Mitchell Cushing led all driver with three wins on Thursday while Nick Graffam and Shawn Gray each had two. Mike Girouard and Jimmy Nickerson were the top trainers winning two races apiece as well.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday at 1 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)