There was never a doubt about racing strategy for Lifes A Puzzle on Monday, Nov. 18 at Plainridge Park as driver Drew Monti pointed him down the road and let him tour the facility in the mile of his life in the $35,211 Open Handicap Pace.
Lifes A Puzzle left the gate, grabbed the lead and left the rest of the field in his dust. After setting fast fractions of :26, :53.3 and 1:21.1 through the first lap of the oval, the four-year-old Lazarus N gelding built a two-length lead that he took around the final turn and extended it to five as he entered the stretch. Heading for home, Lifes A Puzzle stayed on task and pulled away to a 5-1/2-length gap under Monti wraps and won in 1:49.2, with a :28.1 kicker. General Montana N (Mitchell Cushing) and Naturally Gifted A (Kevin Switzer Jr.) rounded out the top three.
The time of 1:49.2 was a new lifetime mark for Lifes A Puzzle by a full second and was only three-fifths of a second off the track record for four-year-old pacing geldings.
Life's A Puzzle, who is owned by Richard Humphrey and trained by Gerald MacKenzie Jr., earned his seventh victory of the season from 24 starts and now has 13 career wins with more than $270,000 in earnings. He paid $3 to win.
In a $35,211 Massachusetts starter allowance pace, Mansome and driver Ron Cushing settled on the lead and cut quarters of :27, :55.4 and 1:24 while Kill A Dragon (Bruce Ranger) pressed on the outside during that third quarter and Major Betts (Drew Monti) followed his cover in a striking position. At the top of the stretch, Mansome was still in control, but Anvil Hands found room at the pylons while Major Betts tipped three-wide around Kill A Dragon. These three battled to the line where Mansome hung on to win by a neck in 1:53.
Mansome, a nine-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding with seven of his 34 career wins earned this year, is owned by Bruce Weinstein and trained by Heidi Cushing. He paid $5.20 to win.
Brett Beckwith and Mitchell Cushing led all drivers with two wins each on Monday while 10 different trainers won one race apiece.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 1 p.m.
(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)