It was an upset on the toteboard but no surprise to many as Mansome continued his career year with a win in the $22,500 Winners-Over pacing feature at Plainridge Park on Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 24).
Mansome (Kevin Switzer Jr.) got away third as Thinkbig Dreambig (Bruce Ranger) led the field to a :27.1 quarter. With The Bird Dance A (Ron Cushing) drafting in the breeze second and Cigars And Port (Wally Watson) in the pocket, Thinkbig Dreambig continued to motor to the half in a brisk :54.4.
As the field moved past three-quarters, The Bird Dance A began to fade and that allowed Mansome a clear path off the pylons. At the top of the stretch, Cigars And Port pulled on Thinkbig Dreambig and Mansome tipped three-deep around both. Halfway down the stretch, all three horses were even across the track. But Mansome took control in the final six pylons and pulled away to a three-quarter-length victory in 1:52.
The win was the seventh of the year for Mansome ($23.80) and it pushed his seasonal earnings to $103,392 for owners Bruce Weinstein and Elisha Lafreniere, who also trains the winner.
In the co-featured $20,000 upper conditioned event, Always A Miki (Drew Monti) made it two in a row for new owner Joe Trice, who purchased the three-year-old colt earlier this month.
After getting away sixth from post eight, Always A Miki followed cover from third-over as the field pursued the front-running Acton Hanover (Kevin Switzer Jr.). The outer flow began catching the leader at three-quarters and at the top of the lane, everyone fanned across the track, with Always A Miki four-deep and flying. As they straightened out, Always A Miki found another gear, going from 2-3/4 lengths behind to a 1-1/2 length winner in 1:52.4.
The win was the fifth of the year for Always A Miki ($2.80), who is trained by Jimmy Nickerson.
Drew Monti led all drivers on Wednesday with three wins while Elisha Lafreniere led all trainers with two.
There is no racing at Plainridge Park on Thursday, Nov. 24 due to the Thanksgiving holiday, but the horses will be back on Friday, Nov. 26 to conduct the final card of live racing at The Ridge this year. Post time for the first race is 1 p.m.
(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)