Three $34,722 paces headlined the final Monday (Nov. 25) of the meet at Plainridge Park and the competition for the big money was stiff across the board.
In the $34,722 Open Pace, Naturally Gifted A (Kevin Switzer Jr.) grabbed a quick lead and parked last week's winner, Life's A Puzzle (Drew Monti), through quarters of :26.1, :53.4 and 1:21.4. Lifes A Puzzle continued to battle to the top of the stretch, but saw Alex Having Fun (Drew Campbell) pace by and try to catch the leader. But that didn't happen as Naturally Gifted A turned him away as well enroute to a one length, 1:51.1 victory.
The triumph was the fifth win of the year for Naturally Gifted A ($7.20) who is owned by Rich Poillucci and David Keyway and trained by Gretchen Athearn.
When Drew Monti finished fourth in the third race on Monday's card with Star Speaker, he surpassed the $20 million mark for U.S. earnings in his 12-year career.
Then there was a pair of $34,722 Massachusetts Starter Allowances.
In the first, Virtual Horizon (Drew Monti) took the lead past the quarter, sparred with Rooster Bennett (Mitchell Cushing) in back to back quarters of :28.4 and :27.2 and then turned for home with a two length lead that he extended to 3-1/4 lengths at the wire to win in 1:52.1
Virtual Horizon ($6.00) is owned by Kellogg Racing and trained by Jackie Greene.
Then in the second $34,722 division, Mansome (Ron Cushing) sat fifth while Sundown Kid (Bruce Ranger) led and parked Anvil Hands (Jimmy Hardy) and ER Griffin (Brett Beckwith) town and three-wide for three-quarters of the mile before they faded on the far turn. That's where the pocket-sitting Hespoisedtopounce N (Matty Athearn) shook loose, Major Betts (Drew Monti) ducked to the pylons and Mansome moved to the middle of the track and cruised by everyone to win by two in 1:53.3.
Mansome ($8.40) is owned by Bruce Weinstein and trained by Heidi Cushing.
Brett Beckwith, Ron Cushing and Bruce Ranger all had two wins on Monday while 10 different trainers each had one win apiece.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Nov. 26) at 1 p.m. and there will be a $6,026 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in race six.
There are only three live racing days left in the 2024 meet that wraps up on Friday (Nov. 29). The rest of the week, racing will be held on Tuesday (Nov. 26), Wednesday (Nov. 27) and Friday (Nov. 29), with Thursday (Nov. 28) being dark in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)