Thursday afternoon (Nov. 3) at Plainridge Park featured a trio of trots that went for $17,500 each and the winners of all three came late from off the pace.
The fastest of the three was won by Marquis Lafayette, who got away fifth behind changing leads by Vesuvio Bi and Remember Titans. Still third and two lengths off the leader at the top of the stretch, Marquis Lafayette rallied late with a :28.4 final quarter to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:55.
Marquis Lafayette is trained by Domenico Cecere for owner Greathorse. Bruce Ranger drove the winner who returned a $4.40 mutuel.
Then, recent Canadian import Mrmayor Hanover sat in the garden spot behind the front-stepping Wily Wally through quarters of :27.2, :56.2 and 1:25.4 before popping out in the stretch and out-trotting the leader home to win by one length in 1:56.4.
It was the seventh win of the year for Mrmayor Hanover but his first win for new owners Marc Reynolds and Richard Cortese, who purchased the three-year-old stakes winner on Oct. 17. Jimmy Nickerson is the winning trainer. Jay Randall sat behind the $3.80 winner.
Finally, Sidd Finch was sixth and seemingly out of it at three-quarters while Flying Formation and Billy B were battling on the point for what seemed to be who would win. But driver Mike Stevenson put Sidd Finch in play around the last turn and unleashed a wicked stretch drive that garnered him an easy 2-1/4-length victory in 1:56, which was a new seasonal mark.
Sidd Finch is owned by John Barnard and is trained by Irwin Rosenthal. He paid $6.40 to win.
Stevenson had two wins on Thursday along with fellow driver Bruce Ranger while 10 different trainers each claimed one race apiece during the proceedings.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Monday (Nov. 7) with post time at 1 p.m. (EST).
(Plainridge Park)