A pair of $23,611 conditioned paces for six-year-olds and under headlined the card at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 5 and both winners turned in their best efforts at The Ridge this year.
In one of the featured events, Ontario-bred three-year-old gelding Price Control (pictured above) went the mile of his life to stay undefeated at Plainridge for his new connections. Price Control and trainer/driver Mitchell Cushing took the overland route to the front, gaining control from Andy Mac Hanover (Matty Athearn) just past the :26.2 quarter. From there, he marched off smart fractions of :55.2 and 1:22.4 while turning back a challenge from Sweet Street Lou (Wally Watson) during the third panel. When they reached the top of the stretch, the pocket-sitting Andy Mac Hanover charged towards the leader, but Price Control held on by a half-length to win in a career-best 1:51.1. Cautious Clay (Brett Beckwith) finished three lengths behind in third.
The win was the second straight at Plainridge for Price Control ($2.80) since being acquired last month by Cushing in partnership with Ray Lasky and Matthew Little. The Control The Moment-Shadow World sophomore now has four wins this year from 21 starts and five victories lifetime.
In the other split, JD Camden GB and driver Nick Graffam got away second behind Hungryforvictory (Jimmy Hardy) and stayed tucked for the journey. Hungryforvictory got to the half in :56.1 before My Boy Elroy (Drew Monti) went a first-over grind that yielded him the front at three-quarters. Rockin Nelly (Mitchell Cushing) was second on the outside as they spun off the last turn, but the winner had yet to make his move. That came in mid-stretch where Graffam found room for JD Camden GB to get out and he bolted to the front quickly by a length and won in 1:54.4. My Boy Elroy finished second over Rockin Nelly.
JD Camden GB ($7.60) is trained by Joe Nelson and owned by Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi. The four-year-old son of Sweet Lou and Special Sweetheart earned his third win of the year from 25 starts. The victory was one of three during the afternoon card for Graffam.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 1 p.m.
(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)