Memorynimagination moved to the front past the quarter and never relinquished the lead en route to his 14th win in 32 starts on the season in the $31,944 Open Handicap Trot at Plainridge Park on Thursday, Nov. 5.
Outside The Fire (Nick Graffam) was setting the early pace when Memorynimagination (Matty Athearn) moved outside from third to take the lead as they passed the quarter in :27.4. Once on the point, Memorynimagination marched to the half in :57 and three-quarters in 1:25, where Super Duper Cooper (Bruce Ranger) had moved into second place and was pressing hard around the far turn. Super Duper Cooper drew alongside Memorynimagination, and the two trotters matched strides through that bend and into the stretch. The battle continued to the wire, where Memorynimagination held off Super Duper Cooper by a neck in 1:53.4. Platinum As (Brett Beckwith) finished third.
The career-best season posted by Memorynimagination ($6.40) has him tied as the third-winningest trotter of any age or gender in North America this year. Eight of his wins have come at the Open level of Plainridge Park. The five-year-old gelded son of Father Patrick-Fellowship Of Two, now 28-for-99 lifetime, is owned by Joe Trice and trained by Jimmy Nickerson.
In the $30,556 upper-level conditioned trotting sub-feature, Kazio Dk (Kevin Switzer Jr.) made every step a winning one as he captured his eighth victory of the season in 29 outings. Kazio Dk had a two-length lead at the :27.3 quarter and went in :57.1 to the half while Manhattan Moni (Irvin Crews) followed in the pocket. Moving onto the backstretch, Dryden Hanover (Mitchell Cushing) came first-over and pushed the leader to three-quarters in 1:24.4. Dryden Hanover continued to pressure to the top of the stretch, where Kazio Dk left the challenge behind and held off the tripped-out Manhattan Moni by a length to win in 1:54. Just Roxy (Matt Athearn) and Unevergonnagethis (Bruce Ranger) dead heated for third.
Kazio Dk ($6) is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, FAC Racing LLC and Yannick Gingras and trained by Joe Nelson. The five-year-old Muscle Massive-Sasha gelding is now 14-for-61 lifetime.
Drivers Brett Beckwith, Mitchell Cushing, Mike Oosting and Bruce Ranger all had two wins apiece on the 10-race Thursday card.
Racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday at 1 p.m. There will be a $36,780 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the sixth race.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)