After sitting seventh at the three-quarter pole in a full field of eight, Nui Ba Den N found his best foot late to upend his foes in the $25,000 Winners-Over featured pace on opening day at Plainridge Park Monday afternoon in front of a very robust trackside crowd.
Some Waratah A (Shawn Gray) and Put To Right (Kevin Switzer, Jr.) changed leads in the first three-eighths with the latter taking control in front of the stands. Positions remained unchanged to the half when Skyway Victor (Bruce Ranger) came first over to challenge. As the field passed three-quarters, Skyway Victor took control by almost a length from Put To Right, but the race was far from over.
Nui Ba Den N was sitting seventh and five lengths off at this point but Brandon Parker was able to shake loose from the pylons and tip his horse three deep into the last turn. He remained three wide through the entire bend but was still two lengths behind Skyway Victor at the head of the stretch. But under mild urging from Parker, Nui Ba Den N kept on pacing and eventually cleared in deep stretch and won by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.1, setting a new lifetime mark.
It was the sixth win in 12 starts and tenth in the money finish this year for Nui Ba Den N ($12.40), raising his bankroll to $35,211 for owner George Dremonas. Chris Petrelli trains the winner.
The $20,000 upper level conditioned pace featured a dominant performance from Keystone Dakota (Bruce Ranger) who took a new lifetime record with his win. Ranger left sharply with Keystone Dakota from the gate and was never headed from there. After blasting through quarters of :27.3, :53.4 and 1:21.3 with the rest of the field trying to keep up, Keystone Dakota extended his lead from two to five lengths as he motored down the stretch and hit the light in a career best effort of 1:51.1.
It was the second win in six starts this year for Keystone Dakota ($10.00) who is owned by Howard Jacobs and trained by Melissa Beckwith.
Driver Kevin Switzer, Jr. came to play on Monday and won four of the nine carded events. He scored with Quick Shot (1:53, $19.80), Sea Isle City (1:53.2, $5.40), Bag Pipe Major (1:53, $105.80) and Beachchip Hanover (1:55.1, $10.20) who rounded out his Grand Slam.
Several members of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission were on hand for opening day to help kick off the meet and also honour two long-time members of the Plainridge Park management. Commission Chair Cathy Judd-Stein, Commissioner Brad Hill, Commissioner Eileen O’Brien and Commissioner Nakisha Skinner joined Plainridge Park Casino General Manager North Grounsell to recognize Director of Live Racing Steve O’Toole and Director of Non-Gaming Operations Domenic Longobardi 20 years of dedication to the track. Both were honoured in the winner’s circle between races.
Live racing resumes at Plainridge on Tuesday (April 12) at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)