Making his first start since Jan. 27 but coming off two impressive qualifiers at Northfield Park, Patrikthepiranha A returned to Massachusetts and looked to be in mid-season form after winning the $25,000 Winners-Over pacing feature in impressive style at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (April 20).
Patrikthepiranha A (Mitch Cushing) struck the lead off the gate and led until the :27 quarter where stablemate Jimmy Connor B (Brett Beckwith) came up the outside to grab control and back the half off to :56 flat. As they motored up the backside, Skyway Victor (Greg Merton) pulled from third and started to match strides with Jimmy Connor B around the last turn and then into the stretch. It was there that Patrikthepiranha A made his move from third by bolting through the crowd to the front and charging home to a 1-1/4 length victory in 1:51.3.
It was the 13th North American win for Patrikthepiranha A ($3.80) since he started his U.S. career on Sept. 18, 2021, when he scorched the Meadowlands oval in 1:48.4. The eight-year-old gelded son of Four Starzzz Shark-Thats The Spirit is owned by Thestable Patrickthepiranha A and is trained by Melissa Beckwith.
Cushing and Beckwith both registered two winners on Thursday.
There was also a pair of $20,000 under-features on the card.
In the upper-level condition race for older pacers, Hespoisedtopounce A (Matty Athearn) took no prisoners as he went right for the lead and was never headed. After setting fractions of :26.4, :55 and 1:23, Athearn popped the plugs on Hespoisedtopounce A heading into the last turn as Cigars And Port (Wally Watson) made a bid on the outside. Hespoisedtopounce A then found another gear and paced home strong under a line drive to win by 2-1/4 lengths in a season’s best 1:52.2.
Hespoisedtopounce A ($6.60) is owned by Tim Bojarski and Tony Gruppo and is trained by Jimmy Nickerson.
Athearn and Nickerson combined for a consecutive double on the card.
Then in the non-winners of 10 races lifetime event, Anvil Hands (Jim Hardy) also led from gate to wire, stopping the intermediate timers at :27, :56 and 1:23.4 while fending off Something Bettor A (Ron Cushing) and Andres Hanover (Mitch Cushing). Anvil Hands took his one length lead into the stretch and all the way to the wire where he won a wrapped-up and season’s best 1:52.1 mile.
Anvil Hands ($5.20) is owned by Dave Thibault, Christine Thibault, Jim Hardy and Jolene Andrews, who also trains the winner.
Driver Jay Randall had a grand slam in the bike on Thursday winning with Finnbar (1:53.2, $9.20) and Stihl N (1:54.4, $9.40), who are both Massachusetts-bred. But he also scored with two venerable campaigners who have made Massachusetts their home for many years. First the 11-year-old Quick Shot (1:53.1, $3.20) who got his 47th lifetime win and later with 11-year-old Artful Way (1:51.2, $7.40) ,who notched his 74th career victory.
Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday, April 24 at 4 p.m., and that card will feature a hefty $11,165 carryover in the Jackpot Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race six and a $297 carryover in the Pick-6 in race four.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)