Sent off as the heavy betting favourite at 1-9, Swifty Run lived up to the promise after winning the $23,611 pacing feature at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (April 22) afternoon.
Brett Beckwith settled Swifty Run in fourth off the gate as Control Group (Matty Athearn) wrangled the lead from Seafood Togo (Drew Campbell) passing the 26.4 quarter. Positions remained the same to the half where Swifty Run pulled first-over to start his march to victory.
Control Group continued to set the pace, but Swifty Run incrementally advanced on the backstretch and eventually drew even with Control Group heading into the last turn. The pair of pacers matched strides around that bend and into the stretch where Swifty Run started to separate from the field and pulled away to a one-length win in 1:53.
Swifty Run ($2.10) is owned by John Barnard and trained by Irwin Rosenthal.
In the $19,444 conditioned event for non-winners of six lifetime, Justcallmebuck (Kevin Switzer Jr.) took the early lead before releasing Southpaw (Jimmy Whittemore) at the quarter. From there he followed in the pocket while Poker Sy (Brett Beckwith) pushed the issue with the leader to the top of the lane where Justcallmebuck tipped thee-wide around them both and dashed to a 1-1/2 length, 1:53.3 win.
Justcallmebuck ($32.20) is owned by KDK Standardbreds and Anthony Sivik Jr. and trained by Kevin Switzer.
Drivers Ron Cushing, Todd O’Dea and Kevin Switzer Jr. each won a pair of races on the card and were joined in the “two win” club by trainer Kevin Switzer.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday (April 24) at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)