Points North trekked south to make his first U.S. start of 2022 on Monday and won the $25,000 Winners-Over pacing feature at Plainridge Parkin in convincing fashion.
Skyway Victor (Luke Hanners) took the early lead off the gate and hit the quarter in :25.2 while Bruce Ranger followed outside for three-eighths of the mile before taking control of the race in front of the stands. From there the pace stayed strong as the leader marched to the half in :54.1 and three quarters in 1:21.2 where Hudson Phil (Jay Randall) joined the fray on the outside. Turning for home the tripping Skyway Victor tipped out and tried to advance, but Points North was too good and crossed first by a length in 1:50.3.
Points North ($3.60) got his first win for new owners Jim Winske, David Winske and Melissa Beckwith, who purchased him at auction on April 11. The 31-time winner who now has $562,595 in lifetime earnings is trained by Melissa Beckwith.
Ranger and Beckwith also teamed up earlier in the $17,500 upper-level conditioned pace where Rockin The Blaze flashed to the quarter in :25.4 and then led at every station en route to his second straight victory, timed in a season's best 1:51.1.
The Howard Jacobs-owned Rockin The Blaze paid $11.80.
In the co-featured $20,000 pace, Yonkers shipper Dark Energy N was aired-out in the back half and responded well to win well in hand.
Dark Energy N (Greg Merton) got away fourth while fellow Yonkers regular My Mind Is Made Up (Bruce Ranger) led at the half in 54.4. Shortly after that station, Merton tipped Dark Energy N first-over and made his way up to the leader around the last turn. At the top of the stretch Dark Energy N cleared and paced away, holding off late challenges by Our Max Phactor N (Luke Hanners) and Always A Miki (Drew Monti) to win by a length in a season’s best 1:52.1.
Sent off at 10-1, Dark Energy N returned $22.20. Mark Ford owns the Matthew Adamczyk-trained winner.
Drew Monti was the top driver on Thursday winning three races on the card – two of which were trained by Jimmy Nickerson – who joined Beckwith for top training honours.
Live racing resumes at Plainridge on Tuesday (April 26) at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)