With rain and heavily overcast skies bearing down during the afternoon, the aptly named Chasethecloudsaway made her connection's day bright after winning the $25,000 Winners-Over pace for fillies and mares at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (April 26) while setting a personal best time for herself in the process.
Chasethecloudsaway took a quick lead and went to the quarter in :26 before Probert rolled up the outside to claim that top spot. Positions remained unchanged with Probert, Chasethecloudsaway and Thats Incredible filling the top three spots to the half in :54.1 and three-quarters in 1:22.4.
As the mares made their way around the last turn, Probert and Chasethecloudsaway started to distance themselves from the field and by the head of the stretch, Hanners was out and moving with Chasethecloudsaway. She was in full flight and ran down Probert in deep stretch while holding off a late closing So Amazing to win by 1-1/2 lengths in a lifetime mark of 1:52.2
Scoring her fifth win in only eight 2022 starts, Chasethecloudsaway has now earned $47,300 this year for owner David Del Pozzo and trainer Chris Petrelli. Luke Hanners drove the $7.20 winner.
There were also a pair of $17,500 condition races on Tuesday for six-year-olds and under separated by gender that highlighted the undercard.
The colts and geldings tangled first with Optical Illusion N scoring his fourth-consecutive win of the year.
Manholmes and Unwritten Rule scorched the quarter in :25.4 before Optical Illusion N rallied from third to take control in front of the stands. From there Randall clicked off quarters of :54.4 and 1.23.1 with Optical Illusion N before rounding the last bend and stretching out to a 5-¼ length lead at the wire where he took a new lifetime mark of 1:51.4.
Owned by his trainer Lisa Zabielski along with Kimberly Zabielski, Optical Illusion N returned $2.80 for the win. Jay Randall drove the winner.
Later the distaff group went to post and Adashious Hanover made an early first-over move pay off big with a new lifetime mark.
Adashious Hanover left from post 6 and settled in fourth while Line Em Up took the group to the quarter in :27. With the field now in line, Monti tipped quickly past that first station, grabbed the lead and dictated the rest of the race. He slowed the second quarter to :29.4 before hitting the gas with a :27.4 third panel while Miss Trickster mounted a bid on the outside. Rolling around the far turn, Adashious Hanover put some distance between herself and the field and held off a late bid by the tripping Line Em Up to win by 1-3/4 lengths in a career-best 1:53.1.
It was the second win of the year for Adashious Hanover who is owned by Marc Reynolds and Rick Cortese. Jimmy Nickerson trains the winner. Drew Monti drove the $3.80 winner.
The Iceman cometh at Plainridge Park on Tuesday. Driver Matty "Ice" Athearn sat chilly as he scored a Grand Slam during the day, lighting up the board three out of four times making longshot bettors very happy. He won with Sweet Charlie (1:55.1, $32.40), McNugget (1:55.2, $32.40), Sportsnest (1:55.3, $11.60) and Datguyna Greensuit (1:54.2, $7.20).
Athearn's four wins were split between two trainers — Gretchen Athearn and Mike Girouard — making them the winningest trainers on Tuesday.
Live racing resumes at Plainridge on Thursday (April 28) at 4 p.m. (EDT).
(Plainridge Park)