Coming of a season’s best effort, Cherokee Hiflyzane bounced right back to score once more in the $15,000 Winners-Over feature pace at Plainridge Park on an overcast and rainy Monday afternoon.
After tucking fifth off the gate to watch Commondiscourtesy (Drew Campbell) dictate early fractions, Mike Stephenson decided to pull Cherokee Hiflyzane first-over past the three-eighths pole and started motoring up the outside. Once the pair sidled the leader at the three-quarters, Cherokee Hiflyzane took a slight advantage over Commondiscourtesy rounding the last turn, but this race was far from over.
Commondiscourtesy fought back and regained the front by the time they hit the stretch. As the tightening group headed down the lane, Campbell and Stephenson were rocking and knocking with their horses near even until Cherokee Hiflyzane swelled up, got the edge and held it across the wire to win by a half-length in 1:53.3 over the wet track rated as “good”.
It was the second win in three starts for Cherokee Hiflyzane ($4.40) who is owned by Roger Farrar II and Barrie Farrar, who also trains the winner.
Monday also saw the first two $10,000 legs of the Henry David Thoreau late-closer series go postward for non-winners of $35,000 in 2017.
In the first division Manceiver (Steve Nason) tripped out behind Jacksons Image (Jim Hardy) to gain a late advantage and win by a length in 1:53. Manceiver ($9.40) is owned by Crissy Crissman-Bier and is trained by his driver, Steve Nason.
In the second division Mysharona Bluechip (Pat Curtain) led the race from gate to wire, besting his foes by three lengths in his 1:53.3 victory. Mysharona Bluechip ($11.20) is owned by A Piece Of The Action LLC and is trained by Eric Beach.
With co-favourites Grand Theft and Kid Courageous A finishing out of the top four, the Superfecta combination of 1-6-4-7 returned a whopping $11,998.60 for a $2 wager.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Tuesday with post time set for 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)