Memorynimagination has been a force this year at Plainridge Park, and on Tuesday, May 12 he registered his third top-class victory at the track this season by winning the $34,247 Open Handicap Trot.
Matty Athearn sent Memorynimagination right to the front ahead of Mocha Java (Jay Randall) and then grabbed leather through soft fractions of :28 and :57.4. Balenciaga (Drew Monti) pulled from third and applied some pressure to three-quarters in 1:26, with Heavens Pic (Nick Graffam) on his back and Mocha Java still in the pocket as they went into the final turn. When the field entered the stretch, Memorynimagination was still being pursued by Mocha Java and Heavens Pic but trotted home with authority to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:54.3, which was a new seasonal mark. Mocha Java was second over Heavens Pic.
The win was the fourth in the last five starts and sixth of the year in 12 outings for Memorynimagination ($2.40). The five-year-old son of Father Patrick-Fellowship Of Two is owned by Joe Trice and trained by Jimmy Nickerson. He is now 20-for-79 lifetime.
Later on the card, Consus Victory ($6.80) cut the mile to tally his 50th career win. The 10-year-old son of Cantab Hall-Ok To Play completed his 254th mile in 1:56.4, winning by three-quarters of a length for driver Kevin Switzer Jr., trainer Jimmy Nickerson and owners Jeff Epstein and Steven Gondelman. The win in the $16,438 TrackMaster 80 trot was his second of the season in 12 appearances. He has now earned $467,269 lifetime.
The milestone moments continued in the 10th race as trainer Nancy Bauer recorded her first lifetime win. Bill Bauer ($5), owned by Leo Bauer, took the lead past the quarter and drew off to win the $16,438 conditioned contest by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:55.1 with Nick Graffam in the bike. The seven-year-old son of E L Titan-Miss Flaggy Meadow took his first win of the year in three starts and improved to 16-for-81 lifetime with $448,897 in earnings. Bauer, who made her first two training starts in the past month with Bill Bauer, is now 3-1-0-0.
In the sub-featured $19,178 conditioned trot, Fairytale Moni (Nick Graffam) got away second behind Brewster Baker (Brad Irvine) in a :27.3 first panel but moved to the front as the field passed the stands the first time. Fairytale Moni then went to the half in :57 and three-quarters in 1:26. After rounding turn three, Fairytale Moni bolted away from the field and cruised home on top by 6-3/4 lengths to win in a lifetime-best 1:55. Halifax (Jim Hardy) was second, followed by Fourth Warning (Matt Athearn)
Fairytale Moni ($2.40) is trained by George Ducharme and owned by George Ducharme Stable LLC, Jim Winske, Jason Ash and Sal Vullo. The three-year-old daughter of Ready For Moni-Dream Chapter is one-for-two on the year and has four lifetime wins in 12 starts with $118,521 in earnings. The Massachusetts-bred Fairytale Moni is eligible for the lucrative $3.2 million USD Massachusetts Breeders Stakes, which kicks off later this year on Sept. 28.
Drivers Nick Graffam and Kevin Switzer Jr. found the winner's circle three times each on Tuesday while trainer Jimmy Nickerson bested his peers with two victories of his own during the 11-race program.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday at 4 p.m. There will be a $8,535 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the sixth race.
(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)