Eurobond made his last pari-mutuel start on November 23, 2020 when he scored a 2-1/4 length victory at Plainridge Park. Now 165 days later it was “deja vu all over again” after the six-year-old horse won Friday’s $17,500 Winners-Over Handicap trotting feature at The Ridge.
Eurobond (Bruce Ranger) got away a distant sixth while two-time feature winner Pappy Go Go (Jay Randall) grabbed the front in a quick :27.2. Positions remained unchanged to the five-eighths when Majestic Marvel (Shawn Gray) pulled first-over followed by Smooth Acceleration (Matty Athearn) and Eurobond, who started his big move.
As the race made its way through the final turn, Majestic Marvel took the lead from Pappy Go Go and Smooth Acceleration then drew alongside him to challenge. But Eurobond was revved up three-deep and trotting under full throttle, looking past his competition. Ranger sat chilly and let Eurobond trot home on his own in a snappy :28.3 final split to win by a length in 1:55.2.
It was the 13th lifetime win in only 52 lifetime starts for Eurobond ($6.00) and it pushed his total earnings to $316,650 for owners Lindy Farms of Connecticut and Robert Rudolf. Domenico Cecere is the trainer.
There were two $12,500 co-featured divisions of the conditioned trot for six-year-olds and under and both were won by Massachusetts-bred trotters.
The first division was won by Royal Envy (Shawn Gray) who got away fifth before pulling at the quarter and grabbing the lead as they crossed the wire the first time. From there Royal Envy led the rest of the way while fighting off challenges from I Have A Dream (Kevin Switzer Jr.) and Big Weezy (Jay Randall) before winning by a half-length margin in 1:57, which was a new lifetime mark.
Royal Envy ($4.40), who went undefeated in the Massachusetts Sire Stakes last year to become the two-year-old trotting filly champion, is owned by Al Ross and Ray Campbell, Jr., who also bred the filly. George Ducharme does the training.
The second division saw the combination of Ranger and Cecere strike again with Marquis Lafayette, who made a first-over move from fourth before the half, then eventually draw alongside the leading Crazy Money De Vie (Jay Randall) around the far turn and then out-trot that one down the lane to win by a half-length margin in 1:58.2.
Marquis Lafayette ($4.00), who finished second in the 2020 MASS final for three-year-old male trotters, is owned and was also bred by K R Breeding.
Ranger added two more wins during the card with Broadway Giant (1:58.4, $5.60) and Sortie Hanover (1:57.1, $10.40) to register a Grand Slam on the day.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Monday (May 10) with post time at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)