The racing strip at Plainridge Park was on fire Thursday afternoon (June 1) as the top three events all yielded sub-1:50 miles. The fastest time was turned in by DP Realordeal, who became only the third horse to ever pace under 1:49 in the 24-year history of Plainridge Park.
It was the $20,000 conditioned pace where Odds On Blockchain (Luke Hanners) left and set a torrid pace while DP Realordeal (Bruce Ranger) sat drafting right behind him. The leader cut fast fractions of :25.4, :53.4 and 1:20.4 as DP Reaordeal followed and the rest of the field was trying to keep pace. At the top of the lane, Ranger pulled to advance, feeding DP Realordeal line. Odds On Blockchain fought gallantly in deep stretch but got caught before the line, where DP Reaordeal won by a quarter-length in 1:48.4.
The time was a lifetime mark for the winner and it also broke the 18-year-old track record for four-year-old pacing geldings. The old standard was 1:49.2 set in 2005 by Maltese Artist, who was also driven by Bruce Ranger.
It was the fourth win in seven Plainridge outings this year for DP Realordeal ($5.20), who is owned by William Hartt and trained by Lance Hudson.
The other two sub-1:49 miles paced at The Ridge were registered by the great Shartin N and her stablemate Lyons Sentinel, who both paced in 1:48.1 in the Clara Barton Distaff Pace in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
For the second week in a row, the featured $25,000 Open Handicap Pace went to Moonshine Kisses, who duplicated his record-breaking performance of only seven days ago.
Jay Randall floated Moonshine Kisses off the gate and made his way to the top, passing Rocknroll Runa A (Luke Hanners) at the quarter in :26. From there, he backed down the half to :54.2 before the real challenges came. Lous Sweetrevenge (Greg Merton) rolled up in the breeze at the half, after pulling first-over to push a :27.1 third quarter. Moonshine Kisses put that threat away in the last turn, but at the top of the stretch, Rocknroll Runa A pulled and took dead aim at him. Under a heavy drive, Rocknroll Runa A barrelled out of the pocket and came flying at the leader. But he was never able to get closer than a length as Moonshine Kisses glided to the wire to win in 1:49, tying his lifetime mark as well as the aged pacing horse track record that he already owns.
It was the ninth win of the year for Moonshine Kisses ($3.80), who is owned by Kellogg Racing Stables. Jackie Greene trains the record holder.
The other $20,000 secondary feature was the third sub-1:50 mile and it went to Natameri, who made easy work of a full field of upper-level pacers.
The venerable Crockets Cullen N (Brett Beckwith) took the field to a :26.2 first quarter, but Natameri (Nick Graffam) buzzed by him on the way to the front and then dominated from there. After cruising to the half in :54.4, Natameri scorched the third quarter in :26.4 while stretching out to a three advantage. By the top of the lane, he extended it to four, and from there, Natameri jogged home to a 4-1/2 length margin of victory in 1:49.1.
The time was a new lifetime mark for Natameri and also just one-fifth of a second off Moonshine Kisses' track record for aged pacing horses.
Natameria ($3.20) is owned by the Purple Haze Stable and is trained by Jessica Okusko.
Driver Brett Beckwith was red hot himself on Thursday, winning five of the 11 races on the card. He returned to the winner’s enclosure with King Spencer (1:52.4, $10.20), Isitfridayyet (1:53.1, $10.80), Cherokee Hiflyzane (1:53, $14.20), Workin Them Angels (1:52.2, $4.20) and Dragon The Line (1:54.3, $2.60).
Another notable horseperson on Thursday was Julia Eaton, who was just recently awarded her trainer’s license. In race three, the aforementioned Isitfridayyet was Eaton’s very first conditioning start and he became her first win as well, when he snuck up the pylons late to win by three-quarters of a length to give Eaton her initial victory.
Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday, June 5 at 4 p.m. and there will be a $3,076 carryover in the Jackpot Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in race six.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)