The feature race at Plainridge Park on Friday afternoon was the $14,000 Winners-Over Handicap trot and Sortie Hanover made a bold move to capture the winner’s share.
Nows The Moment (Mike Stevenson) left from post seven and took an early lead. But he soon surrendered that spot to Lindy The Great (Drew Monti) who recovered from an early break to rally to the front by the half in :56.4.
Positions remained unchanged until midway up the back straight when Drew Campbell pulled Sortie Hanover from fourth and blew right by the three horses ahead of him to clear and take the lead by three-quarters in 1:25.3. From there Campbell just high-lined his horse and Sortie Hanover did the rest; trotting home first by four lengths in 1:55.
Sortie Hanover ($12.00) got his fifth win of the year and a new lifetime mark for owner Mark Ford and Elisha Lafreniere, who trains the winner.
The first race wasn’t the feature trot, but it was the fastest. In the $8,500 mid-level condition event, Mayfair Johnny B (Jay Randall) pulled second over from fifth at the half, tipped three-deep at the three-quarters, overtook the leading Nathaniel (Drew Campbell) in the last turn and then trotted home in :28.4, opening up a 13-length lead in the process to win in 1:54.1.
An 11-time winner in 2018, Mayfair Johnny B ($4.20) registered his third win of 2019 and a new seasonal mark for owner Kellogg Racing Stable and trainer Jackie Greene.
Stealing the show among all drivers on Friday was Mitchell Cushing who won five of the 11 races on the card. He scored with Run And Tell Pap (1:56.2, $10.60), Neverdie (1:56.2, $3.00), Northern Breakout (1:56.3, $12.60), Katkin And Coke (1:58.2, $2.40) and Tango Glider (1:59.4, $31.40).
Cushing has been on a tear this week at The Ridge, winning four races on Monday, four more on Thursday and then capped off the week today with five more tallies. As a result of the 13 wins, Cushing is now only two wins behind Shawn Gray (57-55) for the meet’s driving lead.
Live racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Monday afternoon with post time at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)