Saratoga shipper Malibu Kid visited Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (June 16) and broke the track record for four-year-old trotting geldings after he won the featured $20,000 Winners-Over Trot with an impressive performance.
Blue Knight (Drew Campbell) and Make It A Double (Mark Athearn) were strong on the iron, arguing for the lead in a quick :26.2 with the latter taking that position before they hit the half in :55.2. Four Under Par (Bruce Ranger) made a first-over move with Malibu Kid (Larry Stalbaum) on his back as they advanced.
Four Under Par took command of the race from Make It A Double before the three-quarters and Malibu Kid dropped in right behind him heading into the last turn. Before they hit the top of the stretch, Stalbaum tipped Malibu Kid and started to make up ground on the game Four Under Par. The two battled to the wire where Malibu Kid claimed the win and the track record by a neck in 1:53.1.
The time of 1:53.1 was also a new lifetime mark for Malibu Kid ($13.40) who is owned by Shark Racing and trained by his driver Stalbaum.
In the $17,500 secondary feature, Sea Isle City (Kevin Switzer Jr.) moved first-over from fourth in pursuit of the front running Captain Nash (Bruce Ranger) as they headed into the second turn. His charge stalled at three-quarters and the pocket sitter Skyway Victor (Drew Campbell) pulled on Captain Nash, leaving Sea Isle City hanging out third. But as they turned for home, Switzer regrouped his charge and bolted down the lane to pass everybody and win by a nose in a personal season's best of 1:51.2.
It was the third win of the year for Sea Isle City ($7.00) and owner Barbara Ethier. The win gave trainer Jamie Gerard his second score of the afternoon.
Plainridge Park became "Switzerland" on Thursday after Kevin Switzer Jr. scored a driving grand slam that vaulted him to the top of the driver colony for dash wins this season. After winning with Ubanji, Big Al M, Beachchip Hanover and Sea Isle City, Switzer now has 48 wins at the current Plainridge meet, one more than the former leader Bruce Ranger.
There is a large and growing carryover of $25,399 available in the sixth race Wicked Hi-5 wager when live racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Monday afternoon (June 20) with post time at 4 p.m. Free full past performance race programs for all live race days can be downloaded by visiting the track's website and clicking the "Racing" tab.
(Plainridge/Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)