Coming off a career-year for wins and earnings in 2018, Make It A Double has already surpassed the victory total of last year and is well on his way towards the bank after winning the $12,000 Winners-Over Handicap Trot at Plainridge Park on Friday afternoon (June 21).
Leaving from post five, Make It A Double (Mark Athearn) rolled to the front, opened up a two-length advantage and did not allow anyone closer to him than that for the rest of the mile. Athearn guided his trotter to the quarter in :28, the half in :57.3 and the three-quarters in 1:26.2 before turning for home with a three-length advantage. From there with his tail flagged and his head thrown in time with his gait, Make It A Double coasted unchallenged down the lane and won in 1:54.4, which tied his seasonal mark.
The win was the fifth in nine starts this season for Make It A Double ($5.80), who has now earned $37,810 in 2019 for owner William Phipps. Gretchen Athearn trains the winner.
The second fastest diagonal event on the trot-heavy Friday card was the $8,500 mid-level condition race that saw Coco Lindy (Drew Monti) pull first-over at the half before clearing and opening up a three-length lead by the top of the stretch. From there, Coco Lindy stayed tough and held off a strong brush by both Run And Tell Pap (Mitchell Cushing) and Wind And A Prayer (Mike Stevenson) at the wire to win by a neck in 1:55.4.
The win was the 49th lifetime win for Coco Lindy ($4.60), who now boasts $543,088 in career earnings. Greathorse owns the 12-year-old son of Cantab Hall-Nutty Butty, who is trained by Domenico Cecere.
Drew Monti led all drivers with three wins on the card while trainers Gretchen Athearn, Domenico Cecere and Mike Giourard were the winningest trainers with two victories apiece.
There were no winners of the Wicked Hi-5 Pentafecta again on Friday so the carryover pool for that bet in the sixth race on Monday (June 24) will be $10,344 when live racing resumes at Plainridge Park. Post time for the first race is 4 p.m.
(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)