After winning her first two starts of the year at Plainridge Park, Black Broadway shifted her attention to Yonkers and Saratoga Raceway since May. But today's return to her home track yielded yet another win there as she captured the $18,000 Open trotting feature at The Ridge on Thursday afternoon.
Black Broadway (Chris Long) left mid-pack and gained the front briefly at the quarter before yielding that position to Guiltywithanexcuse (Jim Hardy) just past that station. Positions then remained unchanged to the half and the pedestrian :57 split set enticed participation from the back of the pack.
Waiting On A Woman (Greg Merton) flushed with a rush and blew right by Guiltywithanexcuse, eventually opening up a two-length advantage on the strength of a sharp :28.3 third panel. That move relegating Black Broadway back to third but she didn’t sit there long. As soon as One Swan For All (Wally Watson) faded from fourth on the outside, Black Broadway pulled with a full head of steam and started trotting her hips off. She made up three lengths in no time and overtook Waiting On A Woman halfway down the lane. She then trotted away to win easily in 1:55.2.
It was the fifth win in eight starts for Black Broadway ($8.40) and it raised her 2017 earnings to $46,790 for owners Mike Eaton and Bob McHugh. Eaton also trains the winner who is now three for three at Plainridge Park this year.
The Eaton-McHugh combination struck again in the $12,000 conditioned trotting co-feature when the lightly regarded Shorething Fashion (Mike Eaton) turned a garden-spot trip into a pylon-skimming nose victory over L Dees Yoyo Ma (Steve Nason) in 1:57, which was a new lifetime mark for the three-year-old Andover Hall gelding. Shorething Fashion returned $31.60 for his fifth lifetime win.
Jim Hardy and Greg Merton each had two driving wins on the card while trainer Mike Eaton saw two of his pupils victorious.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday with post time set for 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)