Coming off a lifetime-best effort of 1:50.3 last week, Dandys Evrlasting bounced right back and won again in decisive fashion in the $25,000 featured Winners-Over Pace for fillies and mares at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (June 29).
Matty Athearn sent Dandys Evrlasting to the front and led at every station from there. After getting to the half in :55.4, an outer flow formed, headed by La Bella Vita N (Shawn Gray), who was pacing in the breez, a length behind the leader at three-quarters. When they reached the top of the stretch, that margin was down to one-half length and the field was starting to bunch with Wolverina (Nick Graffam) and Racey Rach N (Bruce Ranger) joining the fray. As the girls headed towards the line, Athearn asked for more and got it from Dandys Evrlasting, who dug in and separated by 1-3/4 lengths to win in 1:51.4.
It was the sixth victory of the year for the four-year-old Dandys Evrlasting ($14.60), who is owned by Dandy Farms Racing and Ft Racing Stable. Jimmy Nickerson was the winning trainer.
Athearn and Nickerson also combined to win with Hespoisedtopounce A (1:50.1, $2.60) and Givenupdreaming (1:52.2, $4.80) to claim the team hat trick.
There was a pair of $20,000 co-featured paces that saw both winners take new lifetime marks.
First, Duke Of Cornwall N (Mitchell Cushing) put in a powerful performance by going first-over past the quarter to take the lead before the half and then maintained a 1-1/2-length lead for the remainder of the race to win easily in a career best 1:49.2.
It was the fourth straight win for Duke Of Cornwall N ($2.20) and owner Richard Poillucci. Tahnee Camilleri trains the winner.
In the second event, Little Willy (Brett Beckwith) was in his element on the point, setting fractions of :26.3, :55.3 and 1:23.1 before turning for home and holding off a tripped-out Skyway Victor (Mitchell Cushing) to win by one-half length in 1:50.4 to take his lifetime mark.
Little Willy ($9.20) is owned and trained by Melissa Beckwith.
Team Beckwith also won with Boston (1:51.4, $3) to get a double for the day.
Drivers Mitchell Cushing and Shawn Gray joined the Beckwiths with two wins each on Thursday.
Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday, July 3 at 4 p.m. and there will be a $5,261 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race six.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)