After seven consecutive starts on the Grand Circuit, Turn The Page N was back in the $34,247 Distaff Open at Plainridge Park on Tuesday, June 3 and took a seasonal mark in victory.
Turn The Page N and driver Ron Cushing floated into third as Arizona (Brett Beckwith) set a solid pace of :26.3 and :55 to the half. There, Turn The Page N moved first-over and brought Always Bstunning N (Kevin Switzer Jr.) with her. The girls got to three-quarters in 1:22.3 in the same order and rounded the last turn with the entire field within three lengths of each other. As they made their way to down the lane, Turn The Page N pushed ahead of the group and paced home the best by one-half length in a season's best 1:50.3. Always Bstunning N finished second, with Taking The Miki (Nicholas Graffam) finishing third.
Turn The Page N ($4) now boasts $145,303 in earnings on the year for her owners, Ron Cushing and Kevin Sywyk. Heidi Cushing was the winning trainer of the six-year-old daughter of Vincent-Sheza Monkee.
In the $26,027 upper-level conditioned pace for female participants, Intothemysticmoon and Nick Graffam got away fourth as Seaside Tina (Walter Case Jr.) rolled down the road in :26, :54.3 and 1:22.3. At that point, the field was in two rows with Elegant A (Brett Beckwith) first-over and Intothemysticmoon following her cover. When the field entered the lane, the top four horses fanned across the track with Intothemysticmoon farthest out, but also first to the line by a head in a season's best 1:51. Elegant A was second, with Seaside Tina finishing third.
The winning daughter of Artspeak-Mystical Moon is trained by Joe Nelson and owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and Phillip Collura.
Intothemysticmoon was only one of four wins for Graffam, who was the leading reinsman on Tuesday. He also scored with Itz Missauckland N (1:53.2, $24), Beantown Ace (1:52.3, $4) and Justcallmecasey (1:54.1, $4.40).
Mike Graffam trained Beantown Ace and Justcallmecasey, pushing him to the top of his category for the afternoon.
Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Thursday, June 5 at 4 p.m.
(With files from the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)