When driver Jay Randall finished fourth with Whata Foolbelieves in the fourth race at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (July 13), he surpassed the $30 million plateau in career driving earnings.
Randall’s driving career started in 1978 and during the ensuing 44 years, he has posted 4,817 wins, which helped propel him to the lofty number. During his career, Randall has raced at most tracks in New York as well as the tri-state area and has won several driving titles along the way.
Randall, a resident of Ballston Spa, is currently based at Saratoga Raceway and has been a top 10 driver there for three decades. But since coming to Plainridge Park in 2019, his numbers and success have really soared. In those 4-1/2 years at Plainridge alone, Randall has racked up 227 wins that earned their connections over $3.145 million in purses. His best year at The Ridge was 2022 when he finished third in the standings with 100 wins and just under $1.5 million in earnings. His 2022 campaign was also his best year overall for money as he put away $2.4 million altogether. Randall's single best season for victories was 2019 when he hung 238 victories on his competitors. Since 2018 alone, Randall has won $8.4 million in purses and that includes being sidelined for an extended period of time in 2021 when he was injured in a racing accident at Saratoga Raceway.
The feature race of the day was a $25,000 Winners-Over Pace for distaff participants and last week’s winner, Probert, did it again.
There was a lot of action early as Westbeach (Bruce Ranger) out-wrangled Newsy N (Nick Graffam) for the lead heading to the quarter before Dandys Evrlasting (Matty Athearn) pulled from third and grabbed the front after that station in :26.2. Dandys Evrlasting finally seated in front of the stands and paced clear to five-eighths where Booraa N (Ron Cushing) came first up, bringing Probert (Brett Beckwith) with her in the breeze. Positions remained unchanged to the 1:22.2 three-quarters, and then around the last turn until Probert tipped three-wide heading into the lane. Three across the track, Dandys Evrlasting, Booraa N and Probert paced side by side all the way to the wire where Probert got the jump and won by one-half length in 1:50.4, tying her lifetime mark.
On the strength of her 30th lifetime win, Probert ($6) has now earned $490,080 and she is currently owned Howard Jacobs, Jim Winske and Marcus Kemblowski. Melissa Beckwith did the training.
There were also a pair of $20,000 conditioned paces featured on the card.
In the first, Cigars And Port (Wally Watson) seated the field in a :25.4 quarter, backed down the half with a tepid :30 split and then outlasted a fast closing The Wild Card (Nick Graffam) to win by one-half length in 1:51.1. It was the second win in the last three starts for Cigars And Port ($15.20), who is owned by his driver Watson along with Fox Ridge Stable. Lisa Watson trains the winner.
Then General Ward (Brett Beckwith) led by two lengths through quarters of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:23.3 before spiraling through the last turn by the same margin. Star Speaker (Bruce Ranger) and Quick Shot (Kevin Switzer Jr.) did all they could to catch him in the stretch, but General Ward marched home on top by a neck and won in 1:51.4 to take a new seasonal mark. It was the fifth win of the year for General Ward ($4.40), who is owned by Nancy Longobardi, it was the second win of the day for trainer Melissa Beckwith and the third win of the day for driver Brett Beckwith.
Matty Athearn continued on his torrid win streak on Thursday, bagging a hat trick in the bike after winning five on Tuesday (July 11) and four on Monday (July 10). Athearn has now won 12 races out of the last 29 events he’s driven in.
In just over a week, Plainridge Park will host the Grand Circuit when the $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot and $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace will be held on Sunday (July 23). Post time for that feature packed card of racing and entertainment is set for 2 p.m.
Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday (July 17) at 4 p.m. and there will be a $7,963 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race six.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)