A pair of $12,000 trots highlighted the card at Plainridge Park on Friday afternoon and both races resulted in big performances.
In the $12,000 Winners-Over trot, Wings Of Royalty (Shawn Gray) got away fourth behind Mr Muscle (Drew Monti) who led to the quarter in :27 and the half in :55.4 while fending off Jericho (Mitchell Cushing). When the race reached the three-quarters, Gray pulled Wings Of Royalty and tipped him three-deep in the last turn, circled the leader and cleared by the top of the stretch. Down the lane Wings Of Royalty was clear and trotted home easily in 1:54.
It was the second win of the year for Wings Of Royalty ($3.40) who is owned by Ray Campbell, Jr. and trained by George Ducharme.
In the other $12,000 conditioned trot, Kings County (Drew Monti) led to the quarter before Double Dealing (Shawn Gray) made a move past the stands and took the front by the half. Positions remained unchanged until the three-quarters when Monti tipped Kings County and retook control of the race in the last turn. From there, Kings County swelled up and opened a 7-3/4 length lead going to the wire and won in 1:53.4, which was only two-fifth’s of a second off the track record for a four-year-old trotting horse.
Kings County ($2.10), who just recently raced in the Hambletonian Maturity, scored his sixth lifetime win for owner Lindy Farms of Connecticut and trainer Domenico Cecere.
Drew Monti and Shawn Gray both scored driving hat tricks on Friday. Trainer Domenico Cecere also sent three winners to post while George Ducharme sent two.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Monday (Aug. 17) with post time at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)