After having minimal success racing in Ohio as a two and three-year-old, Mad Dog has turned his fortunes around as an aged horse in Massachusetts.
On Friday (August 16) at Plainridge Park, he set the bar for himself once again after he won the $12,000 five-year-old and under conditioned trotting feature with a personal-best effort.
Post eight wasn’t an issue for Mad Dog (John Beckwith) as he left the gate strong and rolled up to the lead by the quarter in :27.3. As the race moved to the half, he was unchallenged and set his own pace until the five-eighths pole when Simple Kaos (Shawn Gray) and Chav Hanover (Steve Nason) came in the outer tier.
Simple Kaos engaged Mad Dog at the three-quarters and the two tangled around the final bend and into the stretch just a neck apart. Trotting down the lane, Simple Kaos was joined by Hs Marcia (Drew Campbell) in pursuit of Mad Dog and they both inched closer as the wire approached. Mad Dog continued to fight and held his advantage through the beam to win by a nose in 1:55.1, which was a new lifetime mark.
Mad Dog ($14) has now won four races this year and has hit the board 13 out of 18 starts. As a result, he has earned $40,010 for his owners Michele Nelson and Jeffrey Nelson. Joe Nelson does the training.
Also on the card were a pair of $10,000 condition races -- one on each gait -- that saw their winners both take marks in victory.
In the pace, Western Thunder (Drew Campbell) pulled first-over at the half and overtook the front-running Rock The Heavens (Matt Athearn) in deep stretch to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:54.3, which was a new lifetime mark.
It was the fourth seasonal win for Western Thunder ($4.40), who is owned by Kathleen Brewer and trained by Timmie Griffith.
Then in the trot, Whiskey Lindy (Drew Monti) left like a rocket in :27.1, opened up five lengths and then never looked back. Basically unchallenged during the mile, Whiskey Lindy turned for home with a length lead and held off a late charge by a fast-closing Box Of Gifts (Shawn Gray) to win in 1:56.1, which was a new seasonal mark.
Whiskey Lindy ($4) is owned by Greathorse and trained by Domenico Cecere.
Drew Campbell led all drivers on Friday with three wins while Mike Stevenson was right behind him with two.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Monday (August 19) with post time at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)