Despite starting from post eight, Paternity Suit A turned a run in the breeze into a career victory in the $12,000 Winners-Over pacing feature at Plainridge Park on Monday afternoon.
Off the gate, Rock Diamonds N (Ron Cushing) out-hustled Major Leaguer (Kevin Switzer Jr.) to the front in a quick :26.1 quarter while Paternity Suit A (Drew Monti) dropped in fourth from the outside. But he wasn’t on the pylons long as Monti pulled at the three-eighths and motored up near the leader as the race passed the half.
Paternity Suit A continued a measured grind up the backside and drew within a neck of Rock Diamonds N when the race hit the final turn. The two horses battled around the bend and into the mid-stretch where Paternity Suit A got a slight advantage over Rock Diamonds N and held off the fast closing Major Leaguer and JK Will Power (Mitchell Cushing) to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:50, which was a new lifetime mark.
It was the third win in four North American starts at Plainridge Park for Paternity Suit A ($11.60) who is owned by Tony Gruppo and Tim Bojarski. Scott Rollins trains the winner.
There were also two $12,000 co-featured paces that produced convincing winners.
In the upper-level aged condition, Avatartist (Mitchell Cushing) led every step of the way en route to a 2-3/4 length, 1:51.3 victory that was also a new seasonal mark for the winner. Avatartist ($2.40) is owned by Mark Eaton, Bob McHugh, Robert Griffin and Russell Young and is trained by Mark Eaton.
And in the condition event for the four-year-old and under class, Tucker Creek (Jay Randall) made a first over move past the half, took the front and led the rest of the way to win by a neck over a tough Sea Isle City (Shawn Gray) in 1:53.1 to make it four wins in a row at Plainridge. Tucker Creek ($5.40) is owned by Joe Hayes, Jr. and Paul Paoletti. Jimmy Nickerson trains the winner.
Mitchell Cushing, Bruce Ranger and Kevin Switzer, Jr. all had driving hat tricks on Monday while Drew Monti scored a double. Trainer Joe Nelson also registered two winners.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday (Aug. 19) with post time at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)