The track record for three-year-old pacing geldings at Plainridge Park was solidly beaten on Monday afternoon, Aug. 18 when Jackson Cooper ($5.20) went gate to wire in 1:49.3.
Brett Beckwith pushed Jackson Cooper (pictured above) to the front and led by two lengths through quarters of :26.1, :54.3 and 1:21.3 before turning for home, holding off the tripped-out and closing Justcallmebuck (Kevin Switzer Jr.), and stopping the clock in 1:49.3. Wyatt Earp (Bruce Ranger) finished third, four lengths back of the winner.
Jackson Cooper is owned by Jesmeral Stable while Christie Collins trains the gelded son of Captaintreacherous-Hidden Land.
The old record for three-year-old pacing geldings was 1:50.4 and was co-held by Benny Is A Jet (2020) and Renaissance Deo (2024).
Larry Stalbaum had himself a day at The Ridge on Monday after two horses he owns, trains and drives -- Blazing Home N ($3.40) and Rocknroll Runa A -- finished first and second in the featured $34,722 Open Handicap Pace.
Stalbaum got away fourth with Blazing Home N and Rocknroll Runa A (Nick Graffam) settled in fifth as Taipo N (Bruce Ranger) blasted through early quarters of :25.4 and :54.2. It was at the half that Blazing Home N went first-over and provided cover for Rocknroll Runa A, who was then one out and one back in the breeze, fourth.
When the race reached three-quarters in 1:21.4, Blazing Home N took the lead from Taipo N and Rocknroll Runa A moved into third, while still on his stablemate’s back. As the horses straightened out for home, Rocknroll Runa A pulled alongside Blazing Home N and tried to catch him in the lane. The two horses sprinted to the line, but Blazing Home N maintained the lead and got the win in 1:50 flat. Heinikin Bythebay (Kevin Switzer Jr.) finished third behind the Stalbaum duo.
The win was the fifth of the year in 23 starts for Blazing Home N, who went over the $140,000 mark in earnings for 2025. Blazing Home N is a six-year-old gelded son of Rocknroll Heaven-Capture My Heart.
Earlier in the $31,250 upper-level conditioned pace, Price Control ($6.80) took full advantage of a class drop out of the Open to win in a career-best effort.
Grey Horizon (Drew Monti) and Price Control (Mitchell Cushing) traded leads through the :26 quarter before Price Control landed on the front to call the shots. He took the field to the half in :54 and three-quarters in 1:21.3 with only a mild bid by Starship (Matty Athearn) as they headed into turn three. Price Control continued to lead around that bend and into the lane while turning back late rushes by Sweet Jeff IR (Nick Graffam) and Stonebridge Reef (Brett Beckwith) to win by a length in 1:49.3, setting his new lifetime mark.
Price Control is owned by Ray Lasky, Matthew Little and his driver, Mitchell Cushing, who also trains the four-year-old gelded son of Control The Moment-Shadow World.
Brett Beckwith was the leading driver on Monday after he won three races on the card while 11 different trainers each won one race apiece during the afternoon.
Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 4 p.m. with a $6,411 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in race six.
(With files from the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)