After coming up short in a higher class last week, Apple Fritter served up a sweet score to his many backers on Tuesday, Aug. 19 in the $24,306 featured conditioned trot at Plainridge Park in a career-best effort.
Mitch Cushing and Apple Fritter made the front after an overland grind in a :27.3 first panel. Once in command, Apple Fritter marched on the point through :57.3 and 1:26.3 middle splits while under duress from Kevlar Cccl (Brett Beckwith), who was chasing in the breeze. But by the time the field reached the last turn, Apple Fritter had opened up a two-length advantage that he took into the stretch, and he went all the way to the wire to win by two lengths in 1:55.1. Sangria Girl (Drew Campbell) finished second with Crypto Cash (James Hardy) third.
Apple Fritter is owned by Ray Lasky and Cushing, who also trains the Pilot Discretion-Danish Doll gelding. The four-year-old is three-for-13 this year. The 9-5 favourite returned $5.80.
Cushing also won one of the two $20,833 undercard trots with Stamped By Lindy (1:54.4, $10.60), who took a new lifetime mark for trainer Barry Segel and owners Nick Segel and Claude Bourgeois. The other was won by Bellas Love (1:56.1, $5.60), who was driven by Drew Monti and trained by Julia Eaton, who co-owns the mare with Bruce Weinstein, Edward Marks, and Richard McDonough.
Monti was the leading driver on Tuesday, winning three races on the 11-dash card. Two of his winners were trained by Eaton, who topped all trainers during the afternoon.
Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Thursday at 4 p.m. with a $8,985 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in the sixth race.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)