Every time Walpole, Mass. native George Ducharme brings Wings Of Royalty to Plainridge Park the native sons get the job done. And on Thursday, Aug. 23 the six-year-old son of RC Royalty entered the track's record book for the second time in his career when he won the $16,000 Winners-Over Handicap in handy fashion.
Wings Of Royalty left from post seven and took command before the quarter. With the field seated behind him, he led the group to the half in :56.3 with driver Shawn Gray sitting comfy in the bike. Only Passing Thru had been tracking from second the whole way and appeared to be the only horse with a legitimate shot to challenge the sharp-trotting leader.
In the backstretch and around the final bend, positions remained unchanged. By the top of the stretch Wings Of Royalty and Only Passing Thru had separated themselves from the pack by five when Greg Merton tipped out to take his best shot off the solid trip. But Wings Of Royalty trotted away from the challenge and to the wire under no urging whatsoever from Gray to win in 1:53.2.
The time was a track record for aged trotting horses, lowering the mark of Kodak Lindy who went a mile in 1:53.4 in 2016. Wings Of Royalty also holds the mark for four-year-old trotting horses at Plainridge Park with the time of 1:53.2, also registered in 2016.
Wings Of Royalty, who was the three-year-old Massachusetts Sires Stake Champion in an undefeated 2015 series, was bred and is owned by Ray Campbell Jr. of Belchertown, Massachusetts. He paid $3.20 to win.
Several horsemen had multiple win days at The Ridge including driver Mitchell Cushing who topped them all making three consecutive trips to the winner's enclosure. Aaron Hall and Nick Graffam also notched two wins each on the card. Mike Eaton and Michael Girouard led all trainers with two wins as well.
There was no Wicked Hi-5 Pentafecta winner again on Thursday so the carry over pool has grown to $4,671 and will be available in the sixth race on Monday, Aug. 27. First-race post is at 4 p.m.
(With files from Plainridge Park)