The race seemed never in doubt once he got the lead and Nows The Moment delivered the goods by winning the $20,000 Open Handicap Trot at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (Aug. 25).
Driver Kevin Switzer Jr. sent Nows The Moment off the gate and into command, setting early fractions of :27 and :56.4. Raybarnz floated on the outside since the start but began to advance towards the leader after they straightened up the back stretch. Nows The Moment hit three-quarters in 1:24.4 and looked very comfortable with the fractions, but Raybarnz was right on his back and looked poised to pounce. But before they even got out of the turn, Switzer said “go” and Nows The Moment left the field behind by two lengths. Heading for home, Nows The Moments cruised to the line to score a 1:53.2 win, which was his personal season’s best.
It was the 28th win for Nows The Moment and it advanced his lifetime earnings to $436,022 for owner Sonya Mac Donald. Allison Mac Donald is the winning trainer. He paid $10.20 to win.
Switzer won two races on Thursday.
There were also a pair of $15,000 conditioned trots that anchored the feature and both produced seasonal marks for the winners as well.
First New Legacy was put on the point by Brett Beckwith and said “catch me if you can”. Rattling off quarters of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:26, New Legacy had to deal with a challenge from Hope So who was bearing down at the top of the stretch. The two tangled to the wire but Beckwith got the edge with New Legacy and won by a neck in 1:56. It was the first win of the year for New Legacy who is owned by Nickerson Racing, Joseph Hayes Jr., Steven Kouray and Donald De Luca. Jimmy Nickerson was the winning trainer of the horse who paid $6.60 to win.
Beckwith also ended the day with two wins.
Then in the second co-feature, Goodashim drew post 7 but left and led every step of the mile to score a narrow victory over a fast-closing Midnite Craze in 1:55. Goodashim got his third win in only five 2022 starts for owners Greathorse, Robert Rudolf, David Reid and Christina Takter. Domenico Cecere trains the $19.40 winner and Bruce Ranger sat in the bike.
Three Massachusetts-bred trotters got in some good early work on Friday in preparation of the upcoming Massachusetts Sire Stakes after they won the first three races of the day. The two-year-old filly Milliondollarwall (Walner-Moms Millionaire) got her first win in 1:58.2 and three-year-old filly Dancin On The Wall (Walner-Lovely Lindy) got her third victory in 1:55 flat. Both were driven by Bruce Ranger and trained by Domenico Cecere, giving each three wins for the day. Also, the three-year-old filly Grits N Trix (Trixton-Bourbon ‘n Grits) got away last but closed fast to win by a nose in 1:57.1 for her third score for driver Nick Graffam and trainer George Ducharme.
Live racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday afternoon (Aug. 26) at 4 p.m. (EDT).
(Plainridge Park)