After getting away last, Northern Skyway took the overland route to victory in the $20,000 Winners Over Handicap Trot at Plainridge Park on Friday afternoon (August 27).
Shawn Gray took Northern Skyway off the gate and settled sixth in the field of six while Midnite Craze (Ivan Davies) marched on the lead. When the group passed the stands for the first time, Northern Skyway started the long outside trek using Crossfit Mouse (Drew Monti) for cover as they rolled to the half.
The outer flow moved slowly towards Midnite Craze until Crossfit Mouse reached his wheel at three-quarters. As soon as they hit that station in 1:25.1, Crossfit Mouse broke leaving a clear path for Northern Skyway to go on. Midnite Craze maintained a one-length lead into the stretch but Northern Skyway was raging with trot and motored away from the field to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.4.
In the midst of an outstanding year, Northern Skyway registered his ninth win of the season and pushed his earnings to $69,580 for owner William Mc Elvain Jr. James Dunn trains the winner.
In the $15,000 upper-level conditioned trot, Kyrie Deo (Matty Athearn) made a first-over move at the three-eighths mark, drew even with Jericho (Shawn Gray) up the backstretch and then matched strides with him until halfway down the lane. There he finally trotted clear but then had to stave off a late brush from Moni For Lindy (Bruce Ranger) in deep stretch to win by a head in 1:56.
Kyrie Deo ($10.80) is owned by William Phipps and is trained by Gretchen Athearn.
It was the second win of the day for both Matty and Gretchen Athearn.
Bruce Ranger also had two driving wins while Ivan Davies scored a consecutive training/driving double in races two and three to tie Ranger and both Athearns for most wins on the day per category.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Monday with post time at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)