The four-year-old Muscle Hill gelding Sonnys Moni continued his undefeated season at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Aug. 29) after racking up his seventh consecutive win in as many starts in the $18,500 upper-level conditioned trotting feature.
Bruce Ranger got away third with Sonnys Moni as Oh So Pine (Matty Athearn) led the field to the half in :57.4. Sonnys Moni got underway after that station and was trotting alongside the leader by three-quarters. Ranger let him out a notch and Sonnys Moni took off, opening up a two-length advantage at the top of the stretch before cruising home to an easy 3-1/2-length win in 1:55.
Sonnys Moni ($3.40) has now banked $59,750 in purses this year for owner Moni Maker Stable. Domenico Cecere trains Sonnys Moni, who is the co-winningest trotter at Plainridge Park this year so far (tied with Echo De Meautis Fr, who has seven wins as well).
There were also two $18,500 conditioned races for six-year-old and younger trotters.
In the first, Wallet (Nick Graffam) took the lead just past the half and won handily by 4-3/4 lengths at the light in 1:55.2. Wallet ($2.80) is owned by the George Ducharme Stable, Jim Winske, David Winske and Stephen Michaels, and is trained by George Ducharme.
Then two races later, Strict (Drew Campbell) was parked out from the three-eighths all the way to the wire, where he caught Do Wop Kid (Larry Stalbaum) while turning back Twoscoopsforjack (Matty Athearn) by a neck to win in 1:57. Strict ($11.60) is trained and owned by Jordan Derue, in partnership with FBP Racing Stable.
Tuesday was also a good day for one Massachusetts-bred trotter who will be competing in the $2.4 million (est.) Massachusetts Sire Stakes that are fast approaching and begin on Sept. 25. The two-year-old gelding Foreign Moni (International Moni-Dancing Coed) turned a first-over move into his second lifetime victory in 2:00 flat for driver Jay Randall in the $10,000 “Romper Room” series for two- and three-year-old Massachusetts-bred preferred. Foreign Moni is owned by Jim Winske and George Ducharme, who also trains the winner.
Other horses eligible for the MASS who competed in the two divisions of the Romper Room series included Harleys Enterprise (Enterprise-Haleysgonedancing)
Drivers Bruce Ranger and Jay Randall, along with trainer George Ducharme all had two wins during the afternoon.
The Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta was hit in the ninth race on Tuesday. The combination of 7-4-8-5-1 returned $3,142.58 for a 20-cent wager.
Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Thursday (Aug. 31) at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)