The trotters took center stage at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon and the top two classes both yielded strong performances.
In the $12,000 condition race for six-year-olds and under, Nows The Moment (Shane Taggart) got away last while New World Goal (Mitchell Cushing) set the fractions for almost the entire mile. By the half mile marker, three horses broke and Nows The Moment found himself outside avoiding traffic before motoring up the backstretch and eventually drawing even with the leader at the top of the stretch. From there he trotted on by and opened up a three-length advantage at the wire, winning in 1:56.3.
It was the third win in the last five starts and fifth win of the year for Nows The Moment ($6.60) who is owned by Sonya Mac Donald and trained by Allison Mac Donald.
Then in the $10,000 non-winners event, Zorgwijk Nova (Mitchell Cushing) took a quarter to get the lead but when she did, it was for keeps. After setting fractions of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:25.2, Zorgwijk Nova held off challenges from Dial A Chic (Joe Di Stefano) and Coco Lindy (Greg Merton) and hung on to win by a length in 1:54.4, which was a new lifetime mark for the mare.
It was the second straight win for Zorgwijk Nova ($11.40) under the guidance of trainer Eric Beach for owner A Piece Of The Action LLC.
Mitchell Cushing and Shane Taggart each had two wins on the card, leading all other reinsmen on Thursday.
There was no winning ticket in the Wicked Hi-5 Pentafecta wager again on Thursday so there will be a $7,742 carry over pool in the sixth race Wicked Hi-5 on Monday when live racing resumes at Plainridge Park at the new, earlier post time of 2 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)