After taking a lifetime mark of 1:50.1 last week in the elimination of The Patriot mini-series, Courageous Warrior came right back to claim the $34,722 final, which was the featured race at Plainridge Park on Monday (Aug. 31) afternoon.
Jettingtomalibu (Bruce Ranger) took the early lead, but Courageous Warrior (Matty Athearn) came roaring up quickly and gained control passing the :26.2 quarter. Once on top, Courageous Warrior held a comfortable lead to the half in :55 and three-quarters in 1:22.3, with Jettingtomalibu still following closely.
But as the race moved through the final turn, Courageous Warrior started to separate from the field and had a two length advantage when he turned for the stretch. And from there, Courageous Warrior flew home under a line-drive and won by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:50.3. Sweet Jeff IR (Nicholas Graffam) was second, with Jettingtomalibu third.
Courageous Warrior ($3.40) is owned by Curran Racing of Red Hook, NY, and Nickerson Racing of Malta, NY. Jimmy Nickerson trains the four-year-old Huntsville-Chief Karen gelding.
There was also a pair of $23,611 conditioned paces for five-year-olds and under on the card.
The first was won by Lyons Honeymonster (Nick Graffam), who sat second behind Johnny Lincoln N (Brett Beckwith) who backed off the short field of four to the half in a pedestrian :58.1. When the race entered the backstretch, Corbin Hanover (Mitchell Cushing) rushed the leader and pushed a :28.1 third quarter. But then Corbin Hanover broke at three-quarters and Johnny Lincoln N broke at the top of the stretch. That left a clear path for Lyons Honeymonster to barrel home in :27 flat and win in 1:53.4 by 3-1/2 lengths.
Lyons Honeymonster ($18.20) is owned and trained by Scott Vickerson of Portland, ME.
Then in the second, Captain Rocknroll (Mitchell Cushing) sat a close second behind Dead Mans Chain (Brett Beckwith) who sped through quarters of :26.3, :55 and 1:23 before heading into the final bend. Positions remained unchanged until just before the stretch where Cushing tipped Captain Rocknroll, accelerated like a pocket rocket and paced away from the field by 3-1/2 lengths to win in 1:51.1 and take a new lifetime mark.
Captain Rocknroll ($6.00) is owned by Mona Dodd of Yarmouth, ME, and Joseph Bradeen of Greene, ME, and trained by Mike Cushing.
Nancy Longobardi and Randy Bickmore led all trainers on Monday with two wins apiece during the afternoon.
Racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Sept. 1) at a new, earlier post time of 2 p.m.
(With files from The Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts; photo of Courageous Warrior)