A pair of $15,000 conditioned paces highlighted the card at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon and a pair of gate to wire winners took home the bulk of the money.
Mcbeantown (Drew Monti) left from post four and opened up an immediate 2-1/2 length lead that he would possess through the remainder of the mile. Monti cut fractions of :26.3, :54.3 and 1:22.3 with Mcbeantown while the rest of the field tried to keep up. At the top of the stretch, four horses were fanned across the track some three lengths behind Mcbeantown and that’s as close as they would get. Mcbeantown paced home under light urging to win easily by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:52.
It was the second win in the last four starts and fourth win overall this year for Mcbeantown ($3.80) who is owned by his trainer Milton Vickerson along with Zach Vickerson.
Two races later Sarahs Lilly (Bruce Ranger) also left from post four and called all the shots once on top. Ranger had no one to contend with as the short field of five was content to ride the pylons and took the group to three-quarters in 1:23.2. Surreal Syrah (Matty Athearn) finally pulled from third in the last turn to take a shot and although she picked up second place, she chased Sarahs Lilly in futility to the line where she captured a line-driven, 2-3/4 length win in 1:51.4.
It was the second straight win and sixth of the year for Sarahs Lilly ($2.10) and owner Moo Coo Inc. Melissa Beckwith trains the winner.
Ranger and Beckwith also teamed up on wins with Stormy Beach (1:55, $2.20) and Glenferrie Blade A (1:53, $2.60) to give them a tag team hat trick.
Matty “Ice” Athearn also scored a driving hat trick on Thursday.
The Wicked Hi-5 has become quite elusive to the Plainridge faithful as once again, no one purchased a unique winning combination on Thursday. That means there is a monster carryover of $29,839 for that wager in the sixth race on Friday (Aug. 6) when live racing resumes at The Ridge at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)