After being sidelined with injuries suffered in a wreck at Saratoga Raceway on May 12, Jay Randall made his first start back at Plainridge Park a winning one when he captured the $25,000 Open pace with The Moonshadow N in an upset on Monday afternoon.
The Moonshadow N got away fifth as the heavily favoured Vettel N (Greg Merton) and Artful Way (Bruce Ranger) traded leads through the swift :26.2 first quarter, with Vettel N finally getting the top in front of the stands. Merton then kept the pace sharp to the half, getting to that station in :53.4.
As the field made their way up the backstretch, Mansome (Kevin Switzer Jr.) pulled first up and Randall followed with The Moonshadow N. Mansome got up to Vettel N's wheel but started to disengage in the last turn. That's when The Moonshadow N went three deep at the seven-eighths and made his move. With minor urging from Randall, The Moonshadow N paced hard, took the lead in deep stretch and won by ¾'s of a length in 1:50 flat, taking a new lifetime mark.
It was the third win in a row -- all three at Plainridge -- for The Moonshadow N ($31.20) who is owned by his trainer Melissa Beckwith along with Stephen Demeter, Joseph Jannuzzelli and Mark Harder.
In the $20,000 Winners-Over pace, Peace Out Posse (Greg Merton) took a quick lead and charted an easy half of :56.4 before being pressured by Wyatt J (Bruce Ranger) to the top of the stretch. After putting that one away, Peace Out Posse turned back a late charge from the pocket-sitting Sports Obsession (Drew Monti) and won by ½ length in 1:50.4.
Peace Out Posse ($3.60) is owned by J R and Collin Ryan, Blair Corbeil, Nicholas Catalano and Keith Pippi. Jenn Bongiorno trains the winner.
There was one lucky winner in the sixth race Wicked Hi-5 on Monday who collected $38,891.30 for a 20-cent wager on the combination of 4-2-5-8-6.
Due to forecasted extreme heat & humidity, racing at Plainridge Park has been cancelled for Thursday (Aug. 12) and Friday (Aug. 13th). Racing will resume at Plainridge on Monday (Aug. 16) with post time at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)