Trainer Jolene Andrews was a formidable force on Monday (Sept. 14) afternoon at Plainridge Park, scoring three wins on the card each with driver James Hardy, including capturing the featured $23,611 conditioned pace with Luca Bay in a career best outing.
Luca Bay got away sixth as Sunsational (Drew Monti) and Tahunanui (Brett Beckwith) traded leads to the half in :55.2. An outside attack formed there, led by Be Ready To Rock (Matty Athearn) with Luca Bay third-over in the flow, but still sixth, in the solid :28.1 third panel. As the race moved through turn three, Luca Bay tipped three-wide as Be Ready To Rock edged ahead of Tahunanui. When the group turned for home Be Ready To Rock held a slight lead, but Tahunanui continued to fight while three other horses were within a length of the wire. But Luca Bay was loaded with pace and swooped them all to win and take a new lifetime mark of 1:53. Be Ready To Rock was second, with Tahunanui holding for third.
Luca Bay ($26.00) is owned by Arthur Blutstein of Methuen, MA. The four-year-old Lazarus N-Ouija gelding has won four of 13 this year, banking $54,184.
Hardy and Andrews also won the $20,833 Starter Allowance with Anvil Hands, who led every step of the way through quarters of :27, :55.1 and 1:23.1 before turning for home and crossing the line first by a length in 1:51, just one-fifth of a second off his lifetime mark. It was the 25th career victory for Anvil Hands ($4.80) who is owned by David Thibault, Christine Thibault, Hardy and Andrews all of North Attleboro, MA.
The Green Team closed out their triple with Bang Ah Uey ($9.60), who took a seasonal mark of 1:52 for his owners David Thibault, Hardy and John Marini Jr of Canton, MA.
There was another $20,833 conditioned pace on the card for three-year-old side-wheelers and it was won by the Massachusetts-bred Uff Da (Brett Beckwith) who took the lead past the quarter and won by one-half length in a lifetime best, 1:53.4. Uff Da ($2.40) is owned by John Lems of Canton, SD, and Chris Lems of Stow, OH, and trained by Melissa Backewith. Uff Da will be competing in the $3.2 million USD (est) Massachusetts Breeders Stakes which kick off at Plainridge Park on Monday, Sept. 28.
Racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Sept. 15) at 2 p.m.
(With files from The Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts; Photo of Luca Bay)