Even though torrential rains delayed the start of racing at Plainridge Park on Thursday (Sept. 25) afternoon, the inclement weather couldn’t keep Sea Can from getting home on time to win the $34,247 Open Trot to score a mild upset.
When the gate released the trotters, Brett Beckwith was on a mission with Platinum As as they sped to the lead and opened up a two-length gap at the :26.3 quarter. With A New Leader (Mitchell Cushing) in the pocket and Sea Can (Nick Graffam) drafting third, Platinum As reached the half in :54.4 before Morning Edition (Shawn Gray) tipped first-over and brought Sforza (Bruce Ranger) along with him second-over.
When the group reached three-quarters in 1:23.3, the race was in two rows, and Sea Can was last on the pegs in a very tough spot. But as they went through turn three, Platinum As faded, leaving Morning Edition to take the lead. Then Sforza tipped off his cover for the stretch drive, and Sea Can was fourth-over but trotting up a storm. Halfway down the lane, those three horses were even across the track, but then Sforza overtook Morning Edition before Sea Can forged ahead late to beat Sforza in the shadow of the wire by a quarter-length in 1:53. Morning Edition was third.
The win was the eighth of the year in 22 starts for Sea Can ($14.60). The six-year-old Muscle Mass-Sos Respect gelding is trained by Joe Nelson for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. He has won 28 of 96 starts and earned $595,726.
In the $30,822 upper-level conditioned trot, Memorynimagination (Matty Athearn) led from start to finish for a win that never seemed to be in doubt. Memorynimagination cut fractions of :27.4, :57, and 1:25 before being challenged by Pepper Wow (Ivan Davies), who got to within one length of the leader but no further as Memorynimagination maintained that advantage all the way to the line to win in a lifetime-best 1:53.3. Bill Bauer (Graffam) was third. Memorynimagination ($9.80) is now six-for-30 this season. The four-year-old son of Father Patrick-Fellowship Of Two is owned by Joe Trice and trained by Jimmy Nickerson. The gelding is 12-for-57 lifetime with $405,895 in the bank.
There were some generous payouts distributed at The Ridge on Thursday as longshots seemed to rule the nine-race card. Royally Raised (Todd O’Dea) won the fourth race from post seven and returned $175.80 for a $2 bet, and Bean Shooter (Cushing) won the eighth race from post eight and paid $56.60. At the end of the day, only one off-time favourite won a race and only one other hit the board.
Aaron Byron and Nick Graffam each had two driving wins during the card while nine different trainers each won one race apiece.
Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Friday at 2 p.m. with a $710 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 wager in the sixth race.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)