Despite a short field and a co-favourite’s break, Winding Hill had his hooves-full capturing the $14,000 Open Handicap Trot at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon.
Guiltywithanexcuse (Jim Hardy) shot out to a four-length lead off the gate while rolling to the quarter in :28. Winding Hill (Jimmy Whittemore) was trying to keep up and took almost a half-mile to do so. However once he did, Whittemore pulled Winding Hill and drew alongside Guiltywithanexcuse who refused to give any ground when he was challenged.
The two battled boldly to the three-quarters in 1:26 when Guiltywithanexcuse started to show fatigue allowing Winding Hill to gain a length advantage by the head of the lane. From there he trotted home, holding off Buff (Steve Nason) as well as his fast closing stablemate Bloodstockshalltab (Nick Graffam) to win in 1:55.1.
It was the eighth win of the year, third win in a row and second consecutive victory at Plainridge Park for Winding Hill ($4.20) who is owned by Diane Whittemore and trained by Dennis Whittemore.
In the $10,000 conditioned trotting co-feature, Ostrich Blue Chip (Greg Merton) came in sharp off two New York Sire Stake starts and converted a perfect pocket trip behind a game Tuscanelle (Jim Hardy) into a gutsy deep-stretch drive to the wire and win by a neck in 1:54.2.
Ostrich Blue Chip’s fifth win of the year pushed her earnings total to $71,705 for owner the Fred Monteleone Stable LLC and trainer Frank Antonacci.
The day’s leading driver was Greg Merton with three wins on the card while trainer Monique Cohen added two wins to her seasonal total.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday with post time set at 2:30 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)