He hasn’t been in North America long, but he’s already turning heads. Undefeated in Maine and now in Massachusetts, Bettors Fire N extended his win streak to four by capturing the $16,000 Winners-Over pacing feature at Plainridge Park on Tuesday, Nov. 27.
Leaving from post one, Bettors Fire N (Ron Cushing) grabbed an immediate lead and dictated the pace from there. After going unchallenged the first half in a leisurely :56, Bet You made the first move past the half and got to within a length of the leader. But Cushing let Bettors Fire N out once pressured a notch and his horse switched gears.
Bettors Fire N shot away from competition passing three-quarters. The lead increased around the far turn and into the stretch. With the whip tucked and the lines taught, Cushing sat while Bettors Fire N opened up a five-length lead under a powerful stride to win in 1:52.3, a lifetime mark.
It was the 11th win of the year and 44th of his career for Bettors Fire N who now has $690,784 earned both domestic and International. The 10-year-old gelded son of Bettors Delight is owned by Kevin Sywyk, his driver Cushing and Frank Ranaldi and is trained by Heidi Gibbs. He paid $4.00 to win.
Bettors Fire N was purchased privately in New Zealand on Sept. 18 of this year and made his first North American start on Oct. 21 at Scarborough Downs. He had a stellar career in the Southern Hemisphere where he won two Banbury Cups, a heat of the Interdominion in 2016 and the Village Kid Sprint in 2017. This past January he raced against raced against Lazarus N in the $300,000 Freemantle Pacing Cup.
In the $12,000 undercard for upper-level conditioned pacers, Major Leaguer, driven by Jimmy Whittemore, went gate to wire holding off the fast-closing pocket-sitter Kenrick N to win his ninth of the year. Major Leaguer, returning $3.00 to win, has now earned $75,640 in 2018 for owner Whittemore. Dennis Whittemore trains the winner.
Shawn Gray, Drew Campbell and Nick Graffam all had driving doubles on the card.
Plainridge Park will play Auld Lang Syne on Thursday, Nov. 29 as it's the last day of live racing for the 2018 season at the hub of harness racing in New England. Post time for that card is set for 1 p.m.
(With files from Plainridge Park)