Quick Shot lived up to his name on Monday when he went from third to first in a matter of yards to win the $14,000 Winners-Over Handicap pace at Plainridge Park.
The heavily favoured Opus Blue Chip (Kevin Switzer, Jr.) called the shots from the start of the race while Quick Shot (Drew Campbell) settled in third for the ride. After a blazing :25.4 quarter in the rain, Opus Blue Chip went to the half in :54.4 and three-quarters in 1:22.2 and the only challenge came from a weak outer flow that never got closer than fourth.
As they made their way around the final turn, Switzer raised the lines and Opus Blue Chip entered the stretch with a three-length lead looking like a winner. But Quick Shot had gotten out of the pack and was pacing like a loose horse down the middle of the track. Campbell was able to get around the drifting Opus Blue Chip and flew past him under the line to win by a head in 1:51.
The winning time was a new seasonal mark.
Although it was only his second win of the year, Quick Shot ($9.00) has still earned $68,714 in 2019 for owner Kathleen Brewer. Artie Brewer II trains the winner.
In the $12,000 conditioned undercard pace, Betterlatethnnever (Jay Randall) took full advantage of a short field and post one and went gate to wire -- despite the best efforts of Fernleigh Rebel N (Mitchell Cushing) who challenged him on the outside for the better part of the mile - and won by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:52.1.
Betterlatethnnever ($3.40) is owned by Nickerson Racing and David Glazer with Jimmy Nickerson doing the conditioning.
Plainridge Park held the first leg of its developmental series for two-year-old trotters, “The Wood End Light”, on Monday. The $10,000 race was won by Capital Comet (Drew Monti) who followed stablemate Dazzling Lindy (Mitchell Cushing) the entire mile before popping the deuce and brushing by in the stretch to score his first lifetime victory in 1:58.4.
Capital Comet ($7.20) is owned by Lindy Farms, Robert Rudolph and M Biasuzzi Stable. Domenico Cecere trains the top two finishers.
Mitchell Cushing, Drew Campbell, Drew Monti and Jay Randall all had driving doubles on Monday. Eric Beach did the same on the training side.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday with post time at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)