The Bird Dance N has acclimated well since landing in North America earlier this year and he added another win to his already impressive stats after a strong performance in the top $25,000 Open pace at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon.
Thursday was the first day of Spirit of Massachusetts week at Plainridge Park and enhanced purses were in effect for all races leading up to the $250,000 Spirit trot on Sunday (July 25). That made the day s featured condition pace worth $18,000 and it took a career best effort from Level Up to snare the winner’s share of the money.
Level Up (Shawn Gray) grabbed an easy lead from post two and made his way to the :27 quarter unmolested. Bettor In Cash (Drew Monti) had also left from post eight and found himself parked, with no choice but to move up in the breeze. By the time the race hit the half, Bettor In Cash reached Level Up’s wheel and he continued to gain incrementally moving up the backstretch.
Mansome made a bold uncovered move in the last half of the mile to overpower a field of top pacers and win the $20,000 winners-vver feature race at Plainridge Park on Monday afternoon.
Rock Diamonds N (Ron Cushing) led to the quarter where Lake Charles (Shawn Gray) pulled and brushed to the front. Positions remained unchanged until the five-eighths where Mansome (Kevin Switzer, Jr.) pulled first-over on the attack.
The two horses paced in tandem around the far turn and to the top of the lane where Mansome manned-up. He put away Lake Charles and then held off a late closing kick from Rock Diamonds N to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:51.2.
Twenty top resident pacers of Plainridge Park were divided into three tiers of Winners-Over events that ranged in purse from $15,000 to $20,000 on Monday afternoon and the high-calibre card provided non-stop excitement for the large holiday crowd that was on hand to watch and wager.
In the featured $20,000 race, Stihl N got back to his winning ways in a come-from-behind upset victory.
Major Leaguer (Nick Graffam) took control of the race and led a single-file field to the half in a tepid :56.4. At the five-eighths pole, Sports Obsession (Drew Monti) pulled first over and Stihl N (Matty Athearn) quickly lined up behind him as the pace quickened substantially in the :27.1 third quarter. At that station Athearn tipped Stihl N three-deep and drew alongside Sports Obsession and Major Leaguer, and eventually pulled in front at the top of the stretch. Stihl N maintained his lead down the lane and held off a late charge by Franco Tristan N (Shawn Gray) to win by three-quarters of a length
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