Plainville, MA — Since starting back from a break in late September, Moonshine Kisses has won three out of four Open Handicap Paces at Saratoga. On Thursday (Nov. 11) he came to Plainridge Park and dominated once again with a seasonal best effort in the $25,000 Open Handicap despite being assigned the outside post seven.

Moonshine Kisses opened up two lengths at the light to win in 1:50.2, which was his best clocking of the year. Tom Melanson photo.

Jay Randall flew off the gate with Moonshine Kisses, took the lead and blistered a :26 first quarter while Thinkbig Dreambig (Bruce Ranger) and Cigars And Port (Wally Watson) followed intently. Moonshine Kisses then did not slow down, hitting the half in :54.1 and three-quarters in 1:21.4 with trailing horses struggling to keep up. As the leader came off the turn, Ranger took his best shot and tipped Thinkbig Dreambig for a rush. But Moonshine Kisses just kept going and opened up two lengths at the light to win in 1:50.2, which was his best clocking of the year.

Moonshine Kisses ($3.80) eclipsed the quarter-million dollar mark in lifetime earnings after his seventh win of the year, now with $250,059 in the bank. The winning member of Kellogg Racing Stables is trained by Jackie Greene.

In the $17,500 conditioned pace, Duplicated N (Randall) followed from last for most of the mile while Starznheaven (Drew Monti) cut the corners. But coming off the far turn Randall tipped and was five-wide thundering down the lane and won by a head in 1:52.3 at 14-1.

It was the fifth win of the year for Duplicated N ($31.80) and owners Paul London, Michael Sepinuck, Kathleen Brewer and Andrew Kelson. Artie Brewer trains the gelding.

Randall ended the day with a driving hat trick on the card after he added a win with General Ward (1:53.3, $23.60).

There were also two $15,000 conditioned paces where swift miles were registered.

First in the mid-level condition, Convert Denario N (Ranger) followed Tisadream N (Monti) for the entire mile until halfway down the stretch where he tipped and out-kicked the leader to the light in a :27.3 final panel and won by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.4, which was a new lifetime mark. Convert Denario N ($4.80) is owned by his trainer Melissa Beckwith along with Alea Ashly MacDonald.

Ranger won again later to end the day with two driving wins.

Then later in an upper level Trackmaster, Sports Obsession (Monti) procured perfect pocket passage from the quarter pole to the top of the stretch where he tipped and paced away to a 2-1/2 length victory in 1:52.3. Sports Obsession ($5.20) now has seven wins and $84,443 in earnings this year for owner Joseph Trice.

Driver Monti ended the day with two wins as did trainer Jimmy Nickerson.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday (Nov. 12) with post time at 1 p.m.