Dial A Chic goes overland in Plainridge trot
August 7, 2020,Plainville, MA — After winning in a seasonal best just last week, Dial A Chic moved up in class and came right back to the winner’s circle, taking the $12,000 winners-over trotting feature at Plainridge Park on Friday afternoon (Aug. 7).
Dial A Chic (Joe DiStefano) settled in third from the pylons off the gate while stablemate Jericho (Mitchell Cushing) hit the quarter first in :28.1. DiStefano quickly pulled Dial A Chic in front of the stands and made his way up the rim, eventually pulling alongside Jericho past the half.
Jericho and Dial A Chic trotted stride-for-stride up the backstretch, around the far turn and halfway down the stretch before Dial A Chic finally wrangled the lead away from Jericho and then held off late drives by Uknow What To Do (Nick Graffam) and Namesmuscle (Mark Athearn) to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:56.
Dial A Chic ($18.20) is owned by the DiStefano and Son Stable and is trained by John DiStefano.
The co-featured $12,000 trot for 6-year-olds and under was the scene of a huge upset when Dixie Slippers (Wally Watson) mounted a late rally from third-over at the three-quarters to collar the Mad Dog (John Beckwith) and Just Dreamin (Mike Stevenson) at the finish line to win by a head in 1:56.3 at 56-1.
It was the first win of the year and a lifetime mark for Dixie Slippers ($115.20), who is owned by John and Susan Muldoon and trained by Lisa Watson.
The fastest two trots of the day went to Shake A Leg (Jay Randall, 1:54.4, $6.60) and Chav Hanover (Steve Nason, 1:55.4, $4.80), both of which were new lifetime marks.
The most noteworthy victory on the all-trot card came when the venerable Roadshow Vic ($6.20) scored his 50th lifetime win for owner-trainer Mike Cushing when his nephew, Mitchell Cushing, pulled from fourth at the three-quarters and exploded down the lane to catch Muscana (Bruce Ranger) and win by three-quarters of a length in 1:57.1. The time was a seasonal new mark and the fastest race the 13-year-old has trotted in two years.
In an interesting occurrence, nine different drivers and nine different trainers won during the nine-race card.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Monday (Aug. 10) with post time at 4 p.m.