Plainville, MA — After missing a week due to illness, Cigars And Port bounced back in a big way to upset at 17-1 in the $25,000 Winners Over Handicap pacing feature at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 28).

Cigars And Port (#4) rallied to a 17-1 upset in Thursday’s pacing feature at Plainridge Park. Tom Melanson photo.

Cigars And Port (Wally Watson) took a momentary lead off the gate before Hudson Phil (Jay Randall) swooped to the front and hit the quarter in :26.4. With favorite The Bird Dance N (Ron Cushing) settling in third, the horse train rolled down the track to the half in :54.4.

With little movement from the top three to the three-quarters, Wyatt J (Drew Campbell) joined the contenders on the outside in the last turn. When the field spun off the last turn, Watson tipped Cigars And Port out of the pocket and began urging him aggressively down the lane. As good horses do, Cigars And Port responded, overtook Hudson Phil, and then held off a fast-closing Wyatt J to win by a head in 1:51.2.

It was the 10th win of the year for Cigars And Port ($37.00), who now boasts $108,030 in the bank this season for owners Fox Ridge Stables and Wally Watson. Lisa Watson trains the 4-year-old gelded son of So Surreal and Sweet On Art.

The second-tier Winners-Over went for $22,500, and Thinkbig Dreambig ($4.60) delivered in a gate-to-wire effort.

Thinkbig Dreambig (Bruce Ranger) led unchallenged to the half in a tepid :56.3 when Mansome (Pat Curtin) came to call. Mansome made his way up the outside and drew to within a length of the leader by the three-quarter pole. But that was as close as he would get, as Thinkbig Dreambig shifted gears and pulled away from the challenge. Down the lane, the only horse close was the pocket-sitting Simple Kinda Man (Shawn Gray), who couldn’t match strides as Thinkbig Dreambig turned in a fast :27.3 final panel to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:52.3.

Thinkbig Dreambig is owned by Brixton Medical, John Fielding, Goran Anderberg and Goran Falk. Domenico Cecere trains the winner.

The third top class of the day was the $20,000 upper-level conditioned pace that went to Acton Hanover ($17.40), who scored his second Plainridge win of the year.

Salt Life (Brett Beckwith) flew to the quarter in :25.4 and, with no opposition, continued to the half in :54.1. Acton Hanover (Kevin Switzer Jr.) was sitting second and stalked as the leader hit three-quarters in 1:22.3. Halfway around the last turn, Switzer pulled, took the lead and paced home on top by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:51.4.

Acton Hanover is owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi and Dr. Megan Moschgot, and is trained by Joe Nelson.

Driver Drew Monti was top reinsman on Thursday, adding three wins to his column. Two of those winners were trained by Jimmy Nickerson, who finished the day as top conditioner.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday (Oct. 29), with post time for the first race at 2 p.m.