Plainville, ME — Despite a chill in the air, big miles were still produced in the top trots at Plainridge Park on Monday (Oct. 27) afternoon.
In the featured $25,000 Open Handicap, Memorynimagination (Matty Athearn) turned a backside brush into a victory that matched his career best.
Memorynimagination got away third as Big Box Hanover (Nick Graffam) and Sforza (Brett Beckwith) traded leads to the :27.3 quarter. Once settled on top, Sforza went to the half in :56.2 before an outer-flow led by Memorynimagination set up, motoring to three-quarters. Memorynimagination overtook Big Box Hanover but still had Marquis Lafayette (Bruce Ranger) on his back to contend with. When they turned for home, Marquis Lafayette moved to the outside and bore down on the leader. Marquis Lafayette made up 1-1/4 lengths in the stretch, but came up one-quarter length short as Memorynimagination hung on to win in 1:53.3, matching his lifetime mark.
It was the seventh win of the year for Memorynimagination ($22.60), who went over the century mark in earnings for 2025, now boasting $110,650 in the bank for owner Joe Trice. Jimmy Nickerson trains the winner.
Earlier in the $20,000 Open II, A New Leader (Mitchell Cushing) went right to the front and marched smartly to his sixth win of the year, and in his fastest clocking ever.
When the gate released the field, A New Leader was unchallenged to the front and set quarters of :27.4, :56.1 and 1:24.3 while Morning Edition (Shawn Gray) sat in the pocket allowing the leader to do the work. With no serious challenge from behind, the top two trotters separated in the far turn, where Morning Edition vacated the pocket to take his best shot. But that shot fell short as A New Leader closed out his mission and won in 1:52.4 and took a new lifetime mark.
A New Leader ($5.00) is owned by Ray Lasky and his driver/trainer Mitchell Cushing.
The leading driver on Monday was Brett Beckwith with three winners and the leading trainer was Brian Lamb with two tallies.
Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Oct. 28) at 2 p.m. And on Thursday (Oct. 30), Plainridge Park will host the $1.2 million finals of the Massachusetts Breeders Stakes.
Free full past performance programs and race replays for all live racing days at Plainridge Park can be found at plainridgeparkcasino.com.