Plainville, MA — On a day that saw a total of three track records fall, two-time Dan Patch Award winner Miki And Minnie stopped the clock in 1:49.1 in Thursday’s (June 25) $27,500 Distaff Open at Plainridge Park and establish a new standard for 4-year-old pacing mares at the Massachusetts harness racing venue.
Brett Beckwith left from post 5 with Miki And Minnie and battled with the front-pacing Rocket Deo (Bradley Chisholm) through splits of :26.3 and :54.4 to the half, where she crossed over, settled on the pegs and really got down to business. Miki And Minnie opened up 1-1/2 lengths passing three-quarters and had a 3-length advantage at the top of the stretch. When they straightened out for home, Rocket Deo rushed from the pocket and made up about a length, but Miki And Minnie was relentless on the point and closed out the deal as a 2-1/4-length winner in 1:49.1, setting the new track mark.
It was the 22nd lifetime win in only 30 lifetime starts for double millionaire Miki And Minnie ($2.10), who is owned by Craig Henderson, Robert Mondillo and Lawrence Minowitz and trained by Chris Ryder.
Miki And Minnie’s track record was one of three set on Thursday, and the second time this particular category was reset during the card. The 4-year-old pacing mare record fell for the first time in the first race, when Custard Dolce (Brett Beckwith) defeated Swedish Starlet N (Matty Athearn) by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:49.3, breaking the old mark of 1:50.2, set by Pure Cotton (Bruce Ranger) in 2022 and equaled by Classicist (Brett Beckwith) that same year.
The third record that was broken was for older pacing geldings, accomplished by the 6-year-old Soho Spectre A (Bret Beckwith), who got up at the line to beat Jackson Cooper (Bruce Ranger) by a neck in 1:48.2, besting the old standard of 1:48.3, set by Alex Having Fun (Matty Athearn) earlier this year.
The record for that same category also came under attack in the $27,500 Open for male pacers, which was won by For Once Inmy Life, who has now defeated the resident top-class pacers for the fifth time in five tries at Plainridge this year.
Using the same strategy that achieved victory in his four previous outings in Massachusetts, For Once Inmy Life (Bruce Ranger) went right to the front and never looked back. After cutting quarters of :26, :53.3 and 1:20 with Catalpa Rescue A (Brett Beckwith) tracking in the pocket, For Once Inmy Life extended his lead to 2-3/4 lengths as he was all wrapped up approaching the line, where he won in 1:48.4, which was a new lifetime mark for the winner.
The winner’s share of the purse pushed the earnings of For Once Inmy Life ($3.20) over the century mark this year, now showing $100,475 on the card for owner Winters Racing. Cory Stratton trains the winner.
Brett Beckwith had a colossal day at the lines on Thursday. He won four races, including with the already mentioned Miki And Minnie, Custard Dolce and Soho Spectre A – while orchestrating all three track records – along with Chalk Hanover (1:51.3, $4.20), to close out his grand slam.
Trainers Brett Pelling, Enrico Robinson and Cory Stratton each sent two stable members for win photos during the afternoon.
Racing at Plainridge Park resumes on Friday (June 26) at 4 p.m.
Free full-card past performance programs and replays for every card of racing at Plainridge Park are available at plainridgeparkcasino.com.