Plainville, MA — Pepper Wow turned a first-over move into a career best-tying effort as he won the $20,000 trotting feature at Plainridge Park on Thursday (Aug. 6).
Pepper Wow (Mitchell Cushing) got away third as Kazio DK (Kevin Switzer Jr.) went to the front and seated Memorynimagination (Matty Athearn) in the process. Kazio DK led the field through early quarters of :27 and :56.3 before Pepper Wow moved first-over in a :27.1 third split and got within a length of the leader at three-quarters. Kazio DK and Pepper Wow continued to trot within a length of each other around the last turn, but when they straightened for home, Pepper Wow had the swifter hooves as they approached the line, where he won by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.3.
It was the third win of the year for Pepper Wow ($3.60), who is owned by Earl and Kathy Beaman in partnership with trainer Ivan Davies.
There were also two $17,000 conditioned events on the program, split between both gaits.
First, in the pace for 4-year-olds and under, Lyons Honeymonster (Kevin Switzer Jr.) took no prisoners as he led at every station and held off the pocket-sitting Captain Rocknroll (Jay Randall) in the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:50.4, which was a new lifetime mark by over two seconds.
Lyons Honeymonster ($3.20) is owned and trained by Scott Vickerson.
Then later, in the mid-level conditioned trot, Lindy In My Dreams (Bruce Ranger) sat fourth as Wall Street Edge (Jay Randall) and Bravado (Matty Athearn) traded leads to the :56 half. As the race moved to the backstretch, Lindy In My Dreams came first-up in the breeze, got to within a length of the leader at three-quarters, took the lead at the top of the stretch, and held off the late-closing Sister Swell (Mike Oosting) by a neck at the line to win in 1:53.4.
It was the first win of the year for Lindy In My Dreams ($6.60), who is owned by Lindy Farms of Connecticut and trained by Domenico Cecere.
Jimmy Hardy was the leading driver on Thursday with three winners at the lines, two of which were trained by Jolene Andrews, who topped the trainers for the afternoon.
Racing at Plainridge Park will resume on Monday (Aug. 10) 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.