Plainville, MA — After finishing second in her first two starts in Massachusetts this year, Gowestyounggrace charged late to win the featured $22,000 upper-level condition pace for fillies and mares with a career best performance at Plainridge Park on Monday (June 1) afternoon.
Kevin Switzer Jr. put Gowestyounggrace in the pocket behind Mrs. Cheese (Drew Monti) and followed contently as the leader clicked off quarters of :27, :56 and 1:24, while under duress from Checkpoint Chatter (Jimmy Hardy) through that third panel. Mrs. Cheese turned back that outside challenge in the far turn and pulled away by a length and a half heading into the stretch. That’s where Switzer tipped Gowestyounggrace, who then matched strides with Mrs. Cheese all the way to the wire where she pulled in front by a nose and won in 1:52 – with a snappy :27.4 closing brush – to establish a new lifetime mark.
A two-time Maine Sire Stake champion, Gowestyounggrace ($24.80) notched her 24th career win for owner Sharon Ward and trainer Frederick Ward Jr.
Then in the $17,000 distaff conditioned pace, Beantown Ace (Bruce Ranger) sat third as Seaside Tina (Mitchell Cushing) and Chakra (Matty Athearn) argued vehemently for the lead through quarters of :26.1 and :53.2. Once on the point, Seaside Tina continued to roll to three-quarters in 1:22, but now had Beantown Ace on her flank, after Ranger put her in play. Beantown Ace continued to gain ground and at the top of the stretch, got the lead and paced home clear by two lengths in a season’s best, 1:52.
Beantown Ace ($33.60) is owned by Michael Goldberg Racing and trained by Bethany Graffam.
Provisional driver Julia Eaton scored her first career pari-mutuel win in the second race at The Ridge on Monday as a result of giving Dance Monkey a perfect steer. After getting away fourth early, Eaton tipped around fading horses moving to three-quarters and then pocketed-up behind the front-running Moneymakesherhappy (Chris Lefebvre) before going into the far turn. Eaton then moved Dance Monkey to the outside approaching the top of the lane where he swelled up, bolted to the lead and pulled away by 2-½ lengths in a season’s best, 1:54.1 victory.
Dance Monkey ($3.80), who Eaton also trains, is owned by Bruce Weinstein, Richard McDonough and Edward Marks.
Bruce Ranger won a trio of races on Monday to lead all drivers while trainers Bethany Graffam and Jolene Andrews were the top trainers on the program, after taking two tallies apiece.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (June 2) at 4 p.m. and there will be a $29,535 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the sixth race.
Free full card past performance programs for every live card of racing at Plainridge Park can always be downloaded at their website (plainridgeparkcasino.com) under the “Racing” tab. You can also watch all the race replays on that same page.