Plainville, MA — The husband-and-wife team of driver Shawn Gray and trainer Alicia Gray have cut back their starts at Plainridge Park this year, but when the talented tandem do visit the Bay State, the results are usually positive. That was the case on Thursday (Sept. 29) after they shipped in three from their stable and won with them all.

Their big winner was Le Bella Vita N, who posted a lifetime best in the $20,000 Open Pace for fillies and mares.

Shawn Gray went to the front with La Bella Vita N and cut the quarter in :26.2 before Classicist (driven by Kevin Switzer Jr.) took the lead past that station. Those two set the pace from there, with Pure Cotton (Bruce Ranger) making a mild third-quarter challenge that fell apart before the last turn. As they motored past the seven-eighths pole, Gray tipped La Bella Vita N, and she and paced away to a two-length victory in 1:51.3.

La Bella Vita N, who took a 1:51.3 lifetime mark in the fillies and mares Open Pace, led a hat trick for Shawn and Alicia Gray on Thursday at Plainridge. Tom Melanson photo.

La Bella Vita N, who was only beaten 2-3/4 lengths by Lyons Sentinel in the $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace at Plainridge in July, scored her ninth win of this season while pushing her earnings to $115,480 for owners Bowie Racing and Michael Goldberg Racing. She paid $7.40 to win.

The Grays completed their stable hat trick with a pair of 3-year-old trotting fillies owned by George Bullukian. Unique Kemp (1:56.3, $6.00) claimed a new lifetime mark with her fourth win in a row, and Hoda Hanover (1:57.4, $2.40) recorded a career best in her first win of the year.

The big trot saw a big mile come from Joey Bats, who turned in his fastest clocking since 2020 while taking a $17,500 upper-level conditioned event.

Joey Bats (Brett Beckwith) led early before Blue Knight (Jay Randall) stole the front before the half. The top two broke away from the field on the backside and had a five-length gap on the others at three-quarters. Coming off the far turn, Joey Bats came off the pylons and got even with Blue Knight. The two then trotted together all the way to the line, where Joey Bats got ahead by three-quarters of a length and won in 1:53.3.

It was the 23rd win in only his 88th start for Joey Bats ($12.60), who has now amassed a total $418,587 in purses lifetime for owners Scott Dillon and Michelle Nelson. Joe Nelson trains the trotter.

Live racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 2) at 2 p.m. The card will feature 3-year-olds contesting their second-round Massachusetts Sire Stakes events. Free full past performance race programs for all live race days can be downloaded by visiting the track’s website.