Plainville, MA — It was a big day for driver Ron Cushing, trainer Heidi Cushing and owner Kevin Sywyk on Thursday (Nov. 16) at Plainridge Park, who combined for three winners — two in career best miles and including both top condition races — on the card.

In the $22,500 upper-level conditioned pace, Cushing got away a distant fifth with Alta Classic A while Life’s A Puzzle (Richard Humphrey) sizzled to the half in :54. Always A Miki (Matty Athearn) was first to pull and Alta Classic A was quick to follow. Always A Miki got the lead at three-quarters and Alta Classic A moved into second at the top of the stretch. Those two tangled all the way down to the line, where Alta Classic A got up by a neck to win in 1:50.3 and take a new lifetime mark.

Alta Classic A rallied to a 1:50.3 lifetime mark in a co-featured pace at Plainridge Park. Tom Melanson photo.

It was the fourth win in six North American starts for Alta Classic A ($4.20), who is owned by his Ron Cushing together with Sywyk.

In the other $22,500 division of the same class, Cushing made a first-over move with Nineteenth Man A and approached the front-pacing Sundown Kid (Jay Randall) past the half. When they hit three-quarters, Nineteenth Man A took the lead on the outside and then pulled away to a 4-1/4-length victory in 1:52.

Nineteenth Man A ($4.80) is owned by Ron Cushing, Sywyk and Lance Downs.

They capped off their triple in the $18,500 mid-level conditioned pace with Dontbothermenone N, who went right to the front and cut fractions of :26.1, :54.4 and 1:22.4 before turning for home to hold off a quick closing Paternity Suit A (Matty Athearn) and win by a neck in 1:51.3, which was also a new lifetime mark.

It was the seventh win of the year for Dontbothermenone N ($18.00), who is owned by the Cushing/Sywyk duo.

The Wicked Hi-5 was hit in the ninth race on Thursday; the combination of 4-1-5-6-2 returned $1,984.48 for a 20-cent wager.

Live racing at Plainridge Park will resume on Friday (Nov. 17) with post time at 1 p.m.