Plainville, MA — An early moved paid big dividends for Heinikin Bythebay as he won the $25,000 Open Handicap Pace at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Sept. 3).
Gandolf The Black (Bruce Ranger) set the early tempo with a :26.1 first panel, but Kevin Switzer Jr. was out and rolling with Heinikin Bythebay in front of the grandstand and took the lead before the :53.3 half. With Gandolf The Black now tracking from the pocket and Himself N (Drew Campbell) and Vintage Cheddar N (Mitchell Cushing) pressing on the outside, Heinikin Bythebay continued to dig to three-quarters in 1:21.2. By the top of the stretch, it was a two-horse race with Heinikin Bythebay keeping Vintage Cheddar N at bay all the way to the wire and winning by a neck in a lifetime best 1:49.4.
It was the sixth win of the year for Heinikin Bythebay ($4.20), who is owned by KDK Standardbreds and trained by Kevin Switzer.
There were also a pair of $20,000 conditioned paces.
In the first, Always A Miki (Matty Athearn) got a quick lead and received an early challenge at the quarter from Ahi Sunshine (Brett Beckwith). The pair then paced side by side to the half in :53.3 and three-quarters in 1:21.2. They rounded the turn together and continued to battle down the lane, where Always A Miki shut the door on Ahi Sunshine while holding off the late-closing Naturally Gifted A (Bruce Ranger) to win in 1:51.
It was the second win in the last three starts for Always A Miki ($5.20), who is owned by Joe Trice and trained by Jimmy Nickerson.
It was one of two wins for Athearn on the card.
Then, in the second, Virtual Horizon (Drew Monti) went the mile of his life after taking the lead and turning back challenges from ER Griffin (Kevin Switzer Jr.) at the half and Major Betts (Brett Beckwith) from three-quarters to deep stretch, where Virtual Horizon put him away to win by a neck in a career best 1:52.
Virtual Horizon ($5.00) is owned by Kellogg Racing and trained by Jackie Greene.
Drivers Shawn Gray and Bruce Ranger and trainer Alicia Gray also had two wins during the proceedings on Tuesday.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday (Sept. 5) at 2 p.m.