Plainville, MA — Nows The Moment was never in doubt once he got the lead in Thursday’s $20,000 Open Handicap Trot at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (Aug. 25), delivering a seasonal best 1:53.2 win.

Driver Kevin Switzer Jr. sent Nows The Moment off the gate and into command, setting early fractions of :27 and :56.4. Raybarnz (Ivan Davies) floated forward on the outside at the start, but began to advance towards the leader after they straightened up the backstretch. Nows The Moment hit three-quarters in 1:24.4 and looked comfortable with the fractions, but Raybarnz was now right on his back and looked poised to pounce. But before they even got out of the turn, Switzer said “go” and Nows The Moment left the field behind by two open lengths. Heading for home, Nows The Moments was on cruise control and under wraps.

Nows The Moment maintained clearance over Raybarnz in the stretch en route to a facile win in Thursday’s Open Handicap Trot at Plainridge. Tom Melanson photo.

Nows The Moment ($10.20) registered his 28th career win and advanced his lifetime earnings to $436,022 for owner Sonya MacDonald. Allison MacDonald is the winning trainer. Switzer won two races on Thursday.

A pair of $15,000 conditioned trots anchored the feature, and both produced seasonal marks for their respective winners.

First, Brett Beckwith put New Legacy on the point and said “catch me if you can.” After rattling off quarters of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:26, New Legacy dealt with a challenge from Hope So (Luke Hanners), who was bearing down at the top of the stretch. The two tangled to the wire, but Beckwith got the edge with New Legacy and won by a neck in 1:56. It was the first win of the year for New Legacy ($6.60), who is trained by Jimmy Nickerson for Nickerson Racing, Joseph Hayes Jr., Steven Kouray and Donald DeLuca. Beckwith also ended the day with two wins.

Then, in the second co-feature, Goodashim (Bruce Ranger) drew post seven but left and led every step of the mile to score a narrow victory over a fast-closing Midnite Craze (Ivan Davies) in 1:55. Goodashim ($19.40) got his third win in only five 2022 starts for owners Greathorse, Robert Rudolf, David Reid and Christina Takter. Domenico Cecere trains the winner.

Three Massachusetts-bred trotters got in some good early work on Friday in preparation of the upcoming Massachusetts Sire Stakes after they won the first three races of the day. The 2-year-old filly Milliondollarwall (Walner-Mom’s Millionaire) got her first lifetime win in 1:58.2, and 3-year-old filly Dancin On The Wall (Walner-Lovely Lindy) got her third lifetime victory in 1:55. Bruce Ranger drove both for trainer Domenico Cecere. Also, 3-year-old filly Grits N Trix (Trixton-Bourbon ‘n Grits) got away last but closed fast to win by a nose in 1:57.1 for her third lifetime score for driver Nick Graffam and trainer George Ducharme.

Live racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday afternoon (Aug.26) at 4 p.m. Free full past performance race programs for all live race days can be downloaded by visiting the track’s website.