Plainville, MA — Swedish Starlet N scored her 10th win of 2024 after going gate-to-wire in the $25,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon (Aug. 6).
Handicapped from post nine, Swedish Starlet N left hard for Matty Athearn and grabbed the front, going to the quarter in :26.2. After Swedish Starlet N reached the half in :55.3, Quarrel (Bruce Ranger) pulled from third and advanced first-over in the breeze to draw within a length of the leader at three-quarters in 1:23.4. The two mares matched strides around the last turn and into the stretch. Seaside Tina (Jay Randall), who rode the pocket the whole trip, joined Quarrel in pursuit of the leader, but Swedish Starlet N held firm to reach the winning post on top by a half length in 1:51.3.
Swedish Starlet N ($3.80) pushed her annual earnings to $115,530 for owners Tim Bojarski and Tony Gruppo. Jimmy Nickerson trains the 6-year-old Mach Three-Top Of The Pile mare.
Earlier on the card, in a $16,000 conditioned event for 5-year-olds and under, Social Drinker (Brett Beckwith) left hard and stepped lively on the point as he cruised through quarters of :27.1, :56 and 1:23.3 — the :27.3 third split under pressure supplied by the first-over Favorable Draw (Bruce Ranger). When they turned for home, Andy Mac Hanover (Matty Athearn) found room at the pylons and charged hard to the line, but Social Drinker stayed on task to win by a head in a new lifetime mark of 1:51.4.
It was the fourth win of the year for Social Drinker ($3.40), who is owned by Glenn Goller and Stephen Demeter and trained by Mark Beckwith.
Team Beckwith topped both the driver and trainer categories on Tuesday: Brett had three driving wins, two of which were trained by Mark.
Live racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday (Aug. 8) with post time at 4 p.m. The card will feature a $776 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 in race six.