Plainville, MA — There was a lot going on at Plainridge Park on Friday (Oct. 9) afternoon as big performances were turned in across the board all day long with speed being the common denominator.
In the featured $25,000 Open Handicap pace for fillies and mares, Take Your Pick scored her third win in her last four starts with a hard fought effort.
Take Your Pick (Bruce Ranger) got away third as Swedish Starlet N (Matty Athearn) struck the front and led to the half in :55.2. As the race moved onto the backstretch, Take Your Pick pulled first-over and advanced to within a half length of Swedish Starlet N at three-quarters in 1:24.1. The two mares battled around the last turn and into mid-stretch where Take Your Pick got the advantage and pulled ahead by 1-¼ lengths while holding off the fast-closing Acushla Machree N (Mitchell Cushing) to win in 1:51.3.
Take Your Pick is owned by Pollock Racing and trained by Enrico Robinson.
Ranger also accounted for the other big news of the day when he steered PA Luke to victory in the $19,000 conditioned event for 5-year-olds and under.
PA Luke was parked to the quarter in :26.4 by D A Let’s Dance (Matty Athearn), but soon crossed over and said goodbye to the rest of the field. PA Luke reached the half in :54.4 and three-quarters in 1:22.2, while opening up a two-length advantage. He extended that lead to four around the last turn and when he turned for home, PA Luke swelled up and flew to the line on top by 8-1/4 lengths in 1:49.2, home in :27 flat.
The time was a new lifetime mark for PA Luke and also set a new Plainridge track record for 3-year-old pacing geldings.
PA Luke ($3.40) is owned by DiStefano and Son Stable and trained by John DiStefano.
There was also a $20,000 upper-level conditioned pace for distaff participants that was won by One More Bet (Matty Athearn), who traded leads with Joan’srisingstar N (Jay Randall) before taking the pocket trip. Joan’srisingstar N set quarters of :27.1, :54.3 and 1:22.3, with One More Bet on moving to the outside at that last station. Joan’srisingstar N and One More Bet paced stride for stride around the turn and into the stretch before One More Bet pushed to the front and won by 1-¼ lengths in 1:50.4, taking a new lifetime mark.
One More Bet ($5.40) is owned by her trainer, Jimmy Whittemore, in partnership with Michael Houghton.
Mitchell Cushing was the most productive horseman on the track Friday after accounting for three driving and one training wins.
Racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday (Oct. 10) at 2 p.m. and feature the $112,800 W. N. Reynolds stake. There will also be a $3,239 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the sixth race.
Free full card past performance programs for every live card of racing at Plainridge Park can always be downloaded at their website (plainridgeparkcasino.com) under the “Racing” tab. You can also watch all the race replays on that same page.