Plainville, MA — A trio of $25,000 top class Open events headlined the bill at Plainridge Park on Monday (July 6) afternoon and despite heavy rain and an off-track to contend with, stout performances were turned in by all three winners.
First, in the Open Handicap pace for fillies and mares, Royally Hot turned in the performance of her life as she scored her fourth win of the season.
Royally Hot (Mitchell Cushing) got away fifth as Intothemysticmoon (Bruce Ranger) parked Custard Dolce (Drew Monti) past the :26.2 first quarter before Custard Dolce took command of the field. The leader marched to the half in :54.4 where Joan’srisingstar N (Kevin Switzer Jr.) pulled first-over on the attack with Royally Hot right on her tail.
The outer-flow continued to advance until Joan’srisingstar N pushed by Custard Dolce to the lead by a half-length at the top of the stretch. But at the same time, Royally Hot had tipped around Joan’srisingstar N, swelled up and paced away from the field in deep stretch by 4-1/2 length to win in a lifetime best, 1:50.1.
Royally Hot ($8.60) is owned by Tim Tetrick and trained by Alison Hynes.
Then in the Open Handicap pace for horses and geldings, Soho Spectre A remained perfect at Plainridge after winning his second straight start in gate to wire fashion.
Soho Spectre A (Brett Beckwith) took no prisoners from the start and turned back all comers in the end. With Life’s A Puzzle (Nick Graffam) tucked in the pocket, Soho Spectra A went :27.2 and :55.4 to the half before being addressed by the competition. Still Rollin N (Matty Athearn) moved first-up in the breeze with Hunting Zone (Bruce Ranger) on his back as they passed three-quarters in 1:23.2.
Soho Spectre A maintained a one length lead around the last turn and into the stretch where Life’s A Puzzle moved into second ahead of Still Rollin N, before Hunting Zone found room and got to within a half-length of the leader. But that was as close as he’d get as Soho Spectre A hung on to win at the line in 1:51.
It was the third win in the last four starts for Soho Spectre A ($3.20), who has now earned over $300,000 lifetime for owner Pollack Racing. Enrico Robinson trains the winner.
Finally, in the Open Handicap trot, Spaaaanzano also took the quickest route to victory and in a season’s best time.
Spaaaanzano (Drew Monti) was fleet-footed off the gate and took a lead he would never relinquish. After posting fractions of :27.1, :56.4 and 1:24.3 with only a mild outside bid from Resolve To Win (Bruce Ranger), and the pocket-sitting Ordained (Brett Beckwith) and Kazio DK (Kevin Switzer Jr.) staying close, Spaaaanzano turned from home a loose winner by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:53.2, which was his fastest mile of the year and only one-fifth of a second off his lifetime mark.
Spaaaanzano ($3.60) is owned by Kellogg Racing and trained by Jackie Greene.
Brett Beckwith and Bruce Ranger both had hat tricks at the lines on Monday, while 11 different trainers each won one race apiece during the afternoon.
Racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday (July 6) at 4 p.m. and there will be a $2,506 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.