Plainville, ME — The biggest day of racing this summer at Plainridge Park did not disappoint as records fell left and right amid strong competition on Sunday (July 20).
Ake Svanstedt put Up Your Deo in the perfect spot early and handled him masterfully through adversity late to upset the field at 19-1 in the $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot.
After an early tussle, Lexus Kody (Yannick Gingras) was first to the front passing the quarter in :26.4. But Logan Park (Doug McNair) quickly left the pocket and took the lead as the race went to the half in :54.4. Logan Park trotted smartly on the point going up the backside as Chapercraz (Nick Graffam) moved first-over into contention as things got close after that.
As the race entered the last turn, Logan Park was still in front, but Lexus Kody came off the pegs and moved to the outside. Periculum (Scott Zeron) also swung three-deep from the back of the pack and Up Your Deo moved into fourth right behind Lexus Kody. When the trotters turned for home, Lexus Kody was moving to the lead with Periculum outside of him, but then Lexus Kody made a break and crossed over in front of Up Your Deo, who had just found clear racing room. Despite the interference, Svanstedt grabbed and steadied his trotter without missing a stride and then ran down Periculum in deep stretch to win by a neck in 1:51, tying his lifetime mark.
On the strength of the win, Up Your Deo ($35.20) fell a mere $808 shy of breaking the $1 million mark in lifetime earnings, now showing $999,192 in the bank.
Up Your Deo is trained and owned by his driver Svanstedt, in partnership with Suleyman Yuksel, Deo Volente Farm and Van Camp Trotting.
It was the second Spirit of Massachusetts Trot victory for Ake Svanstedt, who also won it in 2022 with Alrajah One IT.
In the $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace, Sylvia Hanover waited over a half mile to make her move, but when Tim Tetrick said “go”, she paced her way into the record books by setting a new world record for a pacing mare over a five-eighths mile track after winning the Clara Barton for the second consecutive year.
Sylvia Hanover got away fourth as Valar Dohaeris (Yannick Gingras) parked Turn The Page N (Ron Cushing) to the quarter in :25.3. As the dust settled there, Dexter Dunn made his move to the front with Twin B Joe Fresh and she was on top passing the half in :53.2.
Twin B Joe Fresh was pacing sharply on the lead, but Tetrick was then out and rolling with Sylvia Hanover and the two mares hooked up at three-quarters in 1:20.1. Twin B Joe Fresh and Sylvia Hanover paced stride for stride around the last turn and into the stretch where Sylvia Hanover started to separate from the field and eventually bolted home to a 4-1/2 length victory in 1:47.2.
The time of 1:47.2 was a new world record for a pacing mare on a five-eighths mile track. The previous record was 1:48 set by Somewherovrarainbow (2014) and Shartin N (2019).
It was also the fastest pacing mile by a mare in 2025 over any size track, surpassing Twin B Joe Fresh’s Mark of 1:48.1, a new stake record for the Barton, a new all-time track pacing record at Plainridge Park and a new lifetime mark for the winner.
Sylvia Hanover also went over the $2 million mark in lifetime earnings on the strength of her win, now boasting $2,011,299 in career purses.
Sylvia Hanover ($10.20) is owned by Hudson Standardbred Stable and trained by Mark Steacy.
It was the sixth Clara Barton pace victory for Tim Tetrick in the seven year history of the race. He previously won twice with Shartin N, twice with Lyons Sentinel and now twice with Sylvia Hanover.
In the $75,000 Bert Beckwith Memorial Invitational, Vintage Cheddar N (Dexter Dunn) took the lead passing the quarter and controlled the race from there. After getting to the half in :53.3 and three-quarters in 1:21, Vintage Cheddar N turned for home and held off the fast closing Two Fold Cold (David Ingraham) and Tenzing Bromac N (Ron Cushing) to win in 1:48.3.
The time was a new track record for aged pacing geldings and also a new lifetime mark for the winner.
Vintage Cheddar N ($5.40) is owned by his trainer, Amanda Kelley, in partnership with VIP Internet Stable.
Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday (July 21) at 4 p.m.
Free full past performance programs and race replays for all live racing days at Plainridge Park can be found at plainridgeparkcasino.com.