Plainville, MA — Legged up from his 1-1/4-mile outing last week, Virtual Horizon had a lot of pace late on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 3) and captured the featured $22,500 conditioned pace with a career-best mile at Plainridge Park.
Virtual Horizon (Bruce Ranger) got away fifth as Alta Classic A (Ron Cushing) played hardball with E R Griffin (Kevin Switzer Jr.) off the gate, parking the gelding to the quarter in :25.4. E R Griffin finally crossed over and then led the single-file field to the half in :54.4. It was there that General Montana N (Mitchell Cushing) pulled first-over from third and brought along Always A Miki (Matty Athearn) and Virtual Horizon with him.
E R Griffin and General Montana N paced stride for stride up the backside and around the last turn, where Always A Miki drew even with them both in the three-path. But Virtual Horizon swung four-wide around them all at the top of the lane and paced home clear by a length to win in 1:51, which was a new lifetime mark.
It was the third win of the year for Virtual Horizon ($14.40), who is owned by the Kellogg Racing Stable and trained by Jackie Greene.
Another Kellogg-owned Greene trainee, I’m No Outlaw N, won the $17,500 upper-level conditioned pace after taking the lead before the half and then holding off three horses at the wire to win under the guidance of Brett Beckwith in 1:51.2, tying his seasonal mark. Greene also co-owns I’m No Outlaw N ($3.40) with Kellogg.
The venerable pacing machine Quick Shot (Ron Cushing), who has been a stout competitor for many years at Plainridge Park, won for the 57th time in his career on Thursday when he scored a 1:52.4 victory that pushed his career bankroll over the $800,000 mark. Quick Shot now boasts $801,859 in lifetime earnings for owner-trainer Kathleen Brewer.
Racing at Plainridge Park resumes on Friday (Oct. 4) at 2 p.m. There will be a $3,805 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 in race six.