by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts

Plainville, MA — There is nothing more gratifying in sport than going from worst to first. And that is exactly what Watts Was I Drinkn did in the $16,000 Winners Over for fillies and mares at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon (Aug. 7).

Trainer Eric Beach had two starters in the feature and they got away at different ends of the spectrum. Show Runner (Steve Nason) got out of the gate and went right to the front while stablemate Watts Was I Drinkn (Mike Stevenson) got away last and was watching the action from there.

Tom Melanson photo

Watts Was I Drinkn got up late and was best of all to win by a length in 1:53.2.

Before they hit the quarter in :26.4, Western Stepp (Nick Graffam) pulled from second and overtook the front, giving Show Runner the trip for a while. As the race approached the half, an outer flow formed with Acefortyfour Alex (Jim Hardy), Angel Or Terror (Greg Merton) and Watts Was I Drinkn, who was still last at this point.

Western Stepp carried a two length advantage to the three-quarters and all around the final turn where Acefortyfour Alex seemed to stall outside. That forced Angel Or Terror to tip three-deep and Watts Was I Drinkn had to go four-high around her. Heading down the lane the horses were now six across the track with Western Stepp fading at the pylons and Watts Was I Drinkn flying widest of all. As they hit the wire, Watts Was I Drinkn got up late and was best of all to win by a length in 1:53.2.

It was the sixth win in nine 2018 starts and third win in a row for Watts Was I Drinkn ($7.40) and her connections Little Bapa LLC.

In the $10,000 conditioned event for female pacers, Life Isa Shortwalk (Chris Long) took a stroll in the park, going gate-to-wire by a gapped advantage and winning by four in 1:52.2, which was a new lifetime mark for the 5-year-old. Life Isa Shortwalk ($4.20) is owned and trained by Edward Blash.

Drivers Chris Long, Greg Merton, Scott Renz and Mike Stevenson all had driving doubles on the card.

There were some huge payouts at Plainridge on Tuesday. In the sixth race Wicked Hi-5 Pentafecta, a carryover pool in excess of $4,800 stoked a $7,732.62 payoff for a 20-cent wager on the winning combination of 3-1-8-5-4 and the Superfecta combination of 3-8-9-4 in the eighth race returned a whopping $14,326.80 for a $2 ticket.

Live racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (Aug. 9) with post time at 4 p.m.