Normally leaving the gate fast to cut the mile, Torrid Saint A raced from off the pace on Thursday (Oct. 26) at Plainridge Park and scored the best win of his career in the $22,000 upper-level conditioned pace.
Torrid Saint A (Matty Athearn) got away sixth while Greatest Ending (Brett Beckwith) led at the half in :55. Alex Having Fun (Bruce Ranger) brought the heat midway up the backstretch and Torrid Saint A followed his cover third-over in the breeze. Halfway through the last turn, the outer flow stalled and Athearn tipped Torrid Saint A three-deep as they approached the top of the stretch. Still almost four lengths off the leader, Torrid Saint A dug in hard and paced ferociously down the lane and hit the line a mere nose ahead of Alex Having Fun and Greatest Ending to win in 1:51.2 to take a new lifetime mark.
Torrid Saint A ($29.80) is owned by Joe Trice and trained by Jimmy Nickerson.
Athearn and Nickerson also won with Hespoisedtopounce A (1.52, $3.60) to end the day as top driver and trainer with two wins apiece.
There were also three District 9 races for 100 per cent New England-owned horses on the card with purses ranging from $20-25,000.
The fastest division was won by Touch Of Character (Ron Cushing), who led from gate to wire and won by 2-1/2 lengths in a lifetime best 1:51.3. Touch Of Character ($21.20) is owned by Darrell Tibbetts and trained by Mike Cushing.
Next was a 1:52.2 mile by Spatterdash (Mike Stevenson), who was 10-1/2 lengths off the leader at the quarter, but rallied late to win by a head over fellow closer Miki U So Fine (Mitchell Cushing) to score his sixth win of the year. Spatterdash ($15.20) is owned and trained by Ralph Andersen.
Then, the venerable Quick Shot (Bruce Ranger) took his usual position on the point and led every step of the way en route to his 53rd career win in 1:54.1. The win pushed his 2023 earnings to $106,225 and lifetime bank to $724,904 for owner/trainer Kathleen Brewer.
Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Friday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)