Things looked bleak as 1-5 favourite Mambo Lindy got away last and 10-lengths from the leader, but that deficit turned out to be child’s play as he easily went from worst to first in the $12,000 trotting feature at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon.
Mistress Valentine (Mark Eaton) got off the wings well and opened an immediate three-length lead. The mare then held court unchallenged through three quarters of a mile, setting snappy fractional splits of :27.1, :55.4 and 1:24.4.
During that time, Mambo Lindy (Greg Merton) moved from seventh to fifth to second and was advancing on the leader with every stride. As the two separated from the field off the turn and down the lane, Mambo Lindy drew alongside Mistress Valentine and then continued to motor on by. Merton became a mere passenger as Mambo Lindy pulled away and won wrapped-up in 1:54.4.
It was the first win in two 2017 starts for Mambo Lindy ($2.60) and his 15th victory in 27 tries lifetime. The six-year-old altered son of Donato Hanover, who currently holds the Plainridge Park track record of 1:54 for four-year-old trotting geldings, is owned by Greathorse of Hampden, MA and is trained by Frank Antonacci.
In the $8,500 co-feature trot, Ill Have Another ($2.20) won his third consecutive race at The Ridge, stopping the clock in 1:57.3 with Kevin Switzer, Jr. in the bike. The four-year-old Northern Kid horse is owned by Adam Friedland of Brooklyn, NY and is trained by Dan Gill.
Greg Merton had a driving triple on the card while Todd O’Dea scored a double and trained both of those winners. Trainer Frank Antonacci also sent two pupils to the winner’s enclosure for pictures.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday with first race post time set for 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)