Last and seemingly out of contention as late as the top of the stretch, Dandys Evrlasting went from worst to first in the $25,000 Fillies & Mares Winners Over pacing feature at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (Aug. 10).
Matty “Ice” Athearn took Dandys Evrlasting off the gate and settled in last as Westbeach (Bruce Ranger) took the field to the quarter in :27. At that station, Racey Rach N (Mitchell Cushing) exited the pocket in lieu of the lead and assumed that position in front of the grandstand. When the girls passed the half in :55.1, Booraa N (Ron Cushing) went first-over from third and drew alongside Racey Rach N at three-quarters. These two battled around the far turn as Dandys Evrlasting continued to track from fifth, but only three lengths in arrears at that point. As the field turned for home, the top four horses fanned across the track and Dandys Evrlasting found an opening. Athearn fed the mare racetrack and without ever raising a line, allowed her to finish on her own. Dandys Evrlasting caught the field and beat Booraa N by a neck in 1:51.4.
Dandys Evrlasting ($6.80) went to $89,500 in earnings this year after her seventh win for Dandy Farms Racing and Ft Racing Stable. Jimmy Nickerson trains the winner.
Trainer Gretchen Athearn had a big day at The Ridge Thursday as she watched three of her students win races during the afternoon, including one of the $18,500 co-features. That was where Toodles Hanover (Bruce Ranger) grabbed the lead before the half and paced away to a 1-1/4-length victory in 1:52 to pay $3.80. Katie Callahan is the winning owner.
Athearn also greeted Cougar On A Terr (1:52.1, $5) and Rys Red Rocket (1:50.3, $5.60) in the winner’s enclosure after they both took new lifetime marks.
In another of the co-feature condition races, Ucanttouchthis (Brett Beckwith) was a runaway winner that took the lead at the three-eighths before stretching out to a 3-1/4-length advantage at the line to win in 1:50. Ucanttouchthis ($4.80) is owned by Michelle Nelson and trained by Melissa Beckwith.
The third $18,500 pace went to Jo Pas Warrior (Mitchell Cushing), who was parked out from the half, yet still powered to the lead in mid-stretch and won by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:51.4. It was the second win in a row for Jo Pas Warrior ($3), who is owned by his trainer Mark Eaton, in partnership with Robert Griffin.
Bruce Ranger was the leading driver on Thursday, winning a total of three races.
Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday (Aug. 14) at 4 p.m. and feature a $2,048 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race six.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)