After leading every step of the way, Odds On Blockchain held off two fast finishing foes to win the $25,000 Winners-Over Handicap pacing feature at Plainridge Park on Monday afternoon (Aug. 28).
Odds On Blockchain (Luke Hanners) made an easy jump to the front off the gate and led with absolutely no resistance through quarters of :26.2, :54.3 and 1:21.4. At that last station, Skyway Victor (Mitchell Cushing) pulled the pocket and Ucanttouchthis (Brett Beckwith) tipped three-wide around him from third and the race became a three-horse breakaway. At the top of the stretch, Odds On Blockchain, Skyway Victor and Ucanttouchthis were dead even across the track and thundering down the lane as all three drivers were fully animated in chase in Ben Hur fashion. However, despite the best efforts of Skyway Victor and Ucanttouchthis, Odds On Blockchain was able to hang on for the victory by only a neck in 1:50.3.
It was the fifth win of the year for Odds On Blockchain ($6.20), who is owned by Douglas Overhiser and trained by Alicia Gray.
The other upper-level conditioned pace was contested for $18,500 and was won by Hespoisedtopounce A, who also scored a gate-to-wire victory.
Matty Athearn struck the front with Hespoisedtopounce A and skipped through quarters of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:24.2 while Nineteenth Man A (Ron Cushing) pushed the issue in the breeze from the half. After not giving up any real estate to him, Hespoisedtopounce A rounded the last turn and bolted home to a 1-1/2-length win in 1:52.3.
It was the fourth win of the year for Hespoisedtopounce A ($8.40), who is owned by Tim Bojarski and Tony Gruppo. Jimmy Nickerson was the winning trainer.
There was also a $20,000 District 9 race for New England-owned horses that produced another front-running winner after Boogy Woogy J headed the circuit from start to finish.
Jimmy Hardy got Boogy Woogy J to the :56.4 half without any company, but Six Finger Freddie (Drew Campbell) and Miki U So Fine (Mitchell Cushing) soon joined the fray while Sofer (Matty Athearn) lurked in the pocket. Positions remained unchanged to three-quarters where Boogy Woogy J started to separate from the field. But the field got closer again at the top of the stretch as Tobins Edge (Brett Becktwith) and Sofer started to close in. Boogy Woogy J’s lead was diminishing but the line got to him before the opposition and he won by one length in 1:53.4.
Boogy Woogy J ($21.80) is owned by David Thibault, Jim Hardy, Edward McDavitt and Jolene Andrews, who also trains the winner.
Hardy and Andrews also combined to win with Anvil Hands (1:51.4, $6.60) earlier in the card.
Other participants scoring multiple wins on Monday included drivers Drew Campbell and Brett Beckwith and trainer Melissa Beckwith, who all tallied two wins.
Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Aug. 29) at 4 p.m. and there will be a $1,407 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race six.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)