Although she was bred in Massachusetts, Raised By Lindy has never raced in the state due to her Grand Circuit engagements throughout her career; however, on Thursday (Aug. 31), she made her homecoming one to remember as she completely handled her six competitors while winning the $25,000 Open Handicap Trot at Plainridge Park and broke the track record for four-year-old trotting mares in the process.
Bruce Ranger sent Raised By Lindy to the front and led the entire race by open lengths. While clicking off quarters of :27.1, :55.4 and 1:23.3, she trotted alone without even one challenge from behind. By the top of the stretch, Raised By Lindy had opened up five lengths on the group and just cruised home on her own to win in 1:51.4, which set a new track record for four-year-old trotting mares replacing the 1:52 mark set by P L Notsonice in 2021.
Bred and owned by Lindy Farms of Connecticut and trained by Domenico Cecere, Raised By Lindy ($2.80) is the all-time fastest two-year-old and three-year-old trotting filly and now the fastest older trotting mare ever bred in the state of Massachusetts, and this win puts her lifetime earnings at $871,638.
In the co-featured $25,000 Open Handicap Pace for fillies and mares, Milieu Hanover (Luke Hanners) sat third while Westbeach (Bruce Ranger) got to the quarter in :27. But she was soon out and moving, second on the outside to the half in :55.3 and three-quarters in 1:23 where she finally took the lead. Milieu Hanover opened up two lengths at the head of the stretch and won easily in 1:51.3.
It was the seventh win of the year for Milieu Hanover ($2.60), who is owned by David Hamm, Christopher Giaccio and Devita Racing Stable, and is trained by Nick Devita.
Bruce Ranger had a driving triple while Kevin Switzer Jr. and Nick Graffam each nabbed two wins. Trainer Bob Marston also had two wins.
Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday (Sept. 4) at a new earlier 2 p.m. post time and there will be a $1,426 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race six.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)