The track record for three-year-old trotting geldings at Plainridge Park was re-written on Thursday afternoon, May 16 after Spaaaazano put on a sparkling gate-to-wire performance to claim victory in the $136,986 Bunker Hill Trot.
North America’s leading dash driver, Aaron Merriman, sent Spaaaazano to the front and seated the field in a :27.2 quarter. Once in control, Merriman slammed on the brakes with a :30.1 second panel and basically won the race there. Spaaaazano then sped to the three-quarter pole in :27.4 as Show Me (Andy Miller), on the pegs, and French Kronos (Mattias Melander), in the breeze, chased closest from behind. Spaaaazano circled the final turn and hit the stretch in full flight and then bolted to the line on top by 2-1/2 lengths, winning in 1:53.2.
The time was a new lifetime mark for Spaaaazano and also replaced the old track record of 1:53.3 set by Khaosan Road exactly one year ago in this race. The stakes record is 1:53, set by the colt Jonas K S in 2022.
The victory was the win in only the second start of the year for Spaaaazano ($4.80) and it pushed the 2023 Ohio Sire Stakes star’s lifetime earnings to $322,150. Spaaaazano (Coraggioso-Grace N Charlie) is owned by his trainer Chris Beaver, in partnership with Spaaaartners and Ontario-based owners Bill Manes and Leo Fleming.
Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Monday, May 20 with post time at 4 p.m.
(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)