After having a two-race win streak interrupted by a photoed second place finish last week, La Bella Vita N got back to business taking the $20,000 Open Handicap feature race for distaff pacers at
Adashious Hanover (Drew Monti) took the early lead and made La Bella Vita N (Shawn Gray) work hard to overtake that position in a :26.4 quarter. But shortly after that station she did clear and the rest was history. La Bella Vita N got to the half in :55.4 and three-quarters in 1:24 with only a minor challenge from Amini (Kevin Switzer) up to that point. When they straightened out for home, the pocket-sitting Adashious
It was the third win in the last four starts and sixth win of the year for La Bella Vita N ($4) for owners Bowie Racing and Michael Goldberg Racing. Alicia Gray trains the winner.
La Bella Vita N is one of 16 female pacers eligible to the $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace that will be the co-feature to the $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot, held at
The undercard on Tuesday was a $15,000 conditioned pace for six-year-old and younger females and it was won by Delightful Virgin.
Badmiry (Luke Hanners) took the field to the :57.2 half before Delightful Virgin (Shawn Gray) pulled first-over from fourth and started a methodical grind on the rim. Delightful Virgin got to second by three-quarters, drew alongside Badmiry at the top of the stretch and then paced away to a 1-1/4 length victory in 1:54.2.
Delightful Virgin ($6.60) notched her fourth win of the year for owner Kelly Case and trainer Dustin Ingraham.
Driver Shawn Gray had three wins on Tuesday while trainers mile Graffam and Matty Medeiros each scored two victories.
Live racing resumes at
(Standardbred Owners of