Co-feature triple for Jay Randall

Plainville, MA — Harness racing driver Jay Randall had a big day in the bike at Plainridge Park on Thursday (Sept. 2) after he swept all three pacing features on the card, and he did it with a natural hat trick.

In the $22,500 Winners Over Handicap, Randall steered Hudson Phil to a second straight victory one week after taking a new lifetime mark.

Hudson Phil got away seventh in the field of eight but was out and rolling second over behind Wyatt J (Drew Campbell) before the half. Wyatt J took the lead at three-quarters and Hudson Phil pulled alongside for the race to the wire. At the top of the lane Wyatt J held a diminishing lead and Hudson Phil eventually overtook the front under minimal urging to win by one length in 1:51.3.

After having just won at Plainridge in a personal best 1:49.4, Hudson Phil ($11.60) bounced right back for his fifth win of the year for owner Kellogg Racing Stables and trainer Jackie Greene.

HUDSON PHIL REPLAY

Randall kept another win streak alive in the $17,500 condition with Real Peace who scored his third straight win.

Real Peace got the early lead but relented to Force N Fury (Bruce Ranger) past the quarter and then followed along to the half. Foo Fighter N (Drew Monti) pulled first-over there and then Real Peace followed that cover. At three-quarters Foo Fighter N was still in front, but not for long as Real Peace made his move.

Real Peace blew by the leader, opened up two lengths around the far turn and then extended his lead to 11 lengths at the beam where he won in 1:51.1.

Real Peace ($10.80) is owned by the Burke Racing Stable and Scott Dillon. Joe Nelson trains the winner.

REAL PEACE REPLAY

Then in the $15,000 condition Randall made it simple with the venerable Quick Shot, who went gate to wire and pushed his lifetime earnings over the half-million dollar mark in the process.

Quick Shot was on top in a flash and cut fractions of :26.4, :55 and 1:22.4 with Level Up (Matty Athearn) putting on heavy pressure for most of the time. The two battled off the far turn but Quick Shot swelled up and paced away in deep stretch to win by 1-1/4 lengths in a season’s best 1:51.2.

The 9-year-old Quick Shot ($7.60) has now earned $503,729 lifetime on the strength of 41 wins and 131 in-the-money finishes out of 246 starts. Kathleen Brewer owns the Artie Brewer II trained gelding. Brewer ended the day with two training wins.

QUICK SHOT REPLAY

Randall also had one second in his six total starts giving him a hefty .593 UDR for the day.

Driver Nick Graffam remained red hot as he followed up his three win Monday with three more wins on Thursday. After adding a third in his six starts, Graffam also had a stellar UDR of .556 for his work Thursday.

Mike Graffam had two wins and tied Brewer for training leader of the day.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday (Sept. 3) at 2 p.m.

For full race results, click here.

By Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts