Torrid Saint A goes lifetime best at Plainridge

Plainville, MA — Two weeks ago, on Sunday (July 21), Torrid Saint A (Shadow Play) finished third to Big Skewy N in the $75,000 Bert Beckwith Memorial at Plainridge Park in 1:49.1. Torrid Saint A made his next start on Monday (Aug. 5) and went the mile of his harness racing life, winning the $25,000 Open pacing feature at Plainridge Park.

Matty Athearn left sharply with Torrid Saint A and grabbed the front from I’m No Outlaw N (Bruce Ranger), who then pocketed-up as they passed the quarter in :26.4. Positions remained unchanged to the half in :55.4, and then into the backstretch where Gandolf The Black (Drew Monti) pulled from third and advanced towards the leader.

Torrid Saint A kept Gandolf The Black at bay at three-quarters and around the last turn before entering the stretch with a one length advantage. But he wasn’t home yet as I’m Not Outlaw N found room at the pegs and started pacing furiously as the pair barreled towards the line. I’m Not Outlaw N kept digging hard but Torrid Saint A refused to lose and hung on by a head in 1:51.3, taking a new lifetime mark.

It was the 22nd lifetime win for Torrid Saint A ($4.60) who has now amassed $431,400 in career earnings. Joe Trice owns the 9-year-old Shadow Play-Torridon gelding who is trained by Jimmy Nickerson.

TORRID SAINT A REPLAY

The win was one of four that Athearn had on the card. Matty “Ice” also won with Dance Monkey (1:53.4, $4.20), Calvin B (1:52.4, $18.40) and King Spencer (1:52.3, $3.20) to round out his grand slam.

There were also a pair of $16,000 conditioned paces on the card, and they went in identical times.

In the first, Alta Classic A (Alta Christiano, Ron Cushing) made a three-wide move from fifth in the last turn in pursuit of Woody’s Cash Crop (Bruce Ranger) who was a loose leader through three-quarters. I’m the lane, Alta Classic A wire down the competition and hit the line first by a head in 1:52, which was a new seasonal mark.

It was the third win of the year for Alta Classic A ($8.80) who is owned by his driver Cushing, in partnership with Kevin Sywyk.

ALTA CLASSIC A REPLAY

Then later on the card in the second division, ER Griffin (Riggins, Brett Beckwith) made a power move to the front past the quarter and led all the way from there. After getting to the half in :55.1 and three-quarters in 1:23.1, ER Griffin held off late surges from Bag Pipe Major (Nick Graffam) and TJ’s Indy Racer (Shawn Gray) to win by one-quarter length in 1:52.

It was the third win in the last four starts for ER Griffin ($4.80) who is owned by his trainer Mike Eaton, in partnership with Bob McHugh, Robert Griffin and Russell Young.

ER GRIFFIN REPLAY

Live racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Aug 6) with post time at 4 p.m.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts