Co-features see lifetime marks at Plainridge

Plainville, MA — The winners of the co-featured $15,000 paces for harness racing starters that are 6-year-old and under did stellar work on Thursday (July 15) at Plainridge Park as they both registered career best clockings as a result of their efforts.

Sweet Sue (Jim Hardy) got away fifth behind a quick :26.1 pace set by Miss Trickster (Nick Graffam) and Woman In Gold N (Bruce Ranger). When that dust settled, She’s A Fireball (Ron Cushing) pulled from fourth in front of the stands and Hardy followed with Sweet Sue second over.

She’s A Fireball took the lead at the five-eighths and Sweet

Sue continued to attack from the outside. The two horses paced within a length of each other at three-quarters and two lengths clear of the field. At the top of the stretch, Sweet Sue drew even with She’s A Fireball before pulling ahead. She then held off a late lunge from Heavens Challenge (Shawn Gray) to win by 1/2 length in 1:52.2, which was a new lifetime mark.

Sweet Sue ($10.20) is a 5-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou-Acey Deucey that has now earned $42,900 this year for owners David Thibault, Christine Thibault, Robert Withers and Julia Withers. Jolene Andrews trains the winner.

SWEET SUE REPLAY

Hardy and Andrews combined for a total of two winners when the day was over.

Later in the card Rogerthat Bluechip (Drew Monti) made every step a winning one as he led from gate to wire. After taking the lead off the gate, Monti rated fractions of :26.1, :55.2 and 1:23.1 before the first challenge came when Tick’s A Yankin (Drew Campbell) reached his wheel on the rim followed by Twin B Jays (Nick Graffam).

But with the heat starting to build, Rogerthat Bluechip shifted gears and opened up a 1-1/2 length gap on the challengers coming off the turn.

Rogerthat Bluechip dug in for the stretch run and extended his lead to three lengths over pocket-sitting Touch Of Character (Steve Wilson) in mid-stretch. Monti wrapped him up at the line in 1:51.3, which beat his previous best work by a full second.

Rogerthat Bluechip ($5.00) is owned by Martin Budkey and Michael Goldberg Racing. Jeff Lieberman trains the winner. The 4-year-old gelded son of Captaintreacherous-Ramalama has now earned $50,286 in 2021.

ROGERTHAT BLUECHIP REPLAY

Monti ended up with three winners on the card.

The husband and wife team of driver Shawn Gray and trainer Alicia Gray put on quite a display of their stable’s ability on Thursday after sending three horses to the winner’s

enclosure and all three took new lifetime marks. Spicytuna Bluechip ($5.60, 1:55.1), Acup O Joe Hanover ($4.20, 1:55.3) and Althea ($6.40, 1:53.2) highlighted their day.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday (July 16) at 4 p.m.

For full race results, click here.

By Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts