Beckwith wins five including co-featured pace

Plainville, MA — Brett Beckwith, who is currently the second leading dash driver in North America, significantly added to his already lofty harness racing victory count after winning five races at Plainridge Park on Thursday (Sept. 26) afternoon. Those wins included a natural hat trick in the eighth, ninth and tenth races to close out the card.

The win in the ninth race came with the millionaire Fourever Boy (Sweet Lou), who captured the $25,000 Open Handicap pace at The Ridge for the first time since July 15.

Fourever Boy got away second from post one behind Heaven On High N (Bruce Ranger) and followed the leader through quarters of :26.1, :54.2 and 1:21.4 in a torrential downpour. Then in the last turn, Beckwith tipped Fourever Boy and took the lead on the outside at the seven-eighths and from there, Fourever Boy paced home on top and wrapped-up by 2-½ lengths in 1:50.2.

It was the sixth win of the year for Fourever Boy ($3.60) who is owned by Micki Rae Stable and Tim Twaddle and trained by Mark Beckwith. As a result of the win, Fourever Boy now has lifetime earnings of $1,020,692.

FOUREVER BOY REPLAY

Beckwith completed his run for the thumb with Menlo Park (1:52.3, $5.60), I’m No Outlaw N (Bettor’s Delight, 1:51.2, $3.60), General Montana N (Bettor’s Delight, 1:52, $5.60) and Over The Horizon (Vertical Horizon, 1:55, $3.40). Beckwith also had one second and one third from his 10 starts, giving him a stellar .589 UDR for the afternoon.

Earlier in the card before the weather rolled in, was the co-featured $25,000 Open Handicap pace for fillies and mares that was won by prohibitive favorite Turn The Page N (Vincent, Ron Cushing) who grabbed the front from Swedish Starlet N (Matty Athearn) after passing the quarter and then continued to lead unchallenged to the top of the stretch where she paced home clear by 2-½ lengths in 1:50.1.

TURN THE PAGE N REPLAY

It was the fourth win in a row for Turn The Page N ($2.20) who is owned by her driver Cushing, in partnership with Kevin Sywyk. Heidi Cushing is the winning trainer.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday (Sept. 27) at 2 p.m. and there will be a $1,681 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in race six. Also, the Massachusetts Breeders Stake will reconvene for their second leg on Monday (Sept. 30).

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

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts