Always A Miki grinds out an impressive win

Plainville, MA — Under duress for most of the mile, Always A Miki (Always B Miki) was tough as nails and won the $20,000 Starter Allowance featured harness racing race at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Oct. 22) afternoon.

Always A Miki (Matty Athearn) battled Rooster Bennett (Mitchell Cushing) for the lead before Major Betts (Drew Monti) moved to the front at the :26.1 quarter. But Athearn had Always A Miki back out and rolling immediately and regained the point in front of the stands. Positions remained unchanged until Anvil Hands (Jimmy Hardy) moved first-over and took over the lead at three-quarters, but could not clear and cross over.

In the last turn, ER Griffin (Brett Beckwith) joined the fray three-deep and both outside horses had edged ahead of Always A Miki. But at the head of the stretch, Always A Miki swelled up and fought back, regaining the lead in deep stretch and he crossed the line first by a neck in 1:51.2.

It was the fourth win of the year for Always A Miki ($4.20) who is owned by Joe Trice and trained by Jimmy Nickerson.

ALWAYS A MIKI REPLAY

Athearn and Nickerson ended the day with two combined winners.

There were also two $17,500 condition races on the card.

In the first, Ry’s Red Rocket (Sunshine Beach, Bruce Ranger) sat second with a perfect trip behind Major Megan (Mitchell Cushing) who scorched quarters in :25.3 :53.2 and 1:21.2. At that last station, Ranger tipped Ry’s Red Rocket, flew around the fading Major Megan in the turn and opened up a 4-1/2 length lead at the line where she won in a new lifetime best, 1:50.2.

Ry’s Red Rocket ($7.60) is owned and trained by Donny Richards.

In the second division, Renaissance Deo (Brett Beckwith) and Gandolf The Black (Drew Monti) swapped lead in a :25.3 quarter with Renaissance Deo taking the group to the half in :53. But Gandolf The Black was back out and moving and took back the lead midway up the backside. Gandolf The Black hit three-quarters in 1:20.4 while Alta Classic A (Alta Christiano, Ron Cushing) moved first-over into the turn as the field started to bunch heading into the lane. Gandolf The Black had the lead turning for home, but Renaissance Deo was closing outside while Alta Classic A was three-deep and finished the fastest and first, winning in 1:50.4.

It was the fourth win of the year for Alta Classic A ($6.00) who is owned by his driver Cushing, in partnership with Kevin Sywyk. Heidi Cushing trains the winner.

Ron Cushing had a driving double on the card.

Driver Bruce Ranger had a natural hat trick in races five, six and seven with Betterthanhope N (1:51.3, $7.80), Rule Of Law (1:50.2, $3.00) and Ry’s Red Rocket (1:50.2, $7.60) and all three winners took new lifetime marks in the process.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday (Oct. 24) at 2 p.m. and there will be a $8,538 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in race six.

Thursday will also feature the $1.28 million finals of the Massachusetts Breeders Stake when eight $160,000 divisions will go to post at The Ridge.

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

by Tim Bojarski, for Plainridge Park