Side Piece fires up at Plainridge

Plainville, MA — Looking every bit in mid-season form, Side Piece (Shadow Play) racked up her second consecutive harness racing win at Plainridge Park after taking the $25,000 Open Handicap pace for fillies and mares on Tuesday (May 6) afternoon.

Side Piece (Drew Monti) left and dropped in third as Lady Saturn (Brett Beckwith) parked Swedish Starlet N (Matty Athearn) to the quarter in :26.1 over the rain-soaked, sloppy track. Swedish Starlet N then took the field to the half where Monti tipped Side Piece and advanced quickly towards the leader.

When the field straightened out on the backstretch, Side Piece cleared Swedish Starlet N, crossed-over approaching three-quarters and was in full control at the station. After building up a widening margin in front, Side Piece paced home under wraps to win by 4-½ lengths in 1:51.1, which was a seasonal mark.

Side Piece ($6.80) is owned by Janie Kellogg and trained by Jackie Greene.

SIDE PIECE REPLAY

Later in the $17,000 conditioned event for 5-year-olds and under, Swifty Run (Bruce Ranger) led to the quarter before pocketing-up behind Digging For Gold (Nick Graffam) who dashed and passed the leader before the half.

Digging For Gold continued on the point to three-quarters, where Swifty Run tipped and drew alongside the leader as they rounded the turn. In the stretch, Swifty Run matched strides with Digging For Gold before pulling ahead by one-half length for the win in 1:51, which was a new career mark.

Swifty Run ($4.60) is owned by John Barnard and trained by Irwin Rosenthal.

Drivers Mitchell Cushing, Shawn Gray and Bruce Ranger won two races apiece while 11 different trainers each claimed one victory during the afternoon.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday (May 8) at 4 p.m.

Free full past performance programs and race replays for all live racing days at Plainridge Park can be found at plainridgeparkcasino.com.

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

by Tim Bojarski, for Plainridge Park