Race of a lifetime for Ex-Kiwi mare

Plainville, MA — A pair of $25,000 Opens were featured at Plainridge Park on Thursday (Aug. 14) afternoon and it took the race of a lifetime for both harness racing winners to get across.

In the fillies and mares Open Handicap pace, Always Bstunning N (Always B Miki) endured a first-over grind to victory.

Side Piece (Bruce Ranger) was the early leader, but right after the :26.1 quarter, Talk Curdy To Me (Shawn Gray) tipped from third and grabbed the lead before the 54.3 half.

At that point, Always Bstunning N (Kevin Switzer Jr.) was already out and rolling third, and making her way towards the leader. As the race approached three-quarters, Always Bstunning N had engaged Talk Curdy To Me and the two mares paced in tandem around the last turn and halfway down the lane. That’s where Always Bstunning N forged ahead by 1-½ lengths to win in 1:49.3 and set her new lifetime mark.

ALWAYS BSTUNNING N REPLAY

Always Bstunning N ($4.40) is owned by Richard Poillucci and trained by Gretchen Athearn.

Then in the Open Handicap trot, Morning Edition (Walner) moved from last to first in the final quarter for the win.

By The Book (Kevin Switzer Jr.) and Usain Hanover (Nick Graffam) traded leads in the first quarter before Usain Hanover settled on the top and passed the half in :54.3. Marquis Lafayette (Bruce Ranger) started an outer flow and Morning Edition (Shawn Gray) followed loosely behind, but still trailed the field at three-quarters in 1:23.1. Apparently the early tempo had gotten to Usain Hanover, who started to fade and then made a break in the final turn, leaving Marquis Lafayette the new leader and the one to beat. But then Morning Edition delivered the news as he trotted by the leader in deep stretch and won by 1-¼ lengths in 1:52.3, posting his career milestone.

MORNING EDITION REPLAY

Morning Edition ($9.60) is owned by Mark Jakubik and Douglas Overhiser and trained by Alicia Gray.

Brett Beckwith and Bruce Ranger both had three driving wins on Thursday while 10 different trainers each won one race apiece.

Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday (Aug. 18) at 4 p.m. with a $5,674 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in race six.

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