Alex Having Fun wins $25,000 Open

Plainville, MA — For the second straight week, Alex Having Fun (Rock N Roll Heaven) came from off the pace to capture the $25,000 Open pacing feature at Plainridge Park on Thursday (May 29) afternoon.

Heineken Bythebay (Kevin Switzer Jr.) grabbed the lead and took the harness racing field to the half in :55.2. At that point an outer flow had formed with Alex Having Fun (Drew Campbell) leading the way and Solesseo Matuca A (Drew Monti) following right on his back.

Positions remained unchanged passing three-quarters in 1:22.2, and as the group headed into the final turn. When they entered the stretch, Alex Having Fun was wearing down Heinikin Bythebay and quickly took the lead while pulling away at the light in 1:50.1.

Alex Having Fun ($8.20) is owned and trained by Kimberly Vafiades.

ALEX HAVING FUN REPLAY

In the undercard $19,000 upper-level conditioned pace, Rocknroll Runa A (Bruce Ranger) captured his first win of the year after taking the lead passing the quarter, rebuffing a challenge by Renaissance Deo (Ron Cushing) at three-quarters and then holding off a late rush from the pocket-sitting Torrid Saint A (Brett Beckwith) to win easily by 1-½ lengths in 1:50.4.

Rocknroll Runa A ($3.40) is owned and trained by Larry Stalbaum.

ROCKNROLL RUNA A REPLAY

Earlier in the card in a $17,000 conditioned race for 5-year-olds and younger, What’s For Suppaah (Shawn Gray) scored his fourth consecutive win in a gate to wire, lifetime best clocking of 1:52 flat. Owned and trained by Michelle Hardin, What’s For Suppaah returned $6.60.

Drivers Brett Beckwith, Drew Campbell and Kevin Switzer Jr. all had doubles during the day while trainer Jimmy Nickerson scored a hat trick to lead all conditioners on Thursday.

Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Friday (May 30) 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 the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts