Icanflylikeanangel soars to victory at Plainridge

Plainville, MA —  After changing owners, trainer and driver, and not having raced in four weeks, Icanflylikeanangel (Archangel-Fox Valley London) flaunted his class and made easy work of a full field of eight harness racing entrants in the $25,000 Winners-Over trotting feature at Plainridge Park on Monday afternoon (April 24).

Driver Drew Monti sent Icanflylikeanangel three-wide off the gate and took the lead by the quarter in :27.3. With Big Al M (Matty Athearn) in tow, Icanflylikeanangel backed down the half to :57.1 before entering the backside where he was challenged by Make It A Double (Kevin Switzer Jr.) who was motoring up the outside as they headed to three-quarters in 1:26.1.

The pressure on the leader continued around the last turn but Icanflylikeanangel maintained his one length advantage. Heading down the lane, Make It A Double continued to grind but to no avail as Icanflylikeanangel stretched out to a 1-¾ length margin of victory in 1:55.3.

It was the second win of the year for Icanflylikeanangel ($8.60), but the first for his new owners Anthony Loiko and Bradford Veilleux, who acquired the 9-year-old gelding who now boasts $655,026 in lifetime earnings on April 11. Jimmy Dunn was the winning trainer.

ICANFLYLIKEANANGEL REPLAY

Monti and Dunn also teamed up to win with Northern Skyway (1:55.3, $7.80) a race earlier to register a consecutive double.

In the secondary featured $20,000 conditioned pace for fillies and mares, At The Hop (Huntsville) and driver Matty Athearn also found success on the front end, cutting fractions of :27.1, :58 and 1:26.3 with Mini Rose (Drew Monti) sitting right on her back.

As they turned for home Mini Rose popped the pocket and took her best shot, however At The Hop stayed tough and one-half length ahead at the line where she won in 1:54.1.

At The Hop ($6.00) is owned by 1812 Racing and trained by Jimmy Nickerson.

AT THE HOP REPLAY

Driver John Beckwith and trainer Dennis Whittemore also combined for a team double, winning with Only Passing Thru (1:58, $4.20) and Skyway Professor (1:57, $9.00).

Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (April 25) at 4 p.m. and that card will feature a hefty $13,076 carryover in the Jackpot Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race six and a $324 carryover in the Pick-6 in race four.

For complete race results, click here.

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts