Mass stakes fillies score at Plainridge

Plainville, MA — With the Massachusetts Sire Stakes on hiatus this week, several eligible harness racing horses were in overnight events to stay sharp when the big money is back on the table next Sunday (Oct. 16). Two of those entrants were 3-year-old pacing fillies who both scored impressive victories while taking new lifetime marks in the process.

In the $13,500 condition for 5-year-old and under female pacers, Shakeitoffscarlet (American Ideal) and driver Kevin Switzer Jr. went right for the lead, set solid fractions of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:25.3 before turning for home and holding off the tripped-out Always Beachy (Bruce Ranger) to win by a neck in a career best 1:54.4. Shakeitoffscarlet ($3.80) is owned by KDK Standardbreds and is trained by Elisha Lafreniere.

SHAKEITOFFSCARLET REPLAY

Switzer and Lafereniere later won with Mossdale Lotte N (1:54.4, $3.20) and Sweet Sally Sue (1:52.4, $4.40) to register a driver/trainer hat trick for the afternoon. Sweet Sally Sue’s win was her fourth in a row,

Then later in the $11,000 condition for 4-year-olds and under, Halleysbigcomet (Huntsville) and driver Drew Campbell also used a front-end performance to beat five opposing fillies. Halleysbigcomet easily cut the half in :56.3 with Little Judith (Kevin Switzer Jr.) in pursuit, before picking up the pace and extending her lead to three at the head of the stretch.

Heading for home Campbell let the filly go and she paced away to a 6-½ length victory in 1:54.1, lowering her lifetime mark by three full seconds.

Halleysbigcomet ($3.40) is owned by Kevin Gee and Robert Kopack and is trained by Randy Bickmore.

HALLEYSBIGCOMET REPLAY

Campbell and Bickmore also teamed up to win with Dark As Night (1:55.2, $2.10) who ran off the screen by 7-½ lengths to claim his first lifetime win.

The $17,500 feature race for distaff pacers went to Mexican Hanover (Luke Hanners) who moved second-over at three-quarters behind Roaring Kitty (Jim Hardy) in pursuit of the front-running Skyler Hanover (Drew Monti), who both went by in mid-stretch. Then Mexican Hanover caught Roaring Kitty at the line by a neck to win in 1:53.2.

Mexican Hanover ($14.20) is owned by Marc Reynolds and Rick Cortese and is trained by Jimmy Nickerson.

Nickerson and Hanners joined the “double club” by adding Flying Formation (1:58.2, $2.60) to the win column after he got his first lifetime victory by seven open lengths.

Live racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Monday afternoon (Oct. 10) at 2 p.m. Free full past performance race programs for all live race days can be downloaded by visiting the track’s website by clicking here and clicking the “Racing” tab.

For complete race results, click here.

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts