Off the pace runners feature in $17,500 trots

Plainville, MA — Thursday afternoon (Nov 03) at Plainridge Park featured a trio of harness racing trots that went for $17,500 each and the winners of all three came late from off the pace.

The fastest of the three was won by Marquis Lafayette (Ready Cash, Bruce Ranger) who got away fifth behind changing leads by Vesuvio Bi (Brett Beckwith) and Remember Titans (Jay Randall). Still third and two lengths off the leader at the top of the stretch, Marquis Lafayette rallied late with a :28.4 final quarter to win by 1-½ lengths in 1:55.

MARQUIS LAFAYETTE REPLAY

Marquis Lafayette ($4.40) is trained by Domenico Cecere for owner Greathorse.

Then, recent Canadian import Mrmayor Hanover (Explosive Matter, Jay Randall) sat in the garden spot behind the front-running Wily Wally (Jim Hardy) through quarters of :27.2, :56.2 and 1:25.4 before popping out in the stretch and out-trotting the leader home to win by one length in 1:56.4.

MRMAYOR HANOVER REPLAY

It was the seventh win of the year for Mrmayor Hanover ($3.80) but his first win for new owners Marc Reynolds and Richard Cortese, who purchased the 3-year-old stakes winner on October 17. Jimmy Nickerson is the winning trainer.

Finally Sidd Finch (Credit Winner, Mike Stevenson) was sixth and seemingly out of it at three-quarters while Flying Formation (Jay Randall) and Billy B (Wally Watson) were battling on the point for what seemed to be who would win. But Stevenson put Sidd Finch in play around the last turn and unleashed a wicked stretch drive that garnered him an easy 2-¼ length victory in 1:56, which was a new seasonal mark.

SIDD FINCH REPLAY

Sidd Finch ($6.40) is owned by John Barnard and is trained by Irwin Rosenthal.

Stevenson had two wins on Thursday along with fellow driver Bruce Ranger while 10 different trainers each claimed one race apiece during the proceedings.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Monday (Nov. 7) with post time at 1 p.m. Free full past performance race programs for all live race days can be downloaded by visiting the track’s website here and clicking the “Racing” tab.

For complete race results, click here.

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts