Dead heat for win in Plainridge feature

Plainville, MA — The full field of 3-year-olds that went postward in the $17,500 harness racing feature race at Plainridge Park on Friday (Nov. 17) was so good, it yielded two winners.

Better Option (Bettor’s Delight-West Third Street, Jay Randall) and the aptly named Finally Friday (Tellitlikeitis-Antigua Hanover, Nick Graffam) finished in a dead heat as four horses hit the line in unison.

Better Option took the early lead before Mach Seelster (Mitchell Cushing) approached on the outside at the quarter and cleared shortly after. The action continued as Gabe Hanover (Brett Beckwith) pulled first-over with Ben Solo (Jim Hardy) following his cover. Finally Friday was third-over in that breeze train that continued to chug forward.

Positions remained the same until halfway through the last turn where Ben Solo went three wide and Finally Friday fanned even wider around him at the top of the stretch. Better Option then found room at the pegs and joined the party as they motored home. From the pylons out it was Better Option, Gabe Hanover, Ben Solo and Finally Friday and they were fairly even and all had a shot. But when they hit the line, Better Option and Finally Friday simultaneously got there first just ahead of Ben Solo and Gabe Hanover in 1:53.

Better Option ($14.20) is owned by Samuel Abdoo and trained by Jaymes Mcassey and Finally Friday is owned by his trainer Julia Eaton, in partnership with Robert Mc Hugh and Russell Young.

BETTER OPTION / FINALLY FRIDAY REPLAY

Finally Friday wasn’t Nick Graffam’s only win on Friday. He also scored with Justcallmecasey (Deuce Seelster, 1:55, $7.00) in race four and then blew up the tote board in the nightcap with Heez Ourperseus N (Alta Christiano), who captured his first North American win in his 23rd try from post eight in a lifetime best mile of 1:53.1 to return $117.80 for a $2 win bet.

Another lifetime mark was taken in the top pacing mare event that went for $15,000 when Pammy Jo (Roll With Joe, Shawn Gray) made a first-over move at the half before taking the lead from Game Of Shadows (Mitchell Cushing) in the final bend. Pammy Jo then swelled up and bolted home on top by 5-¼ lengths in 1:51.3 to set her new personal best. Pammy Jo ($5.40) is owned and trained by Alicia Gray.

Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday (Nov. 20) with post time at 1 p.m.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts