Stakes and track records broken at Plainridge

Plainville, MA — Grand Circuit harness racing returned to Plainridge Park on Monday (Oct. 7) afternoon and featured the Colonial Oaks Trot and the W.N. Reynolds Memorial Tar Heel for pacing colts and geldings and Leta Long for pacing fillies.

All three stake records were broken and two track records fell as well, and one of them twice.

The day kicked off with the $53,150 Colonial Oaks for 3-year-old trotting fillies and Elista Hanover (International Moni-Evermore) was the first to make history.

David Miller settled Elista Hanover in fourth off the gate as Sister Mary Maude (Yannick Gingras) was busy leading the files to the quarter in :28.2 over the wet/fast track. But Miller had Elista Hanover out and rolling and took control of the race before the half.

Positions remained basically unchanged to the three-quarters and around the last turn, but at the top of the stretch it got interesting. Gingras tipped Sister Mary Maude and the filly was making up ground on Elista Hanover with every stride. The two sprinted to the line in close quarters but Elista Hanover was the best by a neck in 1:53.

The time set a new track record for 3-year-old trotting fillies and also a new stake record for the Colonial Oaks at Plainridge Park.

ELISTA HANOVER REPLAY

It was the 12th win of the year for Elista Hanover ($2.20) who is owned by R Curry, Philomena Curry and Annie Stoebe, who also trains the winner.

Elista Hanover was bred by the Hanover Shoe Farms.

Next up were two $49,875 divisions of the W.M. Reynolds Memorial Tar Heel for pacing colts and geldings.

In the first division more records were set, and by two horses as Howlenthehills (American Ideal-Arielle Lynn) and Solid Character (Sweet Lou-Riley Character) finished in a dead-heat for the win.

Solid Character (#3) and Howlenthehills finished in a dead heat for win Solid Character (Yannick Gingras) took the first lead but Howlenthehills (Matt Kakaley) brushed up from second to grab the front in a quick :26.4. With Armada Hanover (Matty Athearn) tracking the leaders from third, Howlenthehills got to the half in :55.1 and three-quarters in 1:22.4 unchallenged.

After they came off the last turn, Howlenthehills had opened up a two-length advantage and was looking like a winner. But Gingras tipped Solid Character and asked for more and Solid Character delivered, as he flew down the lane and caught Howlenthehills in the shadow of the wire as they both crossed at the same time in 1:50.3.

The time was a new track record for 3-year-old pacing geldings and also a new stake record for the Tar Heel at Plainridge Park.

It was the 13th win of the year for Howlenthehills ($2.10) who is owned by Symmetry Stable and trained by Travis Alexander and also the fifth win of the year for Solid Character ($2.10) who is owned by Burke Racing, Robert Jackson, Timothy Sullivan and Tom Wilson and trained by Ron Burke.

HOWLENTHEHILLS – SOLID CHARACTER REPLAY

It was the 13th win of the year for Howlenthehills ($2.10) who is owned by Symmetry Stable and trained by Travis Alexander and also the fifth win of the year for Solid Character ($2.10) who is owned by Burke Racing, Robert Jackson, Timothy Sullivan and Tom Wilson and trained by Ron Burke.

Howlenthehills was bred by Crawford Farms and Solid Character was bred by Winterwood Farm.

In the second split, the pair of records just set by the first group would go down hard as Sweet Beach Life (Sweet Lou – Life Is A Beach) went the mile of his career in an easy victory.

Sweet Beach Life and driver Matt Kakaley rewrite stakes and track record Matt Kakaley wasted no time getting Sweet Beach Life to the front and dominated once he crossed over. After setting fast and unchallenged fractions of :26.3, :54.4 and 1:22.3, Sweet Beach Life swelled up at the top of the lane and bolted home under Kakaley wraps by 5-¼ lengths in 1:49.3.

The time was a new lifetime mark for the winner, set a new track record for 3-year-old pacing geldings and also set a new stake record for the Tar Heel at Plainridge Park.

SWEET BEACH LIFE REPLAY

It was the sixth win of the year for Sweet Beach Life ($2.20) who is owned by A Sweet Beach Life Stable and trained by Travis Alexander.

Sergeant Stables bred Sweet Beach Life.

The Grand Circuit closer on Monday was the $62,150 W.N. Reynolds Memorial Leta Long for 3-year-old pacing fillies where Ponynamedwildfire (Huntsville-Wordly Treasure) went the mile of her life in stake record time.

Bruce Ranger flew off the wings with Ponynamedwildfire and set a quick quarter pace of :26 flat. But that wasn’t fast enough for Leanne’s Choice (Marcus Miller) who pulled from second to take the lead before the :53.4 half. There was no rest for the leader as So Well Dressed (David Miller) was on the attack and took the lead on the backstretch. But as soon as she cleared, Chiapanecas (Yannick Gingras) was at her bridle pressing hard in 1:21.1 and Ponynamedwildfire was right in her back.

When the race entered the stretch, the battling front-runners were collectively tiring, and Ranger had a fresh horse and tipped Ponynamedwildfire three-deep and paced home the best by 1-½ lengths in 1:51.

The clocking was a new lifetime mark for the winner and also set a new stake record for the Leta Long at Plainridge Park.

PONYNAMEDWILDFIRE REPLAY

It was the sixth win of the year for Ponynamedwildfire ($8.20) who is owned and bred by Steve Jones and trained by Ray Schnittker.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Oct. 8) at 2 p.m.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting Results

by Tim Bojarski, for Plainridge Park