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Plainville, MA — The husband and wife team of harness racing driver Shawn Gray and trainer Alicia Gray have cut back their starts at Plainridge Park this year but when the talented tandem does visit, the results are usually positive. That was the case on Thursday (Sept. 29) after they shipped in three from their stable and went home victorious with them all.
Their big winner was Le Bella Vita N (Changeover) who went a lifetime best mile in the $20,000 Open pace for fillies and mares.
Gray went to the front with La Bella Vita N and cut the quarter in :26.2 before Classicist (Kevin Switzer Jr.) took the lead past that station. These two set the pace from there with only a mild third quarter challenge from Pure Cotton (Bruce Ranger) that fell apart before the last turn.
As they motored past the seven-eighths pole, Gray tipped La Bella Vita N who was in full flight and paced away under a line drive to a two-length victory in her fastest ever win time of 1:51.3.
La Bella Vita N ($7.40), who was only beaten 2-¾ lengths by Lyons Sentinel in the $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace at Plainridge back in July, scored her ninth win of this season while pushing her earnings to $115,480 for owners Bowie Racing and Michael Goldberg Racing.
LA BELLA VITA N REPLAY
The Gray’s completed their stable hat trick with a pair of 3-year-old trotting fillies that are both owned by George Bullukian. Unique Kemp (1:56.3, $6.00) claimed a new lifetime mark with her fourth win in a row and Hoda Hanover (1:57.4, $2.40) who also went a career best time in her first win of the year.
The big trot of the day saw a big mile come from Joey Bats (Holiday Road), who turned in his fastest clocking since 2020 while taking the $17,500 upper-level conditioned race for the diagonally gaited.
Joey Bats and driver Brett Beckwith led early before Blue Knight (Jay Randall) stole the front before the half. The top two broke away from the field on the backside and had a five-length gap from them at three-quarters.
Coming off the far turn Joey Bats came off the pylons and got even with Blue Knight. The two then trotted together all the way to the line where Joey Bats got ahead by three-quarters of a length and won in a season’s best 1:53.3.
JOEY BATS REPLAY
It was the 23rd win in only his 88th start for Joey Bats ($12.60) who has now amassed a total $418,587 in purses lifetime for owners Scott Dillon and Michelle Nelson. Joe Nelson trains the trotter.
Live racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 2) at 2 p.m. and the card will feature the second 3-year-old legs of the $2.5 million (est.) Massachusetts Sire Stakes. Free full past performance race programs for all live race days can be downloaded by visiting the track’s website and clicking the “Racing” tab.
For complete race results, click here.
by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts
