Thisjetsabookin lands a 1:50.4 win at Plainridge

Plainville, MA—After winning handily last week at the Ridge in 1:52 off a :54.4 back half, Thisjetsabookin stepped up to the top class and had no problem repeating as he won the $14,000 Winners-Over Handicap pace at Plainridge Park on Monday afternoon (July 30).

Deetzy (Greg Merton) took an early lead and scooted to the quarter in :26.2. Thisjetsabookin (Shawn Gray) sat behind him second while BJ's Guy (Jim Hardy) got parked out third, where he would stay for three-quarters of the mile. The race got to the half in :55.1 and the three-quarters in 1:22.2. That's when BJ's Guy finally faded, leaving room for Thisjetsabookin to make a move and duke it out with the leader.

Deetzy and Thisjetsabookin were single file around the final turn until just before the top of the stretch when Gray pulled Thisjetsabookin and got him underway. It didn't take long for the order to change as Thisjetsabookin took flight and soared by Deetzy to open up a three length lead under a loose-line drive, hitting the wire in 1:50.4 to claim a new seasonal mark.

After winning his fourth race of the season, Thisjetsabookin ($8.00) has now earned $84,980 for owner William Emmons and trainer Jeff Lieberman.

There were two $12,000 condition races on the undercard that produced big efforts from their victors.

In the conditioned event for 6-year-olds and under, Tixnstones (Jim Hardy) scored his sixth win in only 10 starts this year as he went gate to wire and opened up a six-length lead as he stopped the timer in 1:51.4 to take a new lifetime mark for trainer/driver Jim Hardy.

Tixnstones ($6.40) is owned by David Thibault, Christine Thibault, Ed Nowak Jr. and Jim Winske.

Then in the non-winners condition event for all-age participants, Major Bucks ($28.40) lived up to his name and delivered same after making a second-over, three-wide move at three-quarters for driver Chris Long to break an 0 for 24 streak in 2018 and win in 1:52.

After racing primarily at Yonkers Raceway this year, Major Bucks found new life over the big track at Plainridge for owners Joshua Schwartz and Raymond Hoegen Jr. and trainer Elisha Lafreniere.

Several drivers had multiple win outings on Monday. Drew Campbell led everyone with three trips for pictures while Jim Hardy, Chris Long and Shawn Gray each had two wins apiece.

Live racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon (July 31) at 4 p.m.

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts