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Marquis Lafayette stormed to victory in Thursday\u2019s Open Handicap Trot at Plainridge Park. Tom Melanson photo.<\/p>\nPlainville, MA \u2014 A pair of $25,000 Open Handicap events headlines the card at Plainridge Park on Thursday (Oct. 2) and both winners scored their second straight victories at the top level.<\/p>\n
The trotters lined up first, and Marquis Lafayette made it look easy.<\/p>\n
Marquis Lafayette (Bruce Ranger) got away third and watched Big Box Hanover (Larry Stalbaum) trip the timer in :26.3 and :55.4. Then Ranger pulled Marquis Lafayette heading onto the backstretch and ended up on top by two lengths at three-quarters and by three lengths at the top of the stretch. From there, Marquis Lafayette was under Ranger wraps and cruised home easily in 1:53.<\/p>\n
Marquis Lafayette stormed to victory in Thursday\u2019s Open Handicap Trot at Plainridge Park. Tom Melanson photo.<\/p>\n
Marquis Lafayette ($5.00) is owned by Greathorse and trained by Domenico Cecere.<\/p>\n
Then, in the Distaff pace, Always Bstunning N closed late in a thrilling finish.<\/p>\n
Swedish Starlet N (Matty Athearn) had the early lead and took the field to the quarter in :26.1 before Uptown Hanover (Mitchell Cushing) motored to the top past that station and got to the half in :54.3. At this point, Always Bstunning N (Kevin Switzer Jr.) was eighth and last but would soon be third-over in an outer flow led by Side Piece (Bruce Ranger). These positions remained unchanged around the last turn, where Swedish Starlet N found room along the pylons and shot to the lead halfway down the stretch. But Always Bstunning N was five-wide in the middle of the stretch and smoking with pace. The two mares matched strides on opposite sides of the track, and Always Bstunning N pulled ahead in the shadow of the wire and won in 1:51.<\/p>\n
It was the ninth win of the year for Always Bstunning ($6.80), who is owned by Richard Poillucci and trained by Gretchen Athearn.<\/p>\n
Brett Beckwith led all drivers with five wins on the program: One Bettor (1:56, $3.80), Slick Leonard (1:55.4, $25.60), Hey Jude Hanover (1:53.2, $8.20), Alamo Mission (1:54, $4.40) and Sweet Carollou (1:53.1, $4.20). Beckwith is the leading driver at the current Plainridge meet with 110 wins to this point, nine ahead of the second-place Nick Graffam.<\/p>\n
Live racing at Plainridge Park will resume on Friday (Oct. 3) at 2 p.m., and there will be a $2,602 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 in the sixth race.<\/p>\n