𝐋𝐚 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐕𝐢𝐭𝐚 𝐍 𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞
La Bella Vita N visited the winners circle for the seventh time this year after she won the $25,000 fillies and mares Winners-Over pacing feature at Plainridge Park on Friday afternoon (Nov. 10).
Racey Rach N (Mitchell Cushing) and Dandys Evrlasting (Matthew Athearn) traded leads going to the quarter after Therewasthisgirl (𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐦) made a break and La Bella Vita N (𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐲) seated in third. As Dandys Evrlasting got to the half in :56.2, Gray pulled La Bella Vita N and motored up the outside heading into the backstretch. La Bella Vita N cleared the lead at three-quarters but had challenges coming from Booraa N (𝐑𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠) and Probert (Brett Beckwith), who were in the breeze and fast approaching. As the race entered the stretch, the horses fanned across the track with La Bella Vita N holding a length advantage as they neared the wire and won in 1:52.
La Bella Vita N ($3.60) is owned by Doug Overhiser and Michael Goldberg Racing. Alicia Gray trains the winner.
Earlier in the $17,500 Winners-Over Group 3, Checkpoint Chatter (Drew Campbell) made a first-over move from fifth past the half and gained a narrow advantage over I Spy (Matty Athearn) at three-quarters. These two mares then matched strides into deep stretch where Checkpoint Chatter took control and won by two lengths in 1:53.1.
It was the third win in the last four starts and ninth win overall this year for Checkpoint Chatter ($3.40) who is owned by Upland Farm and trained by Don Guidette Jr.
Brett Beckwith and 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐦 each had two driving wins while Gretchen Rohr Athearn and Mike Graffam both had a pair of training wins.
Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday (Nov. 13) with post time at 1 p.m. and there will be a $612 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race six.
By Tim Bojarski for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts
(Photos courtesy of Tom Melanson)
Photographs from the Winners Circle! Melanson Photography Store melansonphotography.com
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