“Grand Slam” Graffam wins both main events

Plainville, MA— A pair of $19,000 upper-level conditioned paces were featured on Thursday (June 26) afternoon at Plainridge Park and both were won by harness racing horses teamed by Nick Graffam, who made headlines all afternoon.

In the first division, Graffam and Life’s A Puzzle seated ER Griffin (Brett Beckwith) and Instant Replay (Kevin Switzer Jr.) on his way to the quarter in :26.3. From there, Life’s A Puzzle continued to dictate that pace, hitting the half in :55 and three-quarters in 1:22.2 while Instant Replay and ER Griffin continued to pressure from behind. But that pressure was relieved by Life’s A Puzzle as he rounded the final turn and paced home the best by 1-¾ lengths in a seasonal best, 1:50.2.

LIFES A PUZZLE REPLAY

Life’s A Puzzle ($7.00) is owned by Richard Humphrey and trained by Gerald Mac Kenzie Jr.

Then later in the second split, Graffam got away fifth with Sweet Jeff IR as So Rock N Roll (Bruce Ranger) led the field to the half in :55.2. There, an outer flow was in motion and led by Anvil Hands (Jim Hardy) who provided a draft for Sweet Jeff IR, who was one out and one back as they proceeded up the backstretch. So Rock N Roll held the lead around the third turn but at the top of the stretch, Anvil Hands momentarily took command before Sweet Jeff IR forged ahead of him and held sway to the line where he won in 1:52.

SWEET JEFF IR REPLAY

Sweet Jeff IR ($4.80) is owned by Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi and trained by Joe Nelson.

Graffam also lit up the board in the  sixth race with Skyway Masterpiece after being sent off at odds of 50-1 from post nine. Skyway Masterpiece brushed late to win by one-quarter length in a season’s best 1:50.4 and paid $102.80.

Slick Nick then closed out his four-bagger behind Sweet Street Lou, who turned in a new lifetime mark of 1:51.1 while returning a healthy $11.40 for the win.

Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Friday (June 27) at 4 p.m.

Free full past performance programs and race replays for all live racing days at Plainridge Park can be found at plainridgeparkcasino.com.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts