Acushla Machree N charges to Plainridge victory

Plainville, MA — Acushla Machree N turned a perfect trip into a lifetime harness racing mark after winning the featured $22,000 distaff pace at Plainridge Park on Monday (June 22) afternoon.

Acushla Machree N (Matty Athearn) got away fifth as Gowestyounggrace (Kevin Switzer Jr.). and Arizona (Brett Beckwith) battled for the front, which Arizona eventually gained as they passed the quarter in :26.4. Arizona then reached the half in a stiff :54.4 and greeted Beantown Deuce (Nick Graffam), who had moved first-over and brought Acushla Machree N on her back.

Beantown Deuce paced alongside Arizona to three-quarters and then around the far turn, where she pulled ahead for the lead as they headed for home. Beantown Deuce took an open length lead into the stretch, where Athearn tipped Acushla Machree N to the middle of the track where she reeled in Beantown Deuce before pulling ahead by a head to win in a career best, 1:51.2.

ACUSHLA MACHREE REPLAY

It was the first win of the year for Acushla Machree N ($9.00), who is owned by Ray Campbell Jr. and trained by Gretchen Athearn.

Later in the $17,000 conditioned pace for fillies and mares, One Eyed Delilah (Jay Randall) got away fifth early as Seaside Tina (Brett Beckwith) put up fast fractions of :26.4 and :55.2. As the race entered the backside, Randall moved One Eyed Delilah first-over, flew past Seaside Tina and opened up a two length lead at three-quarters as Quarrel (Nick Graffam) gave chase. One Eyed Delilah maintained her advantage from the top of the stretch while holding off Quarrel and the late-closing Windydayatthebeach (Kevin Switzer Jr.) to win by a neck in 1:52.3.

ONE EYED DELILAH REPLAY

One Eyed Delilah ($28.60) is owned by George Fenno, in partnership with her trainer, Derryl Niles Jr.

As one of the top drivers at Plainridge Park, Kevin Switzer Jr. is normally bet quite heavily on a day to day basis. However, that did not happen today as he lit up the board in consecutive races. Switzer won with Meadowbrook Flash in the seventh race and paid $62.80. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, only one race later Switzer won again with Trelicious, and returned $89.80. Those two wins also made Switzer the leading reinsman Monday.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (June 23) at 4 p.m. and there will be a $6,236 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the sixth race.

Free full card past performance programs for every live card of racing at Plainridge Park can always be downloaded at their website (plainridgeparkcasino.com) under the “Racing” tab. You can also watch all the race replays on that same page.

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

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts