Hats off to Cushings and Sywyk at Plainridge Park

Plainville, MA — It was a big day for harness racing driver Ron Cushing, trainer Heidi Cushing and their owner Kevin Sywyk on Thursday (Nov. 16) at Plainridge Park after combining for a hat trick of winners, two in career best miles and including both top condition races on the card.

In the $22,500 upper-level condition, Cushing got away a distant fifth with Alta Classic A (Alta Christiano) while Life’s A Puzzle (Richard Humphrey) sizzled to the half in :54 flat. Always A Miki (Matty Athearn) was first to pull and Alta Classic A was quick to follow. Always A Miki got the lead at three-quarters and Alta Classic A moved into second at the top of the stretch.

Those two tangled all the way down to the line where Alta Classic A got up by a quarter length to win in 1:50.3 and take a new lifetime mark.

It was the fourth win in the first six North American starts for Alta Classic A ($4.20), who is owned by his driver Cushing and Sywyk.

ALTA CLASSIC A REPLAY

In the other $22,500 division of the same class, Cushing made a first-over move with Nineteenth Man A (Captaintreacherous) and approached the front-running Sundown Kid (Jay Randall) past the half. When they hit three-quarters, Nineteenth Man A took the lead on the outside and then pulled away to a 4-¼ length victory in 1:52.

Nineteenth Man A ($4.80) is owned by his driver Cushing, Sywyk and Lance Downs.

NINETEENTH MAN A REPLAY

Then they capped off their triple in the $18,500 mid-level condition with Dontbothermenone N (Bettor’s Delight), who went right to the front and cut fractions of :26.1, :54.4 and 1:22.4 before turning for home to hold off a quick closing Paternity Suit A (Matty Athearn) and win by one-quarter length in 1:51.3, which was also a new lifetime mark.

It was the seventh win of the year for Dontbothermenone N ($18.00) who is owned by the Cushing/Sywyk duo.

DONTBOTHERMENONE N REPLAY

The Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta was hit in the ninth race on Thursday. The combination of 4-1-5-6-2 returned $1,984.48 for a 20-cent wager.

Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Friday (Nov. 17) with post time at 1 p.m.

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

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts