Mansome made a bold uncovered move in the last half of the mile to overpower a field of top pacers and win the $20,000 winners-vver feature race at Plainridge Park on Monday afternoon.
Rock Diamonds N (Ron Cushing) led to the quarter where Lake Charles (Shawn Gray) pulled and brushed to the front. Positions remained unchanged until the five-eighths where Mansome (Kevin Switzer, Jr.) pulled first-over on the attack.
The two horses paced in tandem around the far turn and to the top of the lane where Mansome manned-up. He put away Lake Charles and then held off a late closing kick from Rock Diamonds N to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:51.2.
Three divisions of Winners-Over pacers went postward at Plainridge Park on Monday and despite an off-track due to early day rain, all three winners turned in impressive miles.
The top division went for $20,000 and Artful Way (Bruce Ranger) put a circle around the competition. Ranger hustled Artful Way to the front and with no resistance, put the field to sleep with a pedestrian half of :57. The pace picked up when Stihl N (Matty Athearn) came first over to challenge but Artful Way had things under control. After rebuffing Stihl N with a :27.2 third panel, Ranger stepped on the gas and Artful Way barrelled home in :26.4, thwarting the pocket sitting Sports Obsession (Drew Monti) in the stretch to by one length in 1:51.1.
Twenty top resident pacers of Plainridge Park were divided into three tiers of Winners-Over events that ranged in purse from $15,000 to $20,000 on Monday afternoon and the high-calibre card provided non-stop excitement for the large holiday crowd that was on hand to watch and wager.
In the featured $20,000 race, Stihl N got back to his winning ways in a come-from-behind upset victory.
Major Leaguer (Nick Graffam) took control of the race and led a single-file field to the half in a tepid :56.4. At the five-eighths pole, Sports Obsession (Drew Monti) pulled first over and Stihl N (Matty Athearn) quickly lined up behind him as the pace quickened substantially in the :27.1 third quarter. At that station Athearn tipped Stihl N three-deep and drew alongside Sports Obsession and Major Leaguer, and eventually pulled in front at the top of the stretch. Stihl N maintained his lead down the lane and held off a late charge by Franco Tristan N (Shawn Gray) to win by three-quarters of a length
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