Swedish Starlet N secured her 10th victory of 2024 with a gate-to-wire performance in the $34,722 Open Handicap pace for fillies and mares at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon, August 6.
Starting from post nine, Swedish Starlet N, driven by Matty Athearn, took the lead early and reached the quarter in :26.2. She maintained the front through a half-mile in :55.3. As Quarrel (Bruce Ranger) advanced first-over, she drew within a length of Swedish Starlet N at three-quarters, timed in 1:23.4. The two mares battled head-to-head around the final turn and into the stretch. Seaside Tina (Jay Randall), who had been in the pocket, joined the chase, but Swedish Starlet N held on to win by half a length in 1:51.3.
Swedish Starlet N, at odds of $3.80, increased her seasonal earnings to $158,194 for owners Tim Bojarski and Tony Gruppo. The six-year-old Mach Three-Top Of The Pile mare is trained by Jimmy Nickerson.
In an earlier $22,222 conditioned event for five-year-olds and under, Social Drinker (Brett Beckwith) led from the start, setting fractions of :27.1, :56, and 1:23.3. Despite pressure from Favourable Draw (Bruce Ranger), Social Drinker found more in the stretch to win by a head with a new lifetime mark of 1:51.4.
This win marked the fourth of the year for Social Drinker, who paid $3.40 to win. He is owned by Glenn Goller and Stephen Demeter, and trained by Mark Beckwith.
Team Beckwith led the day's results, with Brett Beckwith achieving three driving wins, two of which were trained by Mark Beckwith.
Live racing at Plainridge Park resumes on Thursday, August 8, with a 4 p.m. post time and a $776 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 for race six.