Plainridge: It's Academic overcomes overland journey in Spirit of Massachusetts Trot

It's Academic started from the outside post nine and never saw the pylons in Sunday afternoon's $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot for free-for-allers at Plainridge Park, but he kept plugging away on the rim and out-footed Ake Svanstedt charges Rattle My Cage and Asteroid in the lane to get the 1:51 4/5 victory.

Balenciaga (Mark MacDonald) hit the accelerator at the start and was in the lead at the 27 1/5 opening quarter, but Rattle My Cage (Svanstedt) was two-wide and challenging for the top spot at that station, and he would clear past that marker. Meanwhile, David Miller had floated It's Academic away and was positioned fifth.

Asteroid (Dexter Dunn) had found a seat in fourth from post seven at the quarter, and Dunn brought him to the outside as they raced in the stretch for the first time, providing cover to It's Academic. Asteroid was able to clear Rattle My Cage beyond the 56 second half, though, once again putting It's Academic in an uncovered situation.

After he took over command, Asteroid picked up the tempo to 1:23 3/5 at three-quarters, but It's Academic was at Dunn's wheel when Asteroid hit that point and continued to loom on his outside around the final bend and into the stretch.

Through the stretch it would become a three-across battle to the finish line as Rattle My Cage found room on the inside and had trot to go with it, but It's Academic kept surging forward while widest and was able to get the victory by a hard-fought neck over Rattle My Cage, with Asteroid lapped-on in third. Balenciaga checked fourth, and Herculisa (Austin Siegelman) rounded out the top five.

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"The way it lined up and Ake re-moved, I waited on Dexter and I figured he would clear. I was just patient. I just sat there with him and I tried to go as slow as I could up the backstretch because he's got one huge kick," said David Miller. "It was a battle, but he fights. He's a big fighter, and he earned that. He deserved it. He was out the whole mile and he got the job done."

Ron Burke trains It's Academic, a 6-year-old stallion by Uncle Peter, for owner Brad Grant. It's Academic has a summary of 27-16-13 from 74 lifetime tries, has now put away $1,646,406 and returned $4.80 to win as the 7-5 choice.

"He's really stepped up to where he's pretty much one of the best open trotters in the country now, if not the best. Every race he gives everything. You can put him on the front, you can take him from the back. Basically, he's become a very, very good horse now," noted Burke. "Last year he raced in the International Trot at Yonkers and he was third from way back, and that's where we knew he was making the step to the better horse. From there on in, every race he's been a factor. The rest of the year, hopefully we get back to the International Trot. I'd love to have a shot from the inside with him there.

"We'll see him Hambo Day at the Meadowlands for sure."