Plainridge: Moonshine Kisses equals all-age track record

Moonshine Kisses continued his career year of 2023, setting two more records at Plainridge Park on Thursday (June 15). His 1:48 1/5 victory in the featured $25,000 Open Handicap pace gave him a new lifetime mark, set a new track record for older pacing horses (bettering his own previous record of 1:49) and tied the all-time track pacing record set by Shartin N in 2020 and matched by her stablemate Lyon’s Sentinel in 2021.

Jay Randall sent Moonshine Kisses to the front in 26 2/5 and then settled in on the point for the duration. With Rockin Withelvis A (Brett Beckwith) in the pocket, Moonshine Kisses hit the half in 54 2/5, but Lou's Sweetrevenge (Greg Merton) came first-up at the five-eighths and got within a length of the leader as they entered the far turn. However, that would be as close as he would get. Randall asked Moonshine Kisses for a little more, and the horse responded by pulling away to a 1 1/4 length lead at the light, under wraps, in 1:48 1/5.

It was the third straight top class win at Plainridge for Moonshine Kisses ($3.00) and his career-best tenth win of the season overall. The winner's share of the purse pushed his seasonal tally to $150,620, which is also his one-year best for earnings. Kellogg Racing Stable owns Moonshine Kisses, who is trained by Jackie Greene.

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Another track record was just missed earlier in the card when Dandy's Everlasting won the co-featured $25,000 Winners-Over pace for fillies and mares in 1:50 3/5, missing the current standard for 4-year-old pacing mares by only one-fifth of a second.

Dandy's Everlasting (Matty Athearn) got away fourth from post one as Probert (Brett Beckwith) took command early while parking Newsy N (Mitchell Cushing) and Booraa N (Ron Cushing) to the quarter in 26 4/5. Booraa N eventually got the front after her three-deep airing and tripped the timer at the half in 54 4/5. With little rest for the weary, Booraa N faced yet another challenge from Dandy's Everlasting, who was motoring up the outside and drew even just past the three-quarters. By the top of the stretch, Dandy's Everlasting was clear by one-half length and maintained that margin all the way to the wire, tying her lifetime mark in the process.

It was the fifth win of the year for Dandy's Everlasting ($12.80) and owners Dandy Farms Racing and FT Racing. Jimmy Nickerson was the winning trainer.

--press release (Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)--