Plainridge: Moonshine Kisses paces track record mile on Thursday afternoon

In August of last year, Moonshine Kisses tied the track record for aged pacing horses at Plainridge Park with a lifetime-best, 1:49 3/5 clocking that matched Givenupdreaming's standard set in 2016. Now, less than a year later, Moonshine Kisses shipped back into Massachusetts to make his first start at Plainridge this year and torched the oval with a dominating, 1:49 flat schooling of the seven other starters in the featured $25,000 Winners-Over pacing feature on Thursday (May 25).

Jay Randall was on a mission with Moonshine Kisses when the man said 'go,' leaving three-wide from post six in the first turn to open up a two length advantage at the 26 3/5 quarter. With the field stretched out heading to the half, an outer flow began to form with Rocknroll Runa A (Luke Hanners) leading the way while Lou's Sweetrevenge (Greg Merton) tried to keep pace behind him.

As they paced up the backside, Rocknroll Runa A was struggling to catch the leader in the breeze with a 27 1/5 third panel, but he finally drew even in the last turn and looked like he had a shot at that point. However, Moonshine Kisses had other plans as he dug in hard and paced away fast, opening up a full two lengths in deep stretch under a line-drive from Randall to complete the trip.

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The time was a new lifetime mark for the winner, a new track record, and also the fastest pacing mile of the year so far at Plainridge Park.

It was the eighth win of the year for Moonshine Kisses ($7.20), who has now won six out of his last eight races, including a total of four Open class victories at Yonkers (three times) and Saratoga (one time). The 7-year-old son of Sunshine Beach-Queen's Character has amassed earnings of $125,620 to this point in 2023 and is heading towards a career year for wins and earnings for his owner Kellogg Racing Stables and trainer Jackie Greene.

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