Vel Scotty Boy scores at Plainridge

Vel Scotty Boy and Bruce Ranger turned in a tough performance Tuesday, Nov. 14 at Plainridge Park in Massachusetts. The Indiana sired pacer scored the win in 1:54.2.

Vel Scotty Boy left from post three and was joined by Hollywood Skeeter and Nicholas Graffam. The two horses matched each other stride for stride into the first turn before Vel Scotty Boy grabbed the advantage and led the field to the quarter in :27.3 From there, Vel Scotty Boy was well in hand through the half in :56.2 and 1:24.4. Around the final turn, horses began to fan out four wide across the track with hopes of catching Vel Scotty Boy.

In the stretch, Vel Scotty Boy maintained his lead and rallied home to a two-length advantage at the wire. Fellow Indiana sired son of Panspacificflight Pops Pool Room, a nine-year-old veteran, finished second over Dragon The Line and Todd O’Dea.

Vel Scotty Boy paid $16.00 for the win. The four-year-old son of Straight Shooting is owned and trained by John Asara. Alvin Schwartz bred the gelding, who earned his second win of 2023. Overall, he has six wins and more than $61,000 in earnings. His career best time of 1:53.3 was taken earlier this fall at Plainridge. The one-time Indiana Sired Fair Circuit contender is a new acquisition by Asara, who has owned him since early September.

Earlier in the card, Maggie at Bat and Matthew Athearn rallied gate to wire in conditioned pacing action for a win in 1:55.4. The three-year-old Rockin Image filly was a half-length winner as the favorite of the field. She is owned by Thomas Spathies, Peter Karras, and William Tortoriello. The homebred filly was unraced last year at two but now has three wins and has only been worse than third twice in 10 starts. Her career best time of 1:54.0 was taken earlier this summer at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. She turned in a couple of starts at Harrah’s Hoosier Park for trainer Dennis Bankston before heading out east to Plainridge where she has four starts with three seconds and a win.