Plainville, MA — Harness racing driver Bruce Ranger expertly positioned Rodman (State Treasurer) to secure a thrilling victory in the $17,000 Claiming Handicap Allowance at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 10).
Macheasy A (Matty Athearn) initially fought for the lead, taking control before the :26.2 quarter. However, Ranger swiftly regained the lead with Rodman before reaching the halfway mark. As the race progressed, TJs Indy Pacer (Shawn Gray) emerged from fourth, taking the lead at three-quarters in 1:23.1. Despite maintaining their positions around the final turn, Rodman made a powerful move at the top of the stretch, edging out TJs Indy Pacer by a nose as they crossed the finish line in 1:51.4, setting a new seasonal record.
Rodman, who paid $5.00 to win, is owned by his trainer, Mark Eaton, in partnership with Robert Griffin.
The card also featured two $14,000 1-¼ mile paces. In the first race, Sundown Kid (Jay Randall) expertly followed Woody’s Cash Crop (Nick Graffam) before sprinting to victory in 2:22.1, setting a new track record for that distance. Sundown Kid, who paid $9.80 to win, is both owned and trained by Randy Bickmore.
The second place was captured by Colonel Bayama (Bruce Ranger), who narrowly defeated Bay City (Shawn Gray) in a final time of 2:24.1. Colonel Bayama paid $23.00 to win and is owned by Karma Racing, trained by Rob Harmon.
On Tuesday, drivers Matty Athearn, Drew Campbell, Drew Monti, and Bruce Ranger each celebrated driving doubles. Racing is set to continue at Plainridge Park on Tuesday, September 10, at 2 p.m.