Rock Diamonds Sparkles At Plainridge
For the second straight start, Rock Diamonds N dominated the best of the bunch at Plainridge Park by winning the $14,000 Winners-Over Handicap on Monday afternoon (August 5).
Despite being handicapped with the outside Post 7, driver Ron Cushing left and put Rock Diamonds N on the lead and did not look back from there. After sprinting quarters of :26.2, :54.4 and 1:22.1 with little opposition, Rock Diamonds N turned for home and sprinted to a new lifetime mark of 1:50 and won by two lengths. The time was also just two fifths of a second off the track record for aged pacing geldings.
The victory was the second win in a row and seventh of the year for Rock Diamonds N ($3.00). The victory pushed his earnings to $62,485 for owners Kevin Sywyk, his driver Cushing and Frank Ranaldi. Heidi Gibbs is the trainer.
The secondary feature was a $12,000 upper-conditioned pace that saw Captain Deo put a circle around his opposition in the second fastest mile of the day (1:51.2).
Drew Campbell led all drivers on Monday scoring a grand slam during the card followed by Mitchell Cushing, who recorded a hat trick.
Live racing will resume at Plainridge on Thursday (August 8). Post time will be at 4 p.m.
(With files from Plainridge Park)