For Once Inmy Life went to the front and won the $34,247 Open Handicap Pace for the second week in a row at Plainridge Park on Monday, April 20 and headlined a training triple for Cory Stratton.

Bruce Ranger left hard with For Once Inmy Life and crossed over in front Binge On Yankee (Mitchell Cushing) and Mr Mclaren N (Larry Stalbaum), who would both then follow him for the rest of the race. For Once Inmy Life cruised through fractions of :26.2, :55 and 1:22.4 and got a challenge from Hunting Zone (Shawn Gray), who made a first-over blitz on the backstretch and into the far turn. But For Once Inmy Life firmly rebuffed that attack, and no one had any answers as he paced home unaccosted by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:50.3. Binge On Yankee finished second, followed by Mr Mclaren N.

For Once Inmy Life ($4.40), a six-year-old son of Downbytheseaside-Flyme To The Moon, is owned by Winters Racing Stable.

Stratton also sent out first-race winner Show Respect ($4.80) and Chalk Hanover ($11.60), who took the 10th race. Stratton, coming off a career-best 222-win year, is 88-for-540 this season. He now leads the standings at Plainridge with six local wins, one more than Jimmy Nickerson.

There were also three $23,288 conditioned pacing events, two for five-year-olds and under and one upper-level optional-claimer.

In the first for the five-and-under class, Confederatestar N (Matty Athearn) took the lead as they passed the eighth pole and marched off quarters of :27.1, :55.3 and 1:23.2 while Wunderkindbluechip (Mitchell Cushing) sat patiently in the pocket until they entered the last turn. Wunderkindbluechip tipped out on the final bend and drew to within a length of the leader, but Confederatestar N responded quickly to thwart the challenge and paced away to win by a length in 1:51.4. Full Metal Jacket (Shawn Gray) was third. Confederatestar N ($2.60) took his third North American win in six starts. The five-year-old son of Bettors Delight-Hartofdixie is owned by Richard Poillucci and trained by Gretchen Athearn.

In the second clash for younger horses, Liams Ace (Matty Athearn) got away fourth as Bartertown (Shawn Gray) and Whats For Suppaah (Mitchell Cushing) traded leads early, with the former ahead at the quarter in :28. Whats For Suppaah then led the field to the half in :56.3 where Liams Ace pulled first-over. Liams Ace continued to gain ground on Whats For Suppaah to three-quarters in 1:24.4 and drew even on the third turn. The pair then battled to the line where Liams Ace got the advantage by a nose in 1:53.2. Bartertown was third. Liams Ace ($8.20), a four-year-old son of Captain Crunch-Alhambra, is owned by Maryann Tompkins and trained by Eric Bickmore.

Rockin On Venus (Shawn Gray) got away second in the upper-level class behind Virtual Horizon (Drew Monti), who led through panels of :27.4 and :56.1 before the parked-out Jettingtomalibu (Matty Athearn) drew near and forced a quick third panel to three-quarters in 1:23.4. Jettingtomalibu faded on the last turn, leaving a clear path for Rockin On Venus to pull out and take his shot. Rockin On Venus pulled alongside Virtual Horizon, matched him stride-for-stride down the stretch, and pushed ahead by a quarter- length to win in 1:52.1. Negotiator (Mitchell Cushing) completed the ticket. Enrico Robinson trains Rockin On Venus ($6.80), an eight-year-old Rockin Image-Venus Killean stallion, for Pollack Racing LLC.

Matty Athearn led all drivers with three wins on Monday while Cory Stratton led the trainers with his triple.

Racing resumes at Plainridge on Tuesday at 4 p.m. There will be a $6,469 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the sixth race. 

(With files from the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)