A pair of $20,000 Trackmaster feature races were top of the card at Plainridge Park on Friday, Oct. 3 and both winners put in impressive performances.
The first event was for pacing mares and Rys Red Rocket scored in gate-to-wire fashion with Jay Randall driving. After setting fractions of :26.4, :56 and 1:23.4, Rys Red Rocket wrangled with Miss Trickster (Nick Graffam) from three-quarters all the way to the wire, where she stayed in front by three-quarters of a length in 1:53. Exceptionalism (Matty Athearn) was third.
Rys Red Rocket, an eight-year-old Sunshine Beach-Mo Molly Blue Chip mare, is owned and trained by Donny Richards. Scoring for the second time in 16 seasonal starts, she paid $7.20 to win as the 5-2 second choice.
The trotters lined up and were bested by Sister Swell, who ran off the screen in victory for driver Bruce Ranger. Sister Swell got away fifth as Laurens Hoopla (Nick Graffam) led through first-half fractions of :27.1 and :56.1. After that, Ranger tipped Sister Swell and advanced to the lead by the 1:25.2 three-quarters mark, crossing over as they headed into the turn. Sister Swell then opened up a five-length lead by the top of the stretch and bolted to the line in front by 11-1/2 lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:54.3. Raybarnz (Mitchell Cushing) prevailed in the race for place over Lauren Hoopla.
Sister Swell, a six-year-old daughter of Father Patrick and Gia, is owned by her trainer, Brenda Provost, in partnership with Michael Fagliarone and Peter Goldberg. She notched her fourth win of the season from 23 starts. Sent postwar as the 2-1 bettors' choice, Sister Swell paid $6 to win.
Drivers Matty Athearn, Mitchell Cushing and Bruce Ranger all had two wins on Friday while 11 different trainers won one race apiece.
Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Monday, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. There will be a $3,067 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in the sixth race.
(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts; photo of Rys Red Rocket winning on Oct. 3)