After a pair of difficult trips from two outside posts, Rodman finally drew inside and got back to his winning ways in the $15,000 feature pace at Plainridge Park on Tuesday, June 27.
Out To Get Lucky (Drew Campbell) was on a mission early, opening up a three-length lead in a hasty :25.4 quarter. While the rest of the field struggled to keep up, Dempsey Hanover (Bruce Ranger) and Rodman (Matty Athearn) tracked the closest and started to reel in the leader at the half in :55.1. Out To Get Lucky gunned it one more time as he went to three-quarters in a :27.3 panel, but his fortunes changed in the last turn. Dempsey Hanover pulled the pocket and advanced alongside and at the top of the stretch while Rodman split horses and was pacing strongly in the middle of the track. Halfway down the lane, Rodman grabbed the lead and took it all the way to the line where he won by 1-3/4 lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:52.2.
After winning three straight races when he came to Plainridge in May, Rodman ($21.20) got his fourth of the year for trainer Mark Eaton, who co-owns the winner with Robert Griffin.
Bruce Ranger had a natural hat trick that started in race two, which was a $12,500 conditioned pace. He got away fifth with the 38-1 Hunting Angels and found himself last at three-quarters as Use Yah Blinkah (Jim Hardy) led the race to that point. As they spiraled off the last turn, Ranger went four-deep with Hunting Angels, who then mowed down the entire field with a furious stretch drive to win by one length in 1:54.1 and take a new lifetime mark.
Hunting Angels ($78.80) is owned by William McElvain and trained by James Dunn.
Kevin Switzer Jr. also had a driving triple on Tuesday while 11 different trainers each won one race during the proceedings.
Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Thursday at 4 p.m. and there will be a $3,465 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race six and a $602 carryover in the Pick-6 that starts in race four.
(Plainridge Park)