First-quarter speed from This Kit Rocks left his competitors at his whim while he clung on the point and held firm to the finish of a 1:51.1 mile to win the $35,000 Open Pace at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Sunday (July 2).
Driver Joey Putnam powered This Kit Rocks for the lead through a :26.1 first quarter to pocket PD The Big Easy (Kevin Wallis) and force the field to catch its breath while he moseyed to a :56.1 half. With that breather, This Kit Rocks braced for the first-over push of Rock N Republic (Terry Skinner) up the backstretch to keep a length in front of his rival through three-quarters in 1:23.3. Putnam maintained a tight grip on This Kit Rocks through the final turn, showed him the whip at the top of the stretch and straightened with fervour to outsprint his competition and win by three-quarters of a length. Rock N Republic settled for second with 6-5 favourite Carbine (Devon Tharps) closing down the center of the track for third and Heavy Pressure (Jamaal Denson) in fourth.
This Kit Rocks, a five-year-old gelding by Rockin Image, won his 18th race from 77 starts and has now earned $232,818. Joe Putnam trains the $9.34 winner for owners J P Racing LLC and Joseph Putnam.
Similar speed paid dividends for the six-year-old Rockin Image mare Rock It Out in the $35,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace. Driver Devon Tharps lunged the Donna Holt trainee to the point past a :26 first quarter and battled to control the point through a challenge by Rose Run Vantage (John De Long) to a :54.4 half. Rose Run Vantage remained at Rock It Out's side through three-quarters in 1:22.1 before backing through the field to the final turn. Rock It Out then had pressure from Uncut Gem (Randy D. Crisler) spinning for home, which she withstood to the finish to win by a head in 1:51.1. Shakeanera (Carson Conrad) closed for third and Yankee B Something (Archie Buford) took fourth.
Rock It Out won her 27th race from 89 starts and has now earned $259,459. D&R Racing Stable owns the mare, who paid $12.32 to win.
There were so many harness racing headliners and heroes in amateur competition at Oak Grove that it’s next to impossible and deemed a “dead-heat” for the top spot.
It started with the United States Harness Drivers Club (USHDC), continued with Kentuckiana Farms’ Ken Jackson, Steve Spriggs, then with Tratter House before the Dinges Brothers—Roy and Tony—put the icing on the cake with three separate military charitable organizations reaping the fruits of all of the aforementioned personnel’s labours with healthy donations.
Ken Jackson has been a huge supporter of amateur racing at the Oak Grove meeting this season and made a subtle suggestion that donations be made to nearby military bases.
Steve Spriggs, amateur driver Dein’s brother, with his close military affiliations, put forth some contributions. The idea wet the appetite of amateur driver Roy Dinges and Nick Luciano, influential players at Tratter House.
As quick as a Ruthless Hanover opening quarter-mile, the USO, ASYMCA and AUSA, all based at Fort Campbell, were penned to receive generous donations from the USHDC on Sunday, July 2.
The United Service Organization (USO), founded in 1941 by Franklin D. Roosevelt, provides live entertainment such comedians, actors and musicians to Armed Forces members and their families. The Association Administration of the (AAYMCA) has, for over 160 years, provides programs and services for military families. The Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) founded in 1950, helps support America’s Army, including active, guard and reserve, among others,
Roy Dinges kicked off the July 4 festivities a couple of days early by guiding the nine-year-old Reggie Raider to a half-length win in 1:55 igniting toteboard fireworks to the tune of $38.38—he had won two of his last three starts—while overcoming the eight post in a gutsy performance getting by a stubborn Gunrneedabgrboat, handled by Carson Conrad, and holding off a stout closing Love The Action, with Jafari Frazier in the sulky.
The win was the fifth of the year for Reggie Raider, sending his seasonal bounty to $35,863 -- $21,250 of that since arriving at Oak Grove just three weeks ago. Trained by Tony Dinges for Dawnelle Mock, Reggie Raider now has $230,097 on the strength of 34 career wins as he approaches his 200 trip to the starting gate in his next start.
For Roy Dinges, who just returned to amateur competition after a hiatus, it was his first win since 2019 in FADC competition at Pompano Park.
In the amateur finale honouring the military, the aptly named In Commando, driven by Tony Dinges, also overcame the outside eight post to score a near wire-to-wire win in 1:55.4, holding off a menacing Ayr Pioneer GB, with Dein Spriggs piloting, for the entire last lap to win by a half-length. Hoosier Shooter, driven by Jafari Frazier, was next.
Also trained by Tony Dinges, In Commando, a 14-year-old warrior in his own right, earned his third success of the year and is now one win away from a milestone 50th. He’s banked $16,640 this semester and $728,645 lifetime.
The win also gave owner Dawnelle Mock a rare owner “daily double” with the winner enriching his faithful to the tune of $22.50, with one happy bettor in the winner’s circle celebrating a $2 Dinges-Dinges parlay to the tune of $427.
After the race, driver Tony Dinges joined his brother, Roy, in the winner’s circle with both chiming in on the rare feat saying, “It’s pretty neat with both of us winning, both of us with the “eight” post, both for Dawnelle [Mock] and both longshots despite good form coming in.
“But, we’re so glad to support the military and the wonderful work that they do for all of those that protect our freedom. There is no better way to start the Independence Day celebration than this.”
The AUSA’s Melissa Anderson echoed their sentiments saying, “This was a new experience for me and we all are amazed on the beauty, the magnificence, of harness racing.
“What this club and its members and Tratter do for organizations like ours is appreciated so much. We just hope we are invited back next year!”
Speaking on behalf of the Fort Campbell Chapter of AUSA, Chapter President Kimberly Cody lamented, “This means so much to uses we are focused on supporting our soldiers and families—past and present.”
The USO’s Ann Jarvis remarked, “I have been with the USO for many years and have travelled to places like Afghanistan, Alaska and Greenland and, I must say, that the experience at Oak Grove with the amateur drivers and the Tratter people ranks right up there. The ride in the starting gate was unbelievable and the contribution we received will help us continue our important work on behalf of service members. FDR (founder Franklin D. Roosevelt) would be proud of this day.”
Live harness racing resumes at Oak Grove on Monday with a $35,000 Open Trot in Race 4 and a $22,500 Open 2 Trot in Race 6 serving as the card's features. Nine races in total go postward on Monday starting at 3 p.m. CDT. Independence Day (July 4) offers eight $100,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes for two-year-olds and three-year-olds.
(Oak Grove Racing)