After winning as the heavy favorite in 1:49.3 at Plainridge Park just last week, Rockin On Venus was grossly overlooked at 16-1 from a pylon start in the featured $34,247 Open pace at The Ridge on Monday (July 28) and made it two in a row in the Bay State in the upset.
Bruce Ranger took no prisoners with Rockin On Venus (pictured above) as he held his position in front the entire way. With Price Control (Mitchell Cushing) drafting second in the hole, Rockin On Venus strung out Lifes A Puzzle (Nick Graffam) and stablemate Spring Inhis Step A (Brett Beckwith) through quarters of :26, :53 and 1:20.1. Heading into the final turn, Spring Inhis Step A tipped three-deep around Lifes A Puzzle and Price Control came off the pegs for a clear shot at the leader. Heading for the wire, Price Control and Spring Inhis Step A had a clear shot and were bearing down on Rockin On Venus. But it was Rockin On Venus who finished what he started by winning in 1:49.1 and establishing a new seasonal mark for the winner. Price Control finished second, with Spring Inhis Step A crossing the wire in third.
It was the sixth win of the year for Rockin On Venus ($34.20) who is owned by Pollack Racing. The seven-year-old son of Rockin Image-Venus Killean is trained by Jeff Cullipher.
Ranger had a grand slam in the bike Monday.
In the $30,822 upper-level condition undercard, Sweet Jeff IR (Nick Graffam) sat the pocket second behind Blazing Home N (Larry Stalbaum), who forged fiery fractions of :26.3, :54.1 and 1:20.4 as Two Fold Cold (David Ingraham) pushed the issue on the outside from the half to the top of the stretch. As they entered the lane, the top two tanglers continued to match strides as they drew near the wire. But it was Sweet Jeff IR who found a seam at the pylons and bolted to the front to win by a head in 1:49.2, a time that established a new lifetime mark for the winner.
Sweet Jeff IR ($15.80) is owned by Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi. The five-year-old gelded son of Sweet Lou-Maddi is by Joe Nelson.
Graffam also had a grand slam at the lines during the afternoon.
Racing for Tuesday (July 29) has been cancelled due to the expected high heat index. Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Thursday (July 31) at 4 p.m.
(With files from The Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)