Rankin and driver David Lake added another track record to the five-year-old gelding’s impressive resume on Tuesday, Sept. 22, capturing the afternoon's featured $19,718 Open Handicap Trot at Northville Downs at Barry Expo Center.
Rankin and Lake left the starting gate sharply from post position three, grabbing the early lead and never looking back. The pair cruised through panels in :28.1, :58.2 and 1:27.4 on the way to a 1-1/2-length victory while stopping the timer in 1:58.2.
The winning time established a new track record for an aged gelding trotter, eclipsing the previous mark of 1:59. That record had been set by Tuesday’s runner-up, Peter The Con, back on Sept. 2, 2025, and was subsequently equalled by Rose Run Vincent on Sept. 10, 2025.
The victory was the 31st of Rankin’s career and pushed his lifetime earnings to $212,835.
Rankin previously established the all-age trotting record and the four-year-old gelding trotting record at the Hastings oval on Oct. 14, 2025, when he teamed with driver Charles Taylor to trot a mile in 1:57.2.
The homebred Enterprise-Luvyaformiles gelding is owned and trained by Judy Roegner, who continued her outstanding meet with a pair of victories on Tuesday’s card. Roegner currently leads all trainers in wins at the meet.
Live harness racing returns to the Hastings oval Wednesday, September 23, with a 1 p.m. first-race post time.
(With files from Northville Downs)