A pair of three-year-olds put up powerful performances in the top two classes at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon (July 18) and both did it with front end speed.
In the $17,500 conditioned pace, Rodman scored his second straight win by turning back two strong challenges in the lane.
Rodman (Matty Athearn) struck the front for the first time in six weeks, seating Out To Get Lucky (Drew Campbell) for the trip. Rodman got to the half in a relatively easy :56.4 when Captain Six (Pat Curtain) pulled from third at five-eighths and came calling on the outside. Captain Six got to Rodman’s flank in the far turn and pulled to within a length at the top of the stretch. As the race headed down the lane, Rodman was fending off Captain Six on the outside and Out To Get Lucky along the pylons. While Captain Six and Out To Get Lucky worked hard to catch the leader, Rodman held them off by three-quarters of a length to win in 1:53.2.
The win was the sixth out of nine Plainridge Park starts for Rodman, who is owned by his trainer Mark Eaton, in conjunction with Robert Griffin.
The ensuing race was an $11,000 conditioned pace where Mimado turned in an eye-popping performance to grab her first lifetime win.
Mimado (Mitchell Cushing) sat second behind Defiant Izzie (Bruce Ranger) to the quarter in :27 flat, but pulled immediately after that station to take the lead. Mimado paced under wraps to the half, but she was released midway up the backstretch. Cushing let Mimado out a notch and she opened up a four-length gap by three-quarters. Mimado continued unchallenged around the final turn and then paced like a freight train down the stretch to a 12-1/4-length win in 1:52.3.
The win was the first in only five lifetime starts for the lightly raced Mimado ($2.80), who is owned by Richard Poillucci and trained by Tahnee Camilleri.
Matty "Ice" Athearn led all drivers with three wins on Tuesday while 10 different trainers each won one race on the card.
Plainridge Park will host the Grand Circuit on Sunday (July 23) when the $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot and $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace will be held. Post time for that feature packed card of racing and entertainment is set for 2 p.m.
Live harness racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Thursday (July 20) at 4 p.m. and there will be a $12,925 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race six.
(Standardbred Owners Of Massachusetts)