Ranger, Cecere Dominate At Plainridge

Omne trium perfectum, or the rule of three, certainly applied to driver Bruce Ranger and trainer Domenico Cecere as good fortune befell a trio of their starters who won at Plainridge Park on Monday afternoon.

Those races included the $25,000 Winners-Over Trot where Marquis Lafayette put in the performance of his life despite being let go at 21-1. 

Ranger got away fourth with Marquis Lafayette as the headstrong Inaminute Hanover (Drew Campbell) was on the point from the start, posting a swift :26.4 first quarter. As the race approached the half, Marquis Lafayette came first-over and advanced towards Inaminute Hanover as the race made its way up the backstretch to three-quarters. The two trotters tangled through turn three before Inaminute Hanover got rough and made a break at the top of the stretch. That gave Marquis Lafayette the lead and he finished the job, getting home 1-1/4 lengths on top in 1:53 which was a new lifetime mark. 

It was the second straight top trot victory at Plainridge Park for Marquis Lafayette ($45.20), who is owned by Greathorse. 

Ranger and Cecere also combined to win with The Wise One (1:54.3, $4.20) and Wallop (1:58.1, $3) to seal the team hat trick. However, Ranger’s day didn't end there and his win count continued on as he also won with Chapolier (1:54, $6.80) for the grand slam and then with Twin B Jays (1:53.2, $6.40) to ring his thumb.  

The secondary feature on Monday was a $20,000 upper-level conditioned trot where Bluffinner also made it two in a row in convincing fashion. 

Bluffinner (Jordan Derue) tucked in third as Pass Key (Jim Hardy) and Malibu Kid (Matty Athearn) traded leads before the half in :56.4. At that station, Derue tipped Bluffinner out and got to the front ahead of Malibu Kid with no trouble at all. Bluffinner opened up a two-length lead at three-quarters, made it three at the top of the stretch and then cruised home under no urging at all to a 4-1/4 length bulge in 1:54.4.

It was the fourth win of the year for Bluffinner ($4.80), who is trained and owned by his driver Derue, in conjunction with FBP Racing Stable. 

Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Tuesday at 4 p.m. and there will be a $11,861 carryover in the Jackpot Wicked Hi-5 Pentafecta in race six and a $305 carryover in the Pick-6 in race four.

(Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)