Cullipher crew cops features at The Ridge

Plainville, MA — Harness racing trainer Jeff Cullipher was tough to beat at Plainridge Park on Monday (Aug. 4) afternoon and proof of that was a pair of his students owned by Pollack Racing who won the top two featured paces of the week.

In the $25,000 Open Handicap, Rockin On Venus (Rockin Image) remained undefeated in Massachusetts after winning his third straight at The Ridge.

Bruce Ranger pushed Rockin On Venus to the front and set soft fractions of :27.1 and :55.4 to the half. That brought Grey Horizon (Matty Athearn) first-over to hasten the pace with a :27 flat third panel. But that didn’t phase the leader at all as Rockin On Venus rounded the final bend and turned for home well in command to close it out with a 1-½ length victory in 1:50.3.

Rockin On Venus returned $5.20.

ROCKIN ON VENUS REPLAY

And in the $22,500 upper level conditioned pace, Spring Inhis Step A (Somebeachsomewhere) muscled his way to the lead and posted quarters of :26.2, :55 and 1:22 while Blazing Home N (Larry Stalbaum) and Fourever Boy (Shawn Gray) stalked him the entire time. After coming off the last turn, Spring Inhis Step A (Brett Beckwith) remained in control and put away all the competition in the stretch and won by 1-½ lengths in a seasonal best time of 1:49.2.

Spring Inhis Step A paid $3.20.

SPRING INHIS STEP A REPLAY

Drivers Brett Beckwith and Bruce Ranger both had hat tricks at the lines on Monday.

Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Aug. 5) at 4 p.m.

Free full past performance programs and race replays for all live racing days at Plainridge Park can be found at plainridgeparkcasino.com.

For complete race entries, click here: US Trotting entries.

by Tim Bojarski, for Plainridge Park