Ranger nails four including both features

Plainville, MA — Plainridge Park’s leading harness racing driver of the current meet is Bruce Ranger and on Thursday (June 24) he showed why he holds that distinction. Ranger knocked it out of the Park once again, scoring a Grand Slam on the afternoon while taking both feature races in the process.

Those two races were $15,000 conditioned events for 6-year-old and under pacers of both sexes by division.

The fillies and mares split saw So Amazing capture her fourth win of 2021 in a new lifetime mark.

So Amazing took an early lead, but yielded to Sweet Sue (Jim Hardy) before the quarter, opting for the garden spot trip. Sweet Sue continued to carry the mail to the half and then the three-quarters before Know Your Roll (Drew Monti) rolled up alongside.

As they passed that station in 1:24, Sweet Sue started to pull away from the outside threat. But at the head of the lane, Ranger tipped So Amazing off cover and came right at the leader. Sweet Sue and So Amazing matched strides and flailed tales all the way to the wire where So Amazing got the lead by 1/4 of a length and the win in 1:52.3.

SO AMAZING REPLAY

It was the fourth victory of the year for So Amazing ($8.40) who already matched her total number of wins from last year. The Massachusetts-bred daughter of So Surreal-Teddy Ballgirl who is stake eligible in both Massachusetts and New York is owned by Nancy Longobardi and Domenic Longobardi and is trained by George Ducharme.

In the all-male grouping, General Ward scored his second straight victory while turning in his second fastest time of the meet.

General Ward tuckedsecond momentarily off the gate, but was out and rolling before the :26.2 quarter and took the lead in front of the stands. From there he marched to the half in :55.2 and three-quarters in 1:23. Whereas the leader had obtained no pressure from an outer flow, Rogerthat Bluechip (Drew Monti) was the pocket-sitter the entire trip and was ready to strike.

Just before the 7/8^th’s pole, Monti pulled the right line and Rogerthat Bluechip became a willing participant. Now alongside General Ward at the head of the stretch, Rogerthat Bluechip was pacing with the leader all the way to the wire but could never get ahead of him. General Ward hung on by 3/4’s of a length and won in 1:51.2.

GENERAL WARD REPLAY

It was the fourth win in the last six starts for General Ward ($3.80) and owner M G Stable. Melissa Beckwith trains the winner.

Ranger rounded out his big day with wins by Obscene Blue Chip (1:54, $10.60) and RJ Maverick (1:52.2, $3.40).

Melissa Beckwith was the top trainer of the day, winning two races on the card.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday (June 25) and there will be a carryover of $9,809 in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the sixth race. Post time for the first race is 4 p.m.

For full race results, click here.

By Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts