Plainville, MA — The “Connecticut Connection” of Lindy Farms and trainer Domenico Cecere had a big day at Plainridge Park on Thursday (June 27) afternoon, and their good fortunes were steered to victory four times by the hands of driver Bruce Ranger.

Their marquee victory was registered by Marquis Lafayette, who took the long way home in the $20,000 Open Handicap trotting feature.

Marquis Lafayette got away sixth from post seven as Enola (Nick Graffam) and Sidd Finch (Jimmy Hardy) took turns on the point through a :27.1 quarter before Delayed Hanover (Jay Randall) came in the breeze to try to change the order again. When Delayed Hanover finally crossed over to the lead at the half, Ranger had Marquis Lafayette out and rolling first-over before Sidd Finch, and Enola pulled at five-eighths and gave them cover.

Positions remained unchanged to three-quarters and into the last turn, but then Ranger tipped Marquis Lafayette three-deep around the stalled outer flow and was in the middle of the racetrack as they entered the stretch. Delayed Hanover had a one-length lead as they headed down the straight, but Marquis Lafayette was trotting like a machine under a mere line-drive and went right by Delayed Hanover to win by a length in a new seasonal mark of 1:53.

Marquis Lafayette’s win in Thursday’s trotting feature at Plainridge was the highlight of a grand slam for driver Bruce Ranger and trainer Domenico Cecere. Tom Melanson photo.

It was the second straight win for Marquis Lafayette ($6.60), who is owned by Greathorse.

Cecere and Ranger also captured the $17,000 secondary feature with Dejerate Hanover, who sat third behind Facebook Official (Drew Campbell) and Cruising Tom (Matty Athearn), who jousted for position through quarters of :29, :57.4 and 1:26.2 before entering the far turn side-by-side. As they rolled out of that final apex, Dejerate Hanover moved three-wide heading towards the line and bested the battling brace by a half length in 1:55.4, taking a new lifetime mark.

Dejerate Hanover ($5.40) is owned by Lindy Farms of Connecticut.

The final two wins of Cecere and Ranger’s trotting grand slam came via Sforza (1:54.4, $2.40) and Intl Blockade (1:54.2, $4.40), both of whom registered new career marks.