by Joe Hartmann, for Plainridge Racecourse

Plainville, MA — Making his first ever local appearance on Monday afternoon (August 14), Scott Dillon’s O’Rourke Three came from off the pace to track down favored Our First Falcon N and local favorite son H H Blackjack to score a narrow victory in the inaugural Particular Pace at Plainridge Racecourse.

In the co-featured $10,000 Fluster Pace, KDK Standardbreds’ Llyr, a 4-year-old son of Lislea, out of the Direct Scooter mare Valerin Hanover, came from off the pace to win for the father and son team of trainer Kevin Switzer and driver Kevin Switzer, Jr. in 1:57.4.

The 6-year-old gelded son of Blissfull Hall, out of the Ideal Society mare Our Last Kiss, O’Rourke Three scored his fifth win of the season and eclipsed the $300,000 mark in career earnings with his victory Monday afternoon.

Sixth in the six-horse field at the half, O’Rourke Three, driven by North America’s leading percentage driver Jason Bartlett, got a covered trip from H H Blackjack to the three-quarter pole and brushed home in :29 to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:55 over a track rated as ‘good.’

Both Plainridge events were raced in honor of former New England racing legends who passed away recently. The connections of Particular ($301,524, 1:53.4) — trainer-driver and co-owner Peter Blood, along with owners Gary Piontkowski and his wife, Cadi, and Roger Slobody and his son, Wesley, were on hand for the Particular Pace presentation.

Owner Jennifer Allen was in the winner’s circle at Plainridge for the presentation to Llyr for the Fluster ($208,690, 1:51.3) Pace.