Plainville, MA — Early positioning by driver Bruce Ranger put Rodman in the right spot late to win the $17,000 claiming handicap pace at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 10).
Macheasy A (Matty Athearn) battled Rodman for the lead and took the front before the :26.2 quarter, but Ranger quickly put Rodman back on the point before the half. It was there that TJs Indy Pacer (Shawn Gray) pulled first-over from fourth and grabbed the lead at three-quarters in 1:23.1. Positions remained unchanged around the last turn, but at the top of the stretch, Rodman came right at TJs Indy Pacer and chased him down by a nose in the shadow of the wire in 1:51.4, a new seasonal mark.
Rodman ($5.00) is owned by his trainer, Mark Eaton, in partnership with Robert Griffin.
There were also two $14,000 1-1/4-mile paces on the card.
In the first, Sundown Kid (Jay Randall) tripped out behind Woody’s Cash Crop (Nick Graffam) to the top of the stretch and then bolted home to win in 2:22.1, a new track record for the distance.
Sundown Kid ($9.80) is owned and trained by Randy Bickmore.
The second was won by Colonel Bayama (Bruce Ranger) — also in a squeaker — over Bay City (Shawn Gray) in 2:24.1.
Colonel Bayama ($23.00) is owned by Karma Racing and trained by Rob Harmon.
Matty Athearn, Drew Campbell, Drew Monti and Bruce Ranger all had driving doubles on Tuesday.
Racing at Plainridge Park resumes on Thursday (Sept. 12) at 2 p.m.