Oak Grove, KY — First-quarter speed from This Kit Rocks left his competitors at his whim while he clung on the point and held firm to the finish of a 1:51.1 mile to win the $35,000 Open Pace at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Sunday (July 2).

This Kit Rocks held firm to the finish of a 1:51.1 mile to win the $35,000 Open Pace. Mark Herron photo.

Driver Joey Putnam powered This Kit Rocks for the lead through a :26.1 first quarter to pocket PD The Big Easy (Kevin Wallis) and force the field to catch its breath while he moseyed to a :56.1 half.

With that breather, This Kit Rocks braced for the first-over push of Rock N Republic (Terry Skinner) up the backstretch to keep a length in front of his rival through three-quarters in 1:23.3. Putnam maintained a tight grip on This Kit Rocks through the final turn and straightened with fervor to outsprint his competition and win by three-quarters of a length. Rock N Republic settled for second with 6-5 favorite Carbine (Devon Tharps) closing down the center of the track for third.

This Kit Rocks, a 5-year-old gelding by Rockin Image, won his 18th race from 77 starts and has now earned $232,818. Joe Putnam trains the $9.34 winner for owners J P Racing LLC and Joey Putnam.

Similar speed paid dividends for the 6-year-old Rockin Image mare Rock It Out in the $35,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace.

Tharps lunged the Donna Holt trainee to the point past a :26 first quarter and battled to control the point through a challenge by Rose Run Vantage (John De Long) to a :54.4 half. Rose Run Vantage remained at Rock It Out’s side through three-quarters in 1:22.1 before backing through the field to the final turn.

Rock It Out then had pressure from Uncut Gem (Randy D. Crisler) spinning for home, which she withstood to the finish to win by a head in 1:51.1. Shakeanera (Carson Conrad) closed for third.

Rock It Out won her 27th race from 89 starts and has now earned $259,459. D And R Racing Stable owns the mare who paid $12.32 to win.

Live racing resumes at Oak Grove on Monday (July 3) with a $35,000 Open Trot in race four and a $22,500 Open 2 Trot in race six serving as the card’s features. Nine races in total go postward on Monday starting at 3 p.m. (CDT).