For Once Inmy Life has yet to be beaten at Plainridge

Plainville, MA – For the fourth time in four starts, For Once Inmy Life (Downbytheseaside) won the $27,500 Open for male pacers at Plainridge Park on Thursday (June 18) afternoon and each victory he achieved was in gate to wire fashion by open lengths. 

For Once Inmy Life (Bruce Ranger) went right to the front and cut quarters of :26.2, :55.3 and 1:22.3 while Mydadsaid A (Brett Beckwith) took a pocket tour and did well to keep up. But when the race entered the far turn, For Once Inmy Life accelerated and pulled away by three lengths before turning for home in a :26.4 kicker to win in 1:49.2, marking his second sub-1:50 timing at Plainridge this year.

FOR ONCE INMY LIFE REPLAY

It was the 20th lifetime win for the heavily backed For Once Inmy Life ($2.20), who is owned by Winters Racing and trained by Cory Stratton.

There were also a pair of $25,000 secondary features on the program.

First in the Open pace for distaff participants, Mrs. Cheese (Kevin Switzer Jr.) got away third as Intothemysticmoon (Bruce Ranger) got to the half in :55.2. It was there Switzer had Mrs. Cheese out and rolling towards the leader and got within a length at three-quarters. The mares matched strides around the turn until they straightened for home where Mrs. Cheese ran down Intothemysticmoon at the line by a half-length in 1:51.2.

It was the first Open win, although sixth of the year and second in a row for Mrs. Cheese ($10.20), who is owned by Kellogg Racing Stable and Jackie Greene, who also trains the winner.

Then in the upper-level conditioned pace, Rockin On Venus (Bruce Ranger) and Hes Coming On (Mitchell Cushing) battled to the quarter in :25.4 before Hes Coming On took the lead and got to the half in :54.3. But there was no rest for the weary as Tenzing Bromac N (Ron Cushing) moved first-over and came right at Hes Coming On , pushing a :27 flat third panel. Hes Coming On and Tenzing Bromac N went toe to toe around the last bend and into the stretch, but Rockin On Venus found room between those two rivals and outpaced them both to the line in 1:49.4, which was a seasonal mark.

With the win, Rockin On Venus ($10.60) went over the half-million dollar mark in lifetime earnings, now showing $505,185 on his card for owners Pollock Racing and trainer Enrico Robinson.

Drivers Brett Beckwith and Bruce Ranger, along with trainers Enrico Robinson and Cory Stratton, all scored two victories apiece on Thursday.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday (June 19) at 4 p.m. and there will be a $3,409 carryover in the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the sixth race.

Free full card past performance programs for every live card of racing at Plainridge Park can always be downloaded at their website (plainridgeparkcasino.com) under the “Racing” tab. You can also watch all the race replays on that same page.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts