Rankin and driver Justin Irvine cruised to a new track record in the $15,895 Michigan Breeders Futurity for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Friday night (Oct. 6) at Northville Downs.
Rankin (Enterprise-Luvyaformiles) is bred, owned and trained in Michigan by Judy Roegner and the rookie trotter earned his seventh career victory in his 11th start, winning in a final clocking of 2:00.4 and breaking the previous 2:01.1 record for a two-year-old gelding trotter set by Saulsgood in 2021.
Roegner’s Donttouchmytruck (Racing Hill-Age Of Consent) gave her a breeder/owner/trainer double on the card as the three-year-old pacing gelding captured the $16,045 Futurity in a track record-equalling performance in 1:54.1, opening up on the rain-soaked field to win for the eighth time in his career. The final clocking equalled his own track record he set back on Sept. 23. The gelding paced his third quarter in :27.4 and his final quarter in :28.1 to win by a widening 5-1/2-length margin with Jason Merriman in the bike.
In the $15,745 Futurity for three-year-old filly pacers, Tothemoonandback (Tellitlikeitis-Moonlit Shark) and driver John Moody got the win from off-the-pace for owner Michael Pankow, trainer Kevin St. Charles and breeder Brett Boyd Racing, in a time of 1:58.3.
Flippin Lucky (Manhardt-Johnny Made Her) and driver Justin Irvine captured the $15,595 Futurity for two-year-old filly pacers after getting trapped behind the tiring front-runners and shuffled to fifth in the six-horse field. They shook loose turning for home and got up for the win in the shadow of the wire in a time of 2:01.1. Flippin Lucky is bred in Michigan by Libby Myers and is owned by Rick and Geoffrey Howles and trained by Peter Otten. It was the sixth career win in 11 starts for the filly.
Five non-wagering events were held prior to the pari-mutuel card as part of the Michigan Breeders Futurities. The winners were: two-year-old trotting filly Sunsetacres Girl (Sunsetacres Banker-Dolce Far Niente) and driver Don Harmon in 2:05.2 for trainer Krista Harmon; two-year-old pacing colt Goodness Graycious (Tellitlikeitis-Cambeth) and Harmon in 1:57.3 for trainer Al Tomlinson; the Tomlinson-trained three-year-old trotting filly Its Wine Time (What the Hill-Oks Lorann) and Brad Kramer in 2:00.2; three-year-old trotting gelding Peter The Con (Uncle Peter-Jesses Con) and Kim Pluta in 1:59 for trainer Sandra Hennessey; and three-year-old trotting gelding Kaa Dee Jerry (Southwind Russet-Cant Fire Me) with Kody Massey in 2:04.1 for conditioner Kent Hess.
Driver Jason Merriman had a driving grand slam while Justin Irvine, Don Harmon and Lindsay Moen all had driving doubles on the night and trainers Kevin St. Charles, Judy Roegner, Al Tomlinson and Roger Bertera had doubles as well.
Racing at The Ville resumes on Saturday, Oct. 7, with a 12-race pari-mutuel wagering program starting at 7 p.m.
(With files from Northville Downs; Photo of Rankin winning on Oct. 6 at Northville Downs)