BRUCE RANGER WINS FOUR STRAIGHT AT ROCKINGHAM ON FRIDAY; TWO TROTTING RACES ON THE TURF TO DEBUT AT 103-YEAR-OLD ROCKINGHAM PARK ON SATURDAY

SALEM, NH-- Bruce Ranger extended his lead in the Rockingham Park drivier's standings on Friday, winning four consecutive races on the 11-race card, while Ralph Andersen captured the early daily double to be just one victory shy of the milestone of 2,000 career wins.

Anderson, who drove in only the first two races, won them both when he brought home Nonnas Power ($12.00) in the first and Sam's Trick ($10.20) in the second for a daily double payout of $22.60. He now has 1,999 career victories.

Ranger, the meet's leading driver in 2003-04 when he last competed here on a full time basis, scored with Power Drive ($5.00 in the seventh, No More Reign ($4.20) in the eighth, Caughtfoolinaround ($5.60) in the ninth, and Kid Conway ($5.60) in the 10th.

On Saturday (August 1) the track will present two harness races for trotters on Rockingham Park's renowned turf course, which until this point had always been reserved exclusively for Thoroughbreds. On the following Saturday (August 8), one or two grass races for pacers will be part of the Rockingham card.

The grass races will be held at the typical harness racing distance of one mile, weather permitting. Saturday's races will mark the first time Rockingham's turf course will be used since September 5, 2004 when the track offered a mixed card of three Thoroughbred races on the grass following eight harness races on the main track.

Also on Saturday's live racing card, the track will host the Mildred Williams Driving Series, which is an annual event for lady drivers who compete at harness tracks across North America to earn points and raise money for worthwhile charities. This year's designated charity is the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, which works to facilitate adoption for horses after their careers on the racetrack have ended and rescue horses in need.

Simulcast players will want to be on track this weekend as Saturday is the date of the eliminations for this year's edition of the Hambletonian, which is the most coveted event for three-year-old-trotters in North America and the most prestigious race in the trotting Triple Crown. Moreover, Thoroughbred fans can watch and wager on all three of their 2009 Triple Crown winners at Rockingham. The $750,00 West Virginia Derby featuring Kentucky Derby Winner Mine That Bird will be run on Saturday, and on Sunday, Preakness Winner Rachel Alexandra and Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird headline the $1.25 million Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park.