Little Rocket Man and driver Jeremy Smith rallied four-wide on the final turn to capture the $200,000 Battle Of Lake Erie for older pacing males at MGM Northfield Park on Saturday night as a 20-1 outsider. The 8-year-old by Rockin Image was making his third trip to the elite race, and it proved to be a charm as he passed odds-on favorite Bythemissal to get the job done. The action was frenzied into the first turn, as would be expected over the half-mile Northfield course, with Carbine and Austin Hanners practically beating the starting car at the outset and overtaking Linedrive Hanover into the opening bend. Chris Page had 3-5 choice Bythemissal between horses and was looped but drove on off the first turn. Desperate Man, starting from the second tier for driver Matt Kakaley, couldn't handle the speed of the first turn and made a break, falling back to last in the field of eight. Bythemissal had control midway on the backstretch, stopped the quarter timer in 27 seconds and looked like a solid bet at that point to win another major stakes event over this track. Aaron Merriman moved with Linedrive Hanover off the second turn, and he was followed by Coaches Corner with Jason Bartlett and Little Rocket Man in third-over position. Linedrive Hanover advanced but was still a bit off Bythemissal at the 55 2/5, half but that's when the action began to heat up. Bythemissal and Page responded to the challenge and sprinted to three quarters in 1:23, keeping his challenger at bay. Bartlett, sensing he needed to move around his cover, sent Coaches Corner three-deep into the final turn and Smith followed him with Little Rocket Man before eventually moving into the four-path swinging for home. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter Page was calling on Bythemissal for a response, but there was none on this night as Little Rocket Man charged to the line first in 1:52 4/5 with Coaches Corner second. Desperate Man made a miraculous recovery to reach the field, and then had to wait for a lane on the final turn. Matt Kakaley had Desperate Man airborne late but had to settle for third. "I've got so much confidence in this little horse," said Smith. "I knew if he was within three lengths, he could get the job done. He never lets me down." Little Rocket Man was a winner for the 59th time in his career for owner Russell Beeman and Jack Freeman and trainer Ken Rucker. He returned $43.80 to win. "He wants to win every race he's in," said Rucker following the victory. Tennessee Tom and driver Chris Page came overland on a long first-over grind and wore down odds-on favorite Spaaaanzano in the stretch to capture the $100,000 Ohio Sires Stakes second leg for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters. Ron Burke trains the altered son of Long Tom who posted a career-best 1:55 clocking in turning back Spaaanzano and Royal Precedent in the field of six. In the $75,000 Buckeye Distaff Pace, Racing For Three and driver Trevor Smith converted a pocket trip to victory, going past pace-setter Soft Spot in the stretch and winning easily in 1:54. A 4-year-old daughter of Western Terror, Racing For Three is trained by AJ Carlo. Soft Spot finished second with Hey Hey Mama third in the field of nine.