SAT question with 2 mistakes? Opinions Needed!

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>This was from a writing section in the Gruber’s book.
The race horse ran (swifter)A in (today’s)B race than he (ran)C in his practice sessions (last week.)D No error E.</p>

<p>For this question I saw two mistakes.

  1. A, obviously swifter is an adjective and an adjective can’t modify a verb, so it should be more swiftly.</p>

<li>C, the horse’s practices sessions happened before his actual race, so the ran in C should take on a past perfect tense “had run” or something that makes sense like “did”.</li>
</ol>

<p>BTW, the answer in the book is A.
Does this question truly have two errors, or I’m just being ■■■■■■■■?
Opinions, thoughts please!</p>

2

<p>Why do you think it has to be past perfect instead of past?</p>

3

<p>Because perfect past should be used to describe an event that occurs before another in the past.</p>