Live harness racing returns to Massachusetts on Monday, April 15 at 4 p.m. when Plainridge Park kicks off its 2024 season with the best horses, drivers and trainers from New England reconvening for the next eight months over the lightning fast five-eighths-mile oval. The meet runs through Friday, Nov. 29.

The 110-day racing schedule for 2024 starts with a Monday-Tuesday-Thursday rotation from April through September, except for Tuesday, July 23, which is dark. There is also a special 2 p.m. matinee card on Sunday, July 21 for Spirit of Massachusetts Day. 

Racing expands to four days a week for the rest of the meet when Friday is added on Sept. 20, with the exception of the track being dark on Thursday, Nov. 28 in observance of Thanksgiving. That race day will be contested on Wednesday, Nov. 27. 

Post time for all race days from April through August is 4 p.m. (except for Sunday, July 23). In September and October, post time rolls back to 2 p.m., and in November, it moves back one more time to 1 p.m. 

Participating horsepeople will notice some big changes and improvements when they enter the paddock for the first time this year as many upgrades and improvements have been made. These include a complete renovation of the paddock office and driver’s lounge that includes new HVAC in both. There were also bathroom renovations done to both the men's and ladies' facilities, with the ladies being expanded to include two stalls and a shower area. The paddock itself received a fresh coat of paint on the outside, new interior walls, new windows with screens and new overhead entry doors.

As far as the action on the track goes, all the top Plainridge drivers will be returning this year.

Bruce Ranger, who led everyone for wins in 2023 with 152, and Matty “Ice” Athearn, who finished second to Ranger with 148, will return to battle for the top spot once again. Both surpassed $2 million USD in earnings at Plainridge last year and are the only two drivers to ever surpass that mark in a single meet.

Also looking for a driving title will be last year’s third-place dash finisher (122 wins) Brett Beckwith, who has been on a tear since January. After falling just one vote shy of being named the United States Harness Writers Association’s 2023 National Rising Star as a result of his career year, Beckwith has shown his drive to claim that honour in 2024.

Right now, Beckwith sits second for dash wins among all drivers in North America with 180, just 22 behind perennial leader Aaron Merriman (202). Beckwith has already banked in excess of $1.6 million in purses this year and is on course to break all his personal single season numbers. Plus, the 21-year-old Beckwith is only 20 wins shy of his 1,000th career victory. 

Nick Graffam, Kevin Switzer Jr., Jimmy Hardy and Jay Randall will also be back along with the rest of the Plainridge driver colony. 

On the training side, Jimmy Nickerson, who was last year’s leading trainer with 77 wins and more than $1 million in earnings for the second year in a row, will be looking to defend his title with a large stable of horses that has within it, a lot of new faces. His main rival looks to be conditioner Mark Beckwith (Brett’s father), who is also campaigning a large and powerful stable. Beckwith is currently the 12th leading percentage trainer in North America, boasting a .417 UTR on the strength of his strong winter/spring campaign, primarily at Saratoga Raceway.

Besides horses who have been racing elsewhere over the winter leading up to this meet, Plainridge will also benefit from a lot of fresh stock in the early portion of the session as 104 horses just qualified at The Ridge this past week in preparation for making their first starts of the year during opening week. 

The 2024 meet will once again be offering its richest slate of stakes races -- not only in the history of the track, but also the state of Massachusetts -- as an estimated $3.71 million USD will be up for grabs during the year. 

There will be a total of eight Grand Circuit races offering a combined bounty of $710,000 USD.

First on the schedule is the $100,000 USD Paul Revere Open Pace for three-year-olds, which will be held on Thursday, May 2. Then on Thursday, May 16, the $100,000 USD Battle Of Bunker Hill Open Trot will return.

On Sunday, July 21, it’s the $250,000 USD Spirit Of Massachusetts Trot and $100,000 USD Clara Barton Distaff Pace. Both of these races have rewritten track records several times since their inception and have enticed some of the best Open class competitors from across North America to compete at Plainridge.

Then on Monday, Oct. 7, it’s the Reynolds Stakes for three-year-old pacers, which will be contested by gender. The Tar Heel is the $40,000 USD colt and gelding division and The Leta Long is the $40,000 USD fillies division. Held on the same day, the $40,000 USD Colonial Trot for three-year-old trotters is the companion stakes to the Reynolds and will also be contested by gender with the filly division going as the $40,000 USD Colonial Oaks.

Then the fall classic $3 million USD (est.) Massachusetts Sire Stakes start on Monday, Sept. 23 and features three preliminary legs before culminating on Thursday, Oct. 24, when eight $150,000 USD (est.) finals will be contested 

Here is a complete schedule for this year’s Massachusetts Sire Stakes:

• Monday, Sept 23 - Three-year-old first leg
• Tuesday, Sept. 24 - Two-year-old first leg
• Monday, Sept. 30 - Three-year-old second leg
• Tuesday, Oct. 1 - Two-year-old second leg
• Monday, Oct. 14 - Two-year-old third leg
• Tuesday, Oct. 15 - Three-year-old third leg
• Thursday, Oct. 24 - Two and three-year-old finals

These stakes races were made possible by the continued support of the Race Horse Development Fund and the local horsemen and women of the Harness Horseman's Association of New England.

This year’s betting menu includes an early and late Daily Double, Exactas and Trifectas available in every race, Superfectas available in every race (except Wicked Hi-5 races), Wicked Hi-5 Pentafecta in the sixth and ninth race, Pick-3 in race three and race six and Pick-4 in race four. Minimum wagers are as follows: Daily Double - $2, Exacta $2, Pick-3 - $1, Pick-4 - 50 cents, Trifecta - $2, Superfecta - 20 cents and Wicked Hi-5 - 20 cents.

Fans on hand for live racing this year will have the opportunity to take part in a year-long $37,500 USD handicapping contest that will run from March through September. The contest is free to enter but you must be at least 18 years of age to play. Entry forms will be available at the program stand at the track starting at 4 p.m. the day prior to each contest.

With the kick-off $5,000 USD March 30 round already in the books, below is a list of the remaining contest races this year: 

• Saturday, March 30 – $5,000 USD World Cup
• Saturday, April 20 – $5,000 USD Derby Prep
• Friday, May 31 – $5,000 USD Penn Mile
• Saturday, June 22 – $7,500 USD Summer Solstice
• Saturday, Aug 24 – $10,000 USDTravers
• Friday, Sept 27 – $5,000 USD Invitational 

Players entering any four of the five handicapping contests from March 30 through Aug. 24 will receive an automatic entry to participate in the Invitational. 

Once again, fans will be able to download free full past performance programs from the Plainridge Park website, where they can also find more information pertaining to the upcoming meet.

(With files from Plainridge Park)