The Grand Circuit makes its first stop of the season in Massachusetts on Thursday afternoon, May 2 when seven swift side-wheelers will go to post in the $100,000 USD Paul Revere Pace for three-year-old Open pacers.

This early season stakes has yielded entrants who have only made limited starts this year; however, several are already exhibiting outstanding form coming into this race.

Howlenthehills (American Ideal-Arielle Lynn) was winless at two but is currently undefeated at three. After a 6-3/4-length, 1:53.3 victory in a leg of the Bobby Weiss Series at Pocono Downs in his debut on  April 13, Howlenthehills went right back out in that series and scored again by 3-1/2 lengths in a new lifetime best of 1:52.1 with a :27.3 kick home. He was scheduled to compete in the third leg 12 days ago but was scratched sick. Now back in the box, this member of the Travis Alexander stable will try to keep his streak going with his regular pilot, Matt Kakaley, from post five.

Howlenthehills is one of three Alexander trainees entered in the Paul Revere. Starting to his inside will be stablemates Cruzin America (American Ideal-Cruzin Tothe Dance), driven by Nick Graffam, and Ideal Par (American Ideal-Mach It A Par), with Matty Athearn in the bike.

Crush Kill Destroy (Betterthancheddar-Eataams Payday) comes off a freshman campaign where he only won one race. But he still bankrolled $139,890 on the strength of seven board hits in 12 starts, including a runner-up finish in the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final, making him the most affluent member of this group. In two outings at The Meadowlands this year, Crush Kill Destroy has hit the board twice, most recently finishing second, individually timed in 1:51.2 with a :26.3 final panel. Despite drawing post seven, this Per Engblom trainee will look to get his first win of 2024 and will have his regular driver, Jason Bartlett, aboard.

Kakaley and Bartlett will be making the trip to Plainridge to drive in this stakes only on Thursday afternoon as they will both be leaving immediately after the race to compete in the John Brennan Trotting Series finals that are programmed for the later portion of the Yonkers Raceway card  on Thursday night.

Ameritric (American Ideal-Electric Fool) was also winless in nine starts as a two-year-old, but is also currently undefeated this year after two resounding victories at Vernon Downs. His most recent came on April 27 when he went a lifetime best 1:53.4 in a 2-1/2-length romp over the seven-eighths-mile oval. Trainer George Ducharme, who is a native of Walpole, Massachusetts, located just five miles from Plainridge, returns home for this stakes with Ameritric and has Plainridge's leading dash driver, Brett Beckwith, in the bike for this outing.

Also starting in this field are Pompeo (Captaintreacherous-Condoleeza) with Bruce Ranger and Lillbliss (White Bliss-Bon Mot) with Kevin Switzer Jr.

The $100,000 USD Paul Revere Pace is carded as race five and will go off at approximately 5:20 p.m. Post time for the first race at Plainridge Park is 4 p.m. 

$100,000 USD Paul Revere Pace
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Lillbliss - Kevin Switzer Jr. - Ake Svanstedt - 25-1     
2. Pompeo - Bruce Ranger - Mark Ford - 8-1     
3. Cruzin America - Nicholas Graffam - Travis Alexander - 9-2     
4. Ideal Par - Matthew Athearn - Travis Alexander - 9-1     
5. Howlenthehills - Matt Kakaley - Travis Alexander - 9-5     
6. Ameritric - Brett Beckwith - George Ducharme - 5-1     
7. Crush Kill Destroy - Jason Bartlett - Per Engblom - 5-2

(With files from Plainridge Park)