The biggest day of the summer at Plainridge Park is fast approaching when the Grand Circuit returns to the Commonwealth on Sunday, July 21. The blockbuster card that day will feature the $250,000 USD Spirit of Massachusetts Trot and $100,000 USD Clara Barton Distaff Pace. Post time for Spirit Day is at 2 p.m. 

This will be the seventh edition of the Spirit of Massachusetts Trot and this year's 26 eligibles will yield a very competitive starting field.  

Four Spirit eligibles just raced in the E. T. Gerry Hambletonian Maturity at the Meadowlands on Saturday, July 13, with three of them finishing first, second and fourth. Chapercraz (driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Ron Burke) won the 1-1/8-mile event in 2:05.2 with French Wine (Andy Miller, Julie Miller) finishing second by a neck and Helpfirstedition (David Miller, Linda Toscano) was only one-half length behind in fourth. 

Other eligibles include last year’s Spirit winner, Its Academic, and his stablemate, Hillexotic, who are both also trained by Burke. And there is a powerful trio eligible from the Ake Svanstedt barn in Southwind Tyrion, who is currently the fastest trotter of 2024 regardless of age or gender, Jiggy Jog S, who is tied for the fourth fastest mile of the year, and two-time Massachusetts Stakes champion Incommunicado, who just won the Invitational Trot at Yonkers Raceway in his last start.  

The Clara Barton Distaff Pace has been an outstanding stakes since it was added in 2019 and this year’s eligibles could very well equal the quick work of previous winners. 

Seven of the 17 Barton eligibles also competed at the Meadowlands on Saturday in the Dorothy Haughton Memorial with Twin B Joe Fresh (Dexter Dunn, Chris Ryder) winning in 1:47.3. Sylvia Hanover (Bob McClure, Mark Steacy) finished third while pacing in 1:47.4 and Grace Hill (Todd McCarthy, Virgil Morgan Jr.) finished fourth only 3-1/4 lengths behind. 

Both of these stakes have re-written the track record for both gaits multiple times and this group of eligibles has the ability to do so again. 

The high-powered card will also feature the $75,000 USD Bert Beckwith Invitational Pace, $50,000 USD John Hogan Memorial Pace, $25,000 USD Frank Dubreuil Memorial Pace and $22,500 USD Elmer Smith Memorial Pace. All told, the card will offer in excess of $600,000 USD in purses. 

The full Spirit of Massachusetts race card will be drawn on Tuesday, July 16 with the box closing at 9 a.m. 

Visiting horsemen and women who will need to get a Massachusetts Gaming license prior to racing on Sunday are strongly encouraged to print and fill out the application in advance and bring it and a cheque with you to save time in the commission office on race day.

There will be a food truck available in the paddock that day and all horsemen and women will receive a commemorative t-shirt courtesy of Plainridge Park and the Harness Horseman's Association of New England. 

Special events happening on Spirit Day will once again include the annual owners' reception. Owners and their connections who will be racing in Spirit Day events are invited to a brunch in the Boylston Room on the second floor of the grandstand.

The Boston Bruins national anthem singer, Tony Angelli, will be on hand to open the ceremonies by singing "The Star Spangled Banner" while also performing more vocals during the day. 

Trackside entertainment will also be provided by the Berkshire Valley Boys throughout the day. 

(Plainridge Park)