Post Draws Held For Spirit Of Massachusetts, Clara Barton
A full field of nine top Open trotters drew in for the eighth edition of the $250,000 USD Spirit of Massachusetts Trot (Grade 2) to be held at Plainridge Park on Sunday, July 20. Post time for the first race is 2 p.m.
Four trainers have entered two trotters apiece in the Spirit, including two conditioners who have won this race in the past and two who are looking to get their first victory this year.
Ron Burke, who won this stakes the past two years with Its Academic, will be bringing Lexus Kody and Chapercraz. Ake Svanstedt, who won the 2022 Spirit with Alrajah One It, has entered Up Your Deo and Get A Wish Dk.
Looking to hoist the trophy for the first time are Marcus Melander, who will be making a strong bid with the pair of Periculum and Aetos Kronos S, and Tony Alagna, who is bringing Ari Ferrari J and Daiquiri Hanover.
Logan Park, coming off back-to-back Preferred wins at Woodbine Mohawk Park, drew post three. Conditioner Kyle Fellows will be entering the two-time O'Brien Award winner for the second straight year.
The field boasts a combined total lifetime earnings of more than $10.6 million, including five individual millionaires, two sub-1:50 performers and 158 total career wins among the entrants.
The race is carded as Race 9 with an estimated post time of 4:40 p.m.
The $100,000 USD Clara Barton Distaff Pace (Grade 3) was also drawn and six mares will compete, including “millionaire’s row” from posts four to six. Heading the field is Chris Ryder’s 2024 Dan Patch Horse of the Year, Twin B Joe Fresh. She will renew her rivalry with Mark Steacy’s $2.4 million winner Sylvia Hanover, who won the Barton last year and handed Twin B Joe Fresh her first loss since October of 2024 three weeks ago.
Other challengers include Andrew Harris’s $1.8 million winner, My Girl EJ, Jeff Culipher’s Talk Curdy To Me, Svanstedt’s Valar Dohaeris and Heidi Cushing’s Turn The Page N.
This group of girls have combined lifetime winnings of more than $8.9 million and 115 wins.
The estimated post time for the Clara Barton Distaff Pace, carded as Race 7, is 4 p.m.
Below is the full draw for both stakes.
$250,000 USD Spirit of Massachusetts Trot
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer
1. Up Your Deo - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt
2. Chapercraz - David Miller - Ron Burke
3. Logan Park - Doug McNair - Rob Fellows
4. Get A Wish Dk - Tim Tetrick - Ake Svanstedt
5. Ari Ferrari J - Brett Beckwith - Tony Alagna
6. Periculum - Scott Zeron - Marcus Melander
7. Lexus Kody - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
8. Aetos Kronos S - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander
9. Daiquiri Hanover - Drew Monti - Tony Alagna
AE. Lovedbythemasses - Tim Tetrick - Jeff Culipher
$100,000 USD Clara Barton Distaff Pace
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer
1. Talk Curdy To Me - Brett Beckwith - Jeff Culipher
2. Valar Dohaeris - Yannick GIngras - Ake Svanstedt
3. Turn The Page N - Ron Cushing - Heidi Cushing
4. Twin B Joe Fresh - Dexter Dunn - Chris Ryder
5. Sylvia Hanover - Tim Tetrick - Mark Steacy
6. My Girl EJ - Todd McCarthy - Andrew Harris
(With files from Plainridge Park)