Massachusetts welcomes back live harness racing on Monday, April 10 at 4 p.m. when Plainridge Park begins its 24th season of live racing action featuring the best horses, drivers and trainers from New England who will compete for the next eight months over the lightning fast five-eighths mile oval.
The live racing schedule for 2023 starts with a Monday-Tuesday-Thursday rotation from April through September, except for Tuesday, April 11 and Tuesday, July 25, which are both dark. There is also a special 2 p.m. matinee card on Sunday, July 23 for Spirit of Massachusetts Day.
Racing expands to four days a week for the last two months of the meet when Friday is added on Oct. 6. The one exception for that stretch is the track will be dark on Thursday, Nov. 23 in observance of Thanksgiving.
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.
All the top Plainridge drivers will be back this year including several chasing major career milestones.
Bruce Ranger, who led everyone in 2022 with 163 wins and fell only $3,103 short of earning $2 million in purse money, comes into this meet a mere 35 wins shy of his 10,000th lifetime victory. Kevin Switzer Jr., Jay Randall, Nick Graffam and Drew Monti all earned in excess of $1 million driving last year and will look to increase those numbers in 2023. Graffam is also on the verge of a career marker as he is only 26 wins shy of 1,000. Shawn Gray joins the fray and needs only 14 more wins to visit the winner’s circle for his 5,000th time.
Jimmy Nickerson was last year’s leading trainer and became the first conditioner ever to win purses totalling in excess of $1 million during a single meet at Plainridge, and he did it on the strength of 92 wins. He brings back another large stable to the track looking to defend that title. Also returning is Elisha Lafreniere, who banked $914,030 in purses and posted 90 wins, placing her second in the standings. Those two will be joined by Melissa Beckwith, Domenico Cecere and Jolene Andrews, who rounded out the 2022 top five along with a host of others.
The 2023 meet has the distinction of offering the richest slate of stakes races not only in the history of the track, but also the state of Massachusetts as an estimated $3.27 million will be up for grabs during the year.
First on the schedule is the $100,000 (estimated) Paul Revere Open Pace for three-year-olds, which will be held on Thursday, May 4. Then on Monday May 15, the $100,000 (estimated) Battle Of Bunker Hill Open Trot will return.
On Sunday, July 23, the Grand Circuit returns to Massachusetts for the biggest day of the summer featuring the $250,000 (guaranteed) Spirit Of Massachusetts Trot and $100,000 (guaranteed) 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. The Grand Circuit presence at Plainridge Park brings national attention to the quality harness racing being conducted in Massachusetts.
Then the fall classic, $2.56 million (estimated) Massachusetts Sire Stakes start on Monday, Sept. 25 and features three preliminary legs before culminating with Million Dollar Tuesday on Oct. 24, when eight $125,000 (estimated) finals will be contested.
There are also two new stakes on the Plainridge Park calendar this year and they will debut on Monday, Oct. 9.
The $40,000 (esimated) Reynolds Stake for three-year-old pacers debuts and will be contested by gender. The Tar Heel is the colt and gelding division and The Leta Long is for fillies.
The $40,000 (estimated) 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 Colonial Oaks.
These Plainridge Park stake races were made possible by the continued support of the Massachusetts 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 last race, Pick-3 in race three and race six and Pick-4 in race four. Minimum wagers are as follows: Daily Double $2, Exacta $1, Pick-3 $1, Pick-4 50 cents, Trifecta 50 cents, Superfecta 20 cents and Wicked Hi-5 20 cents.
Fans on hand for live racing will have the pleasure of viewing a brand new toteboard alongside the large video screen on the infield. Equipped with the lasted LED technology, the board will clearly present odds, exotic probables and have a separate dedicated message board as well.
Fans will also again be able to download free full past performance programs from the Plainridge Park website.
Monday’s 12-race opening card features three $17,500 condition events -- two on the pace and one on the trot -- and is the first of 108 racing days that will make up the 2023 Plainridge Park meet that runs through Thursday, Nov. 30.
(Plainridge Park)