The field for the $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot that will be held at Plainridge Park on Sunday (July 23) was drawn on Tuesday (July 18) and a full field of nine top Open trotters will go postward in the biggest race of the year in Massachusetts. Carded as race nine, the field is made up of eight horses and one mare.
U.S. Hall of Fame trainer Ron Burke has a lethal one-two punch entered with the $1.5 million earner Its Academic along with stablemate Hillexotic. Plainridge Park regular and Massachusetts-bred Marquis Lafayette was awarded with an “at-large” entry that was determined by the Harness Horseman’s Association of New England, The Hambletonian Society and Plainridge Park.
The $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace was also drawn and five mares will vie for the top prize. Heading the field is trainer Nik Drennan's Mikala, who just won the $159,000 Dorothy Haughton at the Meadowlands last Saturday night (July 15) in a sizzling 1:47.4 mile, beating Grace Hill in deep stretch to take a new lifetime mark.
The estimated post time for the Clara Barton is 3:20 p.m. and the Spirit of Massachusetts Trot is slated to go off at 4:40 p.m. Post time for the first race at Plainridge Park on Spirit Sunday is 2 p.m.
Here is the full draw for both stakes:
$250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot
Post - Hose - Driver - Trainer
1. Kildare King - Trevor Smith - Chris Beaver
2. Rattle My Cage - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt
3. Marquis Lafayette - Bruce Ranger - Domenico Cecere
4. Hillexotic - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
5. Herculisa - Austin Siegleman - Matty Medeiros
6. Balenciaga - Mark MacDonald - Paul Kelley
7. Delayed Hanover - Andy Miller - Kevin Mc Dermott
8. Asteroid - Dexter Dunn - Ake Svanstedt
9. Its Academic - David Miller - Ron Burke
$100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer
1. Valar Dohaeris - Mark MacDonald - Ake Svanstedt
2. Drama Act - David Miller - Ron Burke
3. Max Contract - Andy Miller - Julie Miller
4. Sweet Treasure - Yannick Gingras - Nancy Takter
5. Mikala - George Brennan - Nik Drennan
(Plainridge Park)