Plainridge Park hosts $100,000 Paul Revere Pace

Plainville, MA — The Grand Circuit makes its first stop of the harness racing season in Massachusetts on Thursday afternoon (May 2) when seven swift side-wheelers will go to post in the $100,000 Paul Revere Pace for 3-year-old Open pacers.

This early season stake 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 Weiss at Mohegan Sun Pocono in his debut on April 13, Howlenthehills came right back in that series and scored again, this time by 3-1/2 lengths in a new lifetime best of 1:52.1 featuring a :27.3 kick home. He was schedule 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.

Howlenthehills is one of three Alexander-trainees entered in the Paul Revere. He will also be starting Cruzin America (American Ideal-Cruzin To the Dance, Nick Graffam) and Ideal Par (American Ideal-Mach It A Par, Matty Athearn).

Crush Kill Destroy (Betterthancheddar-Eataams Payday) comes off a freshman campaign where he only won one race. But he still bankrolled $101,912 on the strength of seven board hits in 12 starts, 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 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 only in this stake on Thursday afternoon as they will both be leaving immediately after the race to compete in the John Brennan Trotting finals that is programmed in the later portion of the Yonkers card Thursday night.

Ameritric (American Ideal-Electric Fool) was also winless in nine starts as a 2-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-eighth’s mile oval. Trainer George Ducharme, who is a native of Walpole, Massachusetts located just five miles from Plainridge, returns home for this stake with Ameritric and has Plainridges’ leading dash driver Brett Beckwith in the bike for this outing.

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

The $100,000 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.

by Tim Bojarski, for Plainridge Park