Stakes recaps

By Tim Bojarski, For The Standardbred Owners Of Massachusetts

After missing a week due to illness, Howlenthehills bounced back and picked up right where he left off by continuing his win streak with a lifetime-best 1:51.1 score in the $100,000 Paul Revere Pace, for 3-year-olds, at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (May 2).

Matt Kakaley sat outside from fifth off the gate with Howlenthehills as Cruzin America (Nick Graffam) and Crush Kill Destroy (Jason Bartlett) argued for the lead in a :26.1 first quarter. Just after Crush Kill Destroy finally crossed over to the front, Howlenthehills motored up and took control of the race in front of the stands. Kakaley sat chilly as Howlenthehills paced with authority on the lead heading to three-quarters, with Cruzin America mounting a first-over bid to get to within a length of the leader heading into the last turn. But Howlenthehills swelled up in that bend and started to pull away from the field. When they straightened out for the payoff, Howlenthehills bolted away to a 4-1/2-length lead and crossed the line first.

Cruzin America held second over the late-closing Ameritric (Brett Beckwith).

It was the third straight victory for Howlenthehills ($3.20), who remained undefeated in 2024 for his owner Symmetry Stables and trainer Travis Alexander.

Racing at Plainridge Park resumes on Monday (May 6) with post time at 4 p.m.

Records tumble in Paul Revere Pace at Plainridge

May 4, 2023, by Tim Bojarski, for Plainridge Park

The $100,000 Paul Revere Pace, for 3-year-olds, was held at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (May 4) and featured a select group of speedy side-wheelers that went to post in two $50,000 divisions and set new stakes and track records.

The first leg was won by Thunder Hunter Joe (Huntsville-Thunder Angel), who followed fast early fractions to capture a career best win.

Peppermint Man (driven by Mitch Cushing) played hardball with Metal Man (Greg Merton), parking him to the quarter in :25.3 before yielding for the pocket. After working clear, Metal Man continued the torrid pace with a :54 half while Ben Solo (Dexter Dunn) pulled first-over and Thunder Hunter Joe (Tyler Buter) followed loosely in the outer flow.

Ben Solo cleared at the five-eighths while Thunder Hunter Joe continued to grind in the breeze. Positions remained unchanged around the last turn and Ben Solo took a gapped advantage into the stretch. Buter started to get after Thunder Hunter Joe to make up the difference, and the gelding responded enthusiastically. Thunder Hunter Joe paced hard in the lane and got the jump at the line, winning by three-quarters of a length in 1:51, a new lifetime mark for the winner and also a new stakes record.

It was the second win in as many 2023 starts for Thunder Hunter Joe ($6.00), who is owned by DeVita Racing Stable, David Hamm, Glenn Phillips and Christopher Giaccio. Nicholas DeVita trains the winner, who was bred by Heather Zitone.

The second division went to Caviart Scotland (American Ideal-Darlin’s Delight), who led at every station to claim his first lifetime win and set some records of his own.

Driver Josert Fonseca pushed Caviart Scotland off the gate and to the lead, seating Sheer Terror (Bret Beckwith) and Goldin Greatness (Dexter Dunn) in the process. Everyone paced in place through a :26.4 quarter and :54.2 half before Dunn tipped Goldin Greatness off the pylons nearing the five-eighths. Goldin Greatness advanced quickly and drew alongside Caviart Scotland in the final bend.

Halfway through the turn, Fonseca popped the plugs on his charge, and Caviart Scotland responded and shifted gears. At the seven-eighths pole, Caviart Scotland started to pull away from Goldin Greatness and, with no other challenge imminent, Caviart Scotland headed for home under a line drive and cruised to a 2-1/4-length victory in 1:50.3.

The winning time was a new lifetime mark for Caviart Scotland, reset the stakes record from the first leg and also broke the track record for 3-year-old pacing colts at Plainridge Park.

Caviart Scotland ($15.80) is owned by Caviart Farms and trained by Nancy Takter. White Birch Farms bred the winner.

The old stakes record for the Paul Revere Pace was 1:52.1, set by Groovy Man in 2022 at Plainridge, Park and the previous track record of 1:51.1 for 3-year-old pacing colts was held jointly by Shoobee’s Place (2010) and Sports Obsession (2020).

Groovy Man wins inaugural Paul Revere Pace

April 28, 2022, by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts

In his first start of the season, Groovy Man (Huntsville-Lets Groove Tonite) led at every station and captured the inaugural $100,000 Paul Revere Pace on Thursday afternoon (April 28) as Plainridge Park welcomed back the Grand Circuit.

Layton Hanover (Matt Kakaley) took the lead right off the gate before Groovy Man (Yannick Gingras) motored up the outside to gain control of the race at the quarter in :27.1. Positions remained unchanged from there until Caviart Scout (Josert Fonseca) pulled from fourth at the five-eighths and took the lead from his stablemate, Groovy Man, at the three-quarter pole.

As the pair paced into the last turn, Groovy Man dug back in and drew even with Caviart Scout, and the two matched strides all the way around the curve. Groovy Man eventually rebuffed the challenge and opened up a length lead heading into the stretch, but he still had more work ahead: the pocket-sitting Layton Hanover found room at the pylons and Rocknroll Gold (Matty Athearn) was flying late on the outside. The two made up ground all the way to the line, but Groovy Man dug in and held on to win by a long neck in 1:52.1.

“I left for position hoping to get a trip behind Forever Man,” said Gingras. “But he made a break in the first turn, so I ended up cutting it. He was fine in front until he got spooked by a bird that flew in front of him at the top of the stretch. It kind of threw him off a bit, but he kept his head and finished the job. I was very happy with his effort.”

It was the second win in only three lifetime starts for Groovy Man ($4.80), who is owned by Elmer Fannin, Brent Fannin, Joe Sbrocco and Nancy Takter&Jaf Racing. Nancy Takter trains the winner.