Stakes recaps

By Tim Bojarski, for Plainridge Park

(Photo courtesy of Tom Melanson)

Plainville, MA — Brandon Blvd (Downbytheseaside-Alexis Faith) made his first start of 2026 a winning one after cruising to an impressive victory in the G3 $100,000 Paul Revere Pace at Plainridge Park on Saturday (May 2) afternoon.

Dexter Dunn got away fourth with Brandon Blvd as Hard To Forget (Matty Athearn), Watch Em Win (Nick Graffam) and Hunt Off The Press (Shawn Gray) all took turns on the lead before reaching the half in :55.1. It was at that station that Dunn tipped Brandon Blvd to the outside and methodically overtook control from Hunt Off The Press on the backstretch.

Brandon Blvd then built a two length advantage as he passed three-quarters in 1:23, while the rest of the field began to fade behind him. As he made his way around the final turn, Brandon Blvd was already under wraps as Dunn sat chilly heading into the stretch. And from the top of the lane, Brandon Blvd closed it out with ease, winning by 2-¾ lengths in 1:51.1.

On the strength of his eighth lifetime win in only his eleventh lifetime start, the heavily backed Brandon Blvd ($2.10) pushed his career bank to $439,397 for owners Punisher 11 Stable. Andrew Harris trains the Crawford Farms-bred colt.

Ayeaye Captain Deo sails home in Paul Revere Pace

May 1, 2025 By Tim Bojarski for Plainridge Park

Plainville, MA — Ayeaye Captain Deo (Captaintreacherous-Oceania) remained undefeated in 2025 after getting up late to win the $100,000 Paul Revere Pace for 3-year-olds at Plainridge Park on Thursday (May 1) afternoon.

Dune Buggy (Tim Tetrick) and Waterfront (Jason Bartlett) traded leads off the gate before Primo Maschio (Walter Case Jr.) took the front passing the :26.2 quarter. But that lead was short lived as Dune Buggy was back out and motoring in front of the stands and grabbed the point, where he stayed until very late in the race.

As the pack paced past the half in :54.1, Ayeaye Captain Deo (Todd McCarthy) pulled first-over from fourth in pursuit of Dune Buggy, who was still in command and looking strong. Ayeaye Captain Deo finally drew alongside Dune Buggy as they went by three-quarters and the pair pulled away from the field in the last turn while matching strides all the way. This match race continued into the straight and into deep stretch where Ayeaye Captain Deo edged ahead of Dune Buggy by one-half length to win in 1:50.4.

The time was a lifetime best for the winner and only one-fifth of a second of the stake record.

Ayeaye Captain Deo ($4.40) is now two for two this year for owner Gino Toscani and trainer Garry Merner Jr.

The next Grand Circuit stop at Plainridge will be in two weeks, on Thursday (May 15), when the $100,000 Grade 3 Battle of Bunker Hill 3-year-old Open Trot will take place.

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.