NOTE - Story updated with development below:
Due to a developing Nor’easter storm that is predicted to bring high winds and heavy rain to the entire eastern seaboard on Sunday (Oct. 12) and Monday (Oct. 13), the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has approved the recommendation made by Plainridge Park to cancel live racing on Monday (Oct. 13), out of an abundance of caution for those shipping horses from multiple states and the expected daytime weather conditions on Monday that would not be conducive to safe racing.
The four Grand Circuit races are canceled and will not be rescheduled. The overnight events that were carded are canceled as well. Classes will be added to the condition sheet for Thursday (Oct. 16) and Friday (Oct. 17) draws.
-release (Plainridge)
The Grand Circuit will make its final stop at Plainridge Park for 2025 on Monday (Oct. 13) with four 3-year-old events scheduled to go postward.
The Colonial Trot, along with the accompanying Colonial Oaks Trot, and the W. N. Reynolds, split by gender between the Tar Heel and Leta Long divisions, will all be contested. The four fields appear to be very competitive and should offer some solid betting value across the board.
The $44,000 Colonial Trot for colts and geldings looks to be headlined by two competitors at the top of their game, and both coming in off winning efforts.
Cheers Hanover (Bar Hopping-Chez Lucie) had a very successful year racing in Pennsylvania stake action, but made an unfortunate break in the Pennsylvania Sire Stake final in September. However he has more than atoned for that mishap by winning the Keystone at the Meadows and the Old Oaken Bucket at Delaware, Ohio on Jug Day. But it will be 25-days between that win and this start, which is quite a stretch without action.
Nick Graffam will drive for trainer Ron Burke and will start from post three.
Lefties Righties (Greenshoe-Swizzle Sticks) has also been very successful in stakes this summer, including a win in the The Stallion Series final at Pocono Downs last month. Since then he finished a very close second to Cheers Hanover in the Old Oaken Bucket, and comes in fresh off a 1:54 4/5 victory at Yonkers Raceway on October 3. He is 13 out of 15 in the money this year and most certainly will add to that average here.
Brett Beckwith, who had his choice of three to drive in here, will start from post four for trainer Jeff Cullipher.
Next is the $43,000 Colonial Oaks Trot for fillies and season-long standout My Debt Collector (Chapter Seven-Magic Presto) will be the one to beat.
My Debt Collector is a seven-time New York Sire Stake winner this year, which includes a victory in the final at Batavia Downs on September 6, which was her last star 37-days ago. That is definitely a long time between starts, but the rest of this field is basically in the same boat because all the girls have been off between 16 and 30 days as well. My Debt Collector comes into this race with eight wins this year and 13 times in the money in only 13 starts. That performance has placed her as third richest 3-year-old trotting filly, and fifth richest 3-year-old trotter overall in North America ($494,772).
Trainer Nifty Norman has assigned Brett Beckwith to steer My Debt Collector and they have drawn post three to start.
Made Of Dreams (Chapter Seven-Avalonia) is another New York Sire Stake star who did outstanding work in the Excelsior series there this year, including a win in the final at Saratoga. Since that race on September 9, she has made one start at Pocono where she took an impressive 1:53 3/5 lifetime mark in an overnight event she won by 3-3/4 lengths. If My Debt Collector is vulnerable from her layoff, this filly could be the one to beat her.
Made Of Dreams will be driven by Matty Athearn for trainer Per Engblom and will line from a pylon start.
The pacers take the stage next and the $57,450 W. N. Reynolds Tar Heel for colts and geldings could go a lot of different ways in this full field of eight evenly matched starters.
Jon I Love Dat (Downbytheseaside-Franney Love Dat) was the 2-year-old Massachusetts Breeders Stake champion at two and has come back this year to win his first two MBS starts on the way to defending his title. The last win was just last week and very impressive, a lifetime best 1:51 win by 3-3/4 lengths, which also set a new stake record. He knows this track, gets over it very well and definitely has the home field advantage for this start.
Trainer Janice Connor has Mark Macdonald at the lines behind Jon I Love Dat and they will start from post six.
Captain Fluffy (Captain Crunch-Tica Hanover) is a high speed horse that can run away from a field, as is evident from his career best, 1:49 4/5 win at Pocono in August. That said, he also has a penchant to break at almost any time and that is also quite evident. And that 1:49 4/5 win was his last clean race line in 65-days, which has since seen him break thrice and qualify twice. The most recent qualifier was a 1:56 win over the muddy red clay at Pocono on October 8. If he behaves, he can win.
Brett Beckwith took Captain Fluffy for trainer Travis Alexander after being named on five in here and drew post two behind the gate.
Finally, the $46,700 W. N. Reynolds Leta Long for pacing fillies is another wide-open and bettable affair.
Asphalt (Papi Rob Hanover-Road Bet) comes into this race peaking at the right time. She was just beaten a head in the New Jersey Classic final at the Meadowlands on September 5 in 1:49 4/5 and then won two consecutive overnights at Harrah’s Philly in 1:50 2/5 and 1:50 3/5, and both clockings were just off her lifetime mark of 1:50. She is a seven-time winner this year and 10 out of 12 in the money and you just can’t overlook that speed and consistency.
Jack Pelling will steer for Brett Pelling and will start from post seven.
Another ultra-consistent performer is Sweet Odds (Sweet Lou-Odds On Ashley) who is 18 out of 21 in the money, but is also top-heavy in second place finishes with 11 and most of those were very close losses. However her last start coming in was a gate to wire, 1:54 victory at Yonkers in an overnight event. The filly can leave or come off the pace and with her favorable draw in here, will be a player no matter how this race goes.
Per Engblom has named Brett Beckwith to drive and has drawn post two on the wing.
Post time for the first race Monday at Plainridge is 2 p.m.
-edited release (Tim Bojarski for Plainridge Park)