by Tim Bojarski, for Plainridge Park

Plainville, MA — Plainridge Park has released the list of eligible horses for its signature event, the $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot, which will be contested on Friday (July 28).

The roster was confirmed after the second sustaining payments were received on Monday (May 15).

Thirty-four horses and geldings and four mares make up the 38 qualified to vie for the nine starting slots in the one-mile event.

The all-star field of older Open trotters is highlighted by five millionaires, namely International trotting star Resolve ($2,299,754), 2015 Colonial Trot and multi-stakes winning Crazy Wow ($1,772,564), 2016 Hambletonian champion and 2016 Dan Patch Trotter of the Year Marion Marauder ($1,791,518), 2016 Dan Patch older male Trotter of the Year Obrigado ($1,670,999) and 2016 Dan Patch Trotting Mare of the Year Hannelore Hanover ($1,478,478).

The competition for this race is heating up as probable entrants are already making headlines in other events globally.

Resolve recently finished third in the Elitlopp in 1:51.3; Crazy Wow won the Charlie Hill Memorial Trot at Eldorado Scioto Downs defeating Obrigado in a track record time of 1:52; Marion Marauder won his seasonal debut in the Graduate at Tioga Downs in 1:52.4; and Hannelore Hanover won back-to-back stakes in her last two outings at Mohawk in 1:52.4 and 1:52.2.

Needless to say the Plainridge Park all-time trotting mark of 1:53.1 will be in definite peril on that last Friday of July.

A complete list of all 38 eligibles to the Spirit of Massachusetts Trot can be found by clicking here.

A landing page for the Spirit of Massachusetts Trot has been created and will be updated with news and information as race day approaches. You can visit that by clicking here.