by Jack Ginnetti

Marlborough, MA — In less than three weeks Plainridge Racecourse in Massachusetts will open the New England harness racing season with a March 16 program and a 4:00 p.m. post time.

Chief Operating Officer Gary Piontkowski was all smiles when discusssing the start of another season, the 11th at Plainville, located just five miles south of Gillette Stadium.

“We’ve had a lot of queries from around the country,” he noted, “And the change in the house leadership on Beacon Hill in Boston should renew interest in Plainridge becoming a racino.”

The racing schedule will be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday with an afternoon post at 4:00. The first phase of the meet runs though June 5, and resumes again at the start of September after Rockingham races the remainder of June, July and August. The two tracks agreed last fall not to run against one another.

Plainridge qualifers are set for 12:00 noon on March 7, 10 and 14.

Returning with a powerful stable is hometown favorite Jim Hardy, who last season won the leading driver/trainer titles. His 150 winning drives at Plainridge enabled him to become the track’s first reinsman to win three driving titles since the track opened in 1999.

Also set to return is driver Walter Case Jr.

“I’ve talked to Walter two or three times a week and he’s rarin’ to go,” Piontkowski commented. “He’ll be here for the qualifers which begin at noon March 7 and will ship in some horses.”

Driving in just the final four Plainridge programs in late November, the 47-year-old driving sensation with 11,038 lifetime wins, had 10 wins, six seconds and five thirds in 25 drives.