by Joe Hartmann, for Plainridge Racecourse

Plainville, MA — Peter Blood, one of the top trainer-drivers on the New England circuit before transplanting to Florida, has accepted an invitation to compete in the first annual “New England Legends” race, a part of Bert Beckwith Day festivities at Plainridge Racecourse.

The New England Legends will feature those living members of the New England Harness Racing Wall of Fame, which is on display at Plainridge Racecourse.

Those invited to compete in the New England Legends include Jim Doherty, Willard Beckwith, John Hogan, Peter Blood, Leigh Fitch, Ted Wing, Steve O’Toole, Bruce Ranger and Greg Bowden. Gary Kamal will also be invited to participate in the Legends activities.

Now a resident of Pompano Beach, Fla., Peter Blood has been training and driving harness horses for nearly five decades. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Blood grew up in Maine where he first caught the harness racing bug.

As a driver he has won 1,100 races and $2.4 million, but over the past decade he has concentrated on training horses. In the years 2000 and 2001, his horses earned in excess of $800,000, while Blood maintained better than a .400 training percentage.

Blood-trained horses have won more than $4.5 million and included such stars as Particular, Peculiar, Klingon Hanover, Marfa Hanover, Morning Breeze and Perfect Art.

The biggest day of the year in New England harness racing, the Labor Day card at Plainridge Racecourse will be highlighted by the 13th edition of the $75,000 Bert Beckwith Memorial Pace and the $20,000 Ron Paquantonio Memorial Trot. In addition, Plainridge will host the New England Legends race as well as add a new member to the New England Wall of Fame.