by Joe Hartmann, for Plainridge Racecourse

Plainville, MA — A pair of outstanding free for all pacers out of the barn of trainer Ron Cushing, including a participant in the 2006 Bert Beckwith Memorial Pace, will headline a select six-horse field in the inaugural $20,000 Particular Pace on Monday afternoon (August 13) at Plainridge Racecourse.

Cushing will send out favored Our First Falcon N, who raced in last year’s Beckwith, as the 2-1 morning line favorite on Monday afternoon. He will drive the gelding.

A 7-year-old gelded son of world champion Falcon Seelster, out of the OK Bye mare Rosa Franco, Our First Falcon N has been first or second in nine of his last 11 starts and finished third to Breeders Crown champ Shark Gesture in the New Hampshire Sweepstakes.

Our First Falcon N, owned by John Brophy of Castine, Maine, has nine wins in 23 starts this year and passed the $500,000 mark in career earnings with a second place finish in the Gilmour Pace at Buffalo on July 28.

Cushing’s other entrant is the Raymond Apkarian-owned Danger Sign N, who will be driven by Brewer Adams. The 7-year-old gelded son of Life Sign, out of the Holmes Hanover mare Exceptional Franco, set his mark of 1:54 earlier this year over the half-mile track at Saratoga Harness.

The Cushing horses will race as separate betting interests due to separate ownership.

Stan Bergstein Pace champion May Day Malone will get the rail on Monday afternoon. The 3-year-old gelded son of Real Desire, out of the Die Laughing mare Miles Away, is trained by Patricia Sumner and owned by Beverly Pagenelli and driver Bob Sumner. He set his life mark of 1:53.2 in the Bergstein.

The current local king of the Open ranks at Plainridge, H H Blackjack will leave from the two hole for trainer-driver Todd O’Dea. Owned by George Mizhir III of Rindge, N.H., H H Blackjack, a 5-year-old gelded son of Cam’s Card Shark, out of the Distant Thunder mare H H Shadow, set his mark of 1:53 earlier this season and is looking for his fifth consecutive win at Plainridge.

Scott Dillon’s O’Rourke Three, who has been making the rounds in New England after spending the year on the Dover-Harrington circuit, could contend here and has a lifetime mark of 1:51.1 set at Harrington. No worse than third in four regional starts, he will be driven by Jason Bartlett, the leading percentage driver in North America, carrying a .446 driving percentage.

Leonard LeBlanc and Donald Emond’s Mattruly fills out the field. The 4-year-old ridgling son of Matt’s Scooter, out of the Artsplace mare Truly Artistic, also has a 1:51.1 life mark. Jim Hardy will get the driving assignment.

Also on the Monday afternoon card, Steven Blood’s Village Surfer, a 5-year-old son of Jenna’s Beach Boy, is expected to headline the $10,000 Fluster Pace.

Both races are named for New England legends that passed away this year.