by Jack Ginnetti

Marlborough, MA — Four race finals for 3-year-olds, totaling $87,200 in Massachusetts Sires Stakes purses, were held on Tuesday, September 25, at Plainridge Racecourse.

St Patty’s Love, driven and trained by George Ducharme, was an easy winner in 1:58.1 in the $21,200 3-year-old filly pace, while Sleepinthenightaway, with Robert Leslie, scored a head win in 2:01.3 over Alilability, with Kyle DiBenedetto driving, in the colt and gelding pace final.

In the 3-year-old filly trot, Gary Hall’s Theredone picked up the winner’s share of the $22,400 purse, trotting the mile in 2:03 to win by four lengths over Fuzzy Slippers.

Raymond J. Campbell, Jr.’s RC Dignity, with John Beckwith up, was a six length victor over RC Green Jeans, with Dan Daley driving, in 2:01.3 in the other trot stake final for for colts and geldings.

The regular Plainridge program featured an upset in the $6,000 Open Trot. The master of the trotting reins, Bob Tisbert, guided Foreign Authority to a half-length win over even-money favorite Slim Down in 1:59.1. Hi Po Melody, owned by Orrin Phipps, finished four lengths back in third.

Jim Hardy continued his winning ways over the Plainridge oval with visits to the winner’s circle with Uprising (1:57.2) in the opener and S A Blue Jacket (1:59.1) in the $4,500 fourth race trot.

Mike Eaton also had two winners on the afternoon with She’s Untouchable in the third race and Island Mission in the fifth.

Plaintalk: Word from the paddock is that John Hogan has moved his stable back to Plainridge. Hogan, who was the dominant driver and fan favorite at Foxboro Raceway in the late 1970s and early 1980s, has amassed more then 4,200 career wins. He and his late father, Jim, are members of the New England Harness Writers Hall of Fame…….Plainridge officials briefed the staff and horsemen on the progress and their position and plans on the issue of slot machines being legalized in Masssachusetts…….Tickets for the New England Harness Writers 29th Hall of Fame awards program on October 12 at Scarborough Downs are on sale and can be purchased through Greg Bowden at Plainridge or Susan Higgins at (207) 883-4331.