by Jack Ginnetti

Marlborough, MA — He’s made the trip a thousand times over, but this particular hot summer day was different. Jim Hardy, Plainridge’s leading driver, was searching for answers as he made his way to the paddock.

I happened to enter my parking spot when I greeted him with, “How’s it going, Jim?” With his eyes seemingly glaring toward the paddock he replied, “I’m down to four horses in my barn and wondering about the future.”

Hardy’s remarks came a few days after last week’s track announcment that many employes had to be terminated when Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and the House and Senate couldn’t agree on a casino gaming bill which included ‘racinos’ before the formal session ended July 31.

Hardy is a four-time driving champion at Plainridge and is a local product who resides in nearby North Attleboro. He’s been a fixture at the track ever since it opened in March 1999.

“It’s difficult to find people who want to invest in this sport when you see the tracks falling on tough times,” he noted.

Currently Hardy is eyeing his fifth driving title at Plainridge but is getting plenty of competition from John Kakaley and Mike Eaton.

The Plainridge owner-driver-trainer also is in another tight test for top training honors as the Plainridge meet enters its second half of the season. Linda Kakaley is right on Jim’s heels in a race that could go down to the wire, just as it did last season with Dawn Anderson edging Hardy out for training honors on the final day of the 2009 meet.

Hardy has driven at Scarborough Downs at times this year and is a familiar teamster at Saratoga Raceway and Yonkers.

While Hardy ponders his future one thing’s a certainity — he’s found the winner’s circle over 2,000 times and will meet the future with the same gusto that has earned him four Plainridge Racecourse driving championships.