Plainville, MA — Monday (April 10) marked opening day at Plainridge Park, and a large crowd was on hand trackside to welcome harness racing back to Massachusetts.

Three $17,500 contests for winners of two to five races lifetime – two on the pace and one on the trot – served as co-featured events.

The first pace went to HP Lis Shadow (driven by Mitchell Cushing), who got away fifth while William Hanover (Drew Campbell) and Boozer (Bruce Ranger) traded leads twice to the half. Boozer finally seated on the front and opened up two lengths to three-quarters while HP Lis Shadow followed weak cover heading into the last turn. Cushing then took matters into his own hands, tipping three-deep off the last bend and started a relentless charge down the lane that saw HP Lis Shadow catch Boozer by a head at the finish in a lifetime best 1:53.

HP Lis Shadow, who is owned by Andrew Harris racing and trained by Andrew Harris, paid $3.80 to win.

Cushing ended the day with two wins.

The second pace went to the Massachusetts-bred Galactic Storm (Jimmy Whittemore), who got away fourth at the quarter before brushing to the lead by the half. From there, Galactic Storm swelled up on the point, opened a gapped advantage, and paced a swift :27.4 third quarter. Galactic Storm then rounded the turn and pulled away to a 5-1/2-length win in a lifetime best effort of 1:53.2.

Galactic Storm ($4.40) is owned by his driver and trained by Marissa Chadbourne.

Finally, in the trot, Skyway Professor (John Beckwith) pulled a major upset as he wired the field at 21-1.

Skyway Professor provided the fireworks on Opening Day of the 2023 season at Plainridge Park with a 21-1 upset in the featured trot. Tom Melanson photo.

Beckwith left sharply with Skyway Professor and took the lead in solid fashion. From there, he stepped off fractions of :28, :58.4 and 1:27 while Lindy On Stage (Wally Watson) stalked from the pocket and Timantix (Matty Athearn) drew near heading into the last turn. As the race headed down the lane, Skyway Professor was still in charge ahead of the two-pronged attack of Timantix on the outside and Lindy On Stage near the pylons. As they both closed in, Skyway Professor checked out with a narrow victory in 1:56.3.

It was a seasonal best for Skyway Professor ($45.00), whom Dennis Whittemore trains for owner Mario Dessureault.

The older set had a $16,000 mid-level conditioned event for each gait, and the husband-and-wife team of driver Shawn and trainer Alicia Gray took them both.

On the trot, Beantown Madness captured his third win of the year with a strong stretch drive.

Shawn Gray settled in sixth from post three as Yonkers invader Pass Key (Jim Hardy) led strongly through a :58.3 half. At that point, Beantown Madness tipped out behind Northern Skyway (Mitchell Cushing) and followed cover to the top of the final turn. There, he pulled three-deep and rushed home under a line drive to win by a nose in a seasonal best 1:56.4.

Beantown Madness ($6.00) competes for Michael Goldberg Racing.

Later, Pammy Jo took the pace after leading at every station.

Gray sent Pammy Jo to the front and grabbed the lead past a hard-fought :27.2 quarter. After cruising to the half unabated, Pammy Jo faced pressure from Tonianne (Mitchell Cushing) up the backside and into the final turn. At the top of the stretch, Pammy Jo put some distance between herself and the rest of the field, opening up a 2-length advantage as they headed towards the wire where she won by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:53.

It was the first win of the year for Pammy Jo ($23.80), who is owned by her trainer.

Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Thursday (April 13) at 4 p.m.