Plainridge: Kelley looks for Balenciaga to step up in Spirit of Massachusetts

Paul Kelley is hoping that Balenciaga, his entry in Sunday's $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot at Plainridge Park, has matured enough and is ready to advance to the top level of competition. The 5-year-old son of Chapter Seven takes on the best in North America for just the second time this season.

"I was very happy with the way he finished up in the Crawford [Meadowlands, July 1]," said Kelley. "Mark [MacDonald] decided to sit in with him and he finished strongly. Maybe if he had gone to the outside he could have finished closer."

Balenciaga did finish fifth behind two horses he'll meet on Sunday, namely It's Academic and Rattle My Cage.

"Last year as a 4-year-old I was careful not to race him much against older horses," said Kelley. "This year he's a bit stronger, and it's time to see what he can do."

Balenciaga (post six) enters the Spirit of Massachusetts following an impressive 1:52 1/5 victory over the five-eighths surface at Pocono on July 15, and his trainer thinks he's in a good spot over a track of the same size.

"I've been racing here a lot because the money is so good," Kelley said of Plainridge Park. "Drawing four, five or six is a good spot at this track."

Perhaps more important to the post is the type of horse Balenciaga is and how he can handle the situation.

"He's a horse that races best off a helmet," said Kelley. "Matt [Kakaley] drove him that way at Pocono, but he knew he could leave with him and still finish strongly."

Kelley has a stable of just 12 and he'll be up against some bigger names and larger stables in Sunday's Spirit of Massachusetts. When the race was drawn on Tuesday, conditioners Ake Svanstedt and Ron Burke both entered two horses, with Svanstedt's Rattle My Cage (post two) and Asteroid (post eight) primed for action. Trainer Ron Burke has been a major figure racing older pacers for years, but this year he's added a new wrinkle to his arsenal with top trotters. Hillexotic (post four) and It's Academic (post nine) have been on top of their game this entire year for Burke, and his trotting mare M-M's Dream upset Jiggy Jog S in last Saturday’s E.T. Gerry Jr. Hambletonian Maturity at the Meadowlands.

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Svanstedt's Alrajah One was a winner of this race last year, and the trainer hopes to find the winner's circle once again with the recent import Asteroid. Like last year’s winner, Asteroid made his debut in the Crawford at the Meadowlands prior to his entry at Plainridge Park. Alrajah One won the Crawford and then the Spirit of Massachusetts. Asteroid was fourth on debut and will need to overcome post eight in his second North American outing.

"I thought he raced well considering he was up against the best horses," said driver Dexter Dunn of Asteroid's debut. "The post is tough this week, but I expect him to be good."

Rattle My Cage may give Svanstedt a better shot, having drawn inside following a third-place finish in the Crawford. A 5-year-old by Love You, Rattle My Cage sports a 1:50 2/5 lifetime-best taken as a 4-year-old in 2022.

Hillexotic has excelled for Burke over every-sized track and ships to Plainridge following a pair of Open Handicap victories over the half-mile track at Yonkers. A 6-year-old gelded son of Muscle Hill, Hillexotic has been first or second in 10 of his 13 starts this year.

It's Academic has earned over $1.5 million during his career and tries the Spirit of Massachusetts following a blistering 1:50 2/5 win in the Crawford.

Two horses that have been competing more regularly at Plainridge hope to hit the big time with Marquis Lafayette, a son of Ready Cash, making his debut against this class following a career-best 1:52 1/5 victory on July 10 over this surface. Trainer Domenico Cecere has seen the homebred show improvement in each start this season with Bruce Ranger at the controls.

Delayed Hanover hasn't succeeded yet against this type of competition in 2023 for trainer Kevin McDermott, but perhaps Sunday will be his best chance. A 5-year-old by Southwind Frank, Delayed Hanover showed wicked closing speed in capturing a July 17 Open Handicap over this track in 1:52 2/5. Delayed Hanover starts from post seven.

Kildare King (post one) ships east from Scioto Downs having finished first or second in seven of his eight starts this year. Trainer Chris Beaver has the son of Trixton primed for the event.

Herculisa is the lone mare in the field and will be in search of her first win in 2023 in her eighth start from post five.

The Spirit of Massachusetts is race nine on an 11-race program that also features the $100,000 Clara Barton for older pacing mares and the $75,000 Bert Beckwith Memorial for older pacers. Post time for the first race is 2 P.M. (EDT).