Plainridge Park: Harris hoping for the best vs. Atlanta and Manchego in Spirit of Massachusetts

Trainer Andrew Harris has two horses entered in Sunday's $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts at Plainridge Park, theoretically giving him twice the chance of winning the prestigious event for older trotters.

"I guess you can see we'll be racing for third at best," said Harris, half-joking and perhaps more serious. "Manchego and Atlanta are just in another league."

Harris has two very solid trotters for the event in Joey Bats (post 1) and a recent addition to his stable, Run Director (post 5), in the field of seven.

Of the two, Run Director appears to be entering the race in peak condition. "Ben Baillargeon deserves all the credit for bringing him along," said Harris about the son of Kadabra that has been a mainstay north of the border for the accomplished trainer.

Since arriving in Harris' stable, Run Director has steadily progressed, albeit racing at a level a little below the type of horses he’ll be up against on Sunday. In his first start over the five-eighths mile at Harrah's Philadelphia he was a very solid second in a Winners Over affair on July 5. "He should have no trouble getting around the turns at Plainridge," said Harris. "He trotted in 1:51 and change at Harrah’s and had no issues on the turns."

Stretched out a bit last Friday night at The Meadowlands, David Miller sent Run Director on a speed mission and the 5-year-old overcame an outside draw on his way to a 1:51 4/5 score with a solid 27-second kicker to boot. "That was a big mile at The Meadowlands the other night," Harris said, confirming the visually impressive performance.

Run Director defeated two other Spirit Of Massachusetts performers in his Meadowlands victory in Lindy The Great (post 6) and his stablemate Joey Bats.

"Joey Bats really got jammed up at the back and that's not his kind of race," said Harris, hoping for better circumstances this week.

"He's really got high speed and can go as fast as any for a piece. With the rail I think you can expect him to fire out," said Harris, who hoped that Joey Bats might get a big chunk of the purse if he can be positioned behind the likely favorites.

The Spirit Of Massachusetts pits Manchego (post 4) and Atlanta (post 7) against each other in what figures to be another incredible clash. The two have met twice this year, with Manchego earning a nose victory in 1:50 flat on June 19 at The Meadowlands, and a few weeks later, Atlanta was the stronger of the two rolling past her rival late in the Arthur Cutler in a 1:50 1/5 clocking.

In the Cutler Atlanta drew inside of Manchego, but the positions are reversed this Sunday. Driver Yannick Gingras once again will get to navigate the race for Atlanta while Dexter Dunn once again steers Manchego.

Eurobond, a 1:51 2/5 winner at Harrah's Philadelphia when he defeated Run Director, landed post 2 in the field, giving trainer Nancy Takter a two-pronged attack along with Manchego. Muscle M Up (post 3) and Lindy The Great (post 6) round out the select field in race 6 of the 10 at Plainridge on Sunday with first post listed at 2:00 p.m..

The $100,000 Clara Barton for pacing mares will go one race earlier on the card and features the 2019 Horse of the Year Shartin N. On her way to that memorable season, Shartin N came to Plainridge and captured the Clara Barton in 1:49 1/5 for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jim King Jr. The pair returns from post 2 in a field of just six. Shartin N will be looking to bounce back from a rare defeat in the Dorothy Haughton at The Meadowlands last Saturday.

Though a short field in number, the Clara Barton is indeed loaded with talent, especially with the presence of Kissin In The Sand. The Somebeachsomewhere-sired mare has already won in 1:47 4/5 this year at The Meadowlands and may be perfectly suited for a sizzling mile on Sunday. Yannick Gingras will guide her from post 4.

Rounding out the stellar field for the Clara Barton are Philly Hanover (post 1), Soho Burning Love A (post 3), Trillions Hanover (post 5) and Kimberlee (post 6).