The Grand Circuit's weekly overview highlights its upcoming races at Yonkers Raceway, Scioto Downs, Woodbine Mohawk Park and The Meadowlands.

This Week: MGM Yonkers International Trot, MGM Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, New York; Jim Ewart Memorial and Charlie Hill Memorial, Eldorado Scioto Downs, Columbus, Ohio; Champlain Stakes, Simcoe Stakes and Milton eliminations, Woodbine Mohawk Park, Milton, Ont.; and Miss Versatility leg, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Schedule of Events: Grand Circuit racing will open this week on Friday, Sept. 8 at The Meadowlands with the $40,000 sixth leg of the Miss Versatility Series for older trotting mares.

On Saturday, Sept. 9, MGM Yonkers Raceway will feature the $1 million MGM Yonkers International Trot for older trotters.

Also on Saturday, Eldorado Scioto Downs will feature the $260,000 Jim Ewart Memorial for older pacers and the $250,000 Charlie Hill Memorial for older trotters.

Rounding out the busy Saturday, Woodbine Mohawk Park will offer two divisions in the $187,000 Champlain Stakes for two-year-old male pacers, the $179,000 Champlain Stakes for two-year-old filly pacers and the $159,200 Simcoe for three-year-old filly pacers, plus a single division in the $171,300 Simcoe for three-year-old male pacers.

Complete entries for The Meadowlands, Yonkers and Scioto races are available by clicking here. Entries for the Mohawk races are available by clicking here.

Last Time: Last year’s Maple Leaf Trot was far from memorable for Alrajah One IT. On Saturday, Sept. 2, under the lights and in the spotlight at Woodbine Mohawk Park, the trotting titan was back and better than ever. To read the complete recap, click here.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2023, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will once again be tracked on a points system (20-10-5 for the top three finishers in divisions/finals and 10-5-2 for the top three finishers in eliminations/legs). Winbak Farms is the sponsor for the 2023 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders (through the races on Sept. 2, 2023):

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 594; 2. Dexter Dunn – 580; 3. Tim Tetrick – 481; 4. Scott Zeron – 460; 5. David Miller – 434.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 744; 2. Ake Svanstedt – 524; 3. Nancy Takter – 333; 4. Tony Alagna – 279; 5. Marcus Melander – 261.

Owners: 1. Diamond Creek Racing – 215.1; 2. Mark Ford – 148; 3. Burke Racing Stable – 141; 4. Hudson Standardbred Stable – 120; 5. Brad Grant – 103.

Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at Harrah’s Hoosier Park and Woodbine Mohawk Park. Hoosier will host the Peter Haughton Memorial for two-year-old male trotters and the Jim Doherty Memorial for two-year-old filly trotters. Mohawk has the Milton for older pacing mares, the Champlain Stakes for two-year-old male and female trotters and eliminations in the Canadian Trotting Classic for three-year-old male trotters, the Elegantimage for three-year-old filly trotters, the Metro Pace for two-year-old male pacers and the Shes A Great Lady for two-year-old old filly pacers.

(Grand Circuit)