Spotlight On The Grand Circuit
The Grand Circuit's weekly overview highlights its upcoming races at Woodbine Mohawk Park and Hoosier Park.
This Week: Peter Haughton Memorial and Jim Doherty Memorial, Harrah’s Hoosier Park, Anderson, Indiana; Milton Stakes final, and Canadian Trotting Classic, Elegantimage, Metro Pace and Shes A Great Lady eliminations, Woodbine Mohawk Park, Milton, Ont.
Schedule of Events: Grand Circuit action will commence on Friday, Sept. 15 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park with the $420,000 Peter Haughton Memorial for two-year-old trotting males and the $400,000 Jim Doherty Memorial for two-year-old trotting fillies.
Woodbine Mohawk Park will feature Grand Circuit action on Saturday, Sept. 16 with the $220,000 Milton Stakes final for older pacing mares headlining the card. The Saturday card also features two $40,000 Canadian Trotting Classic eliminations for three-year-old open trotters, two $35,000 Elegantimage eliminations for three-year-old trotting fillies, two $40,000 Metro Pace eliminations for two-year-old open pacers and two $35,000 Shes A Great Lady eliminations for two-year-old pacing fillies.
Complete entries for the Hoosier Park races are available by clicking here. Entries for the Woodbine Mohawk Park races are available by clicking here.
Last Time: Vivid Wise As, representing Italy in Saturday's $1 million MGM Yonkers International Trot at MGM Yonkers Raceway, took advantage of a quick start to get the lead from post one, repelled multiple challengers throughout, and drew off in the closing stages to win the race in 2:23.1 over the distance of 1-1/4 miles. To read the complete recap, click here.
For a list of 2023 race winners on the Grand Circuit, 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. 9, 2023):
Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 619; 2. Dexter Dunn – 590; 3. Tim Tetrick – 501; 4. Scott Zeron – 460; 5. David Miller – 434.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 744; 2. Ake Svanstedt – 554; 3. Tony Alagna – 339; 4. Nancy Takter – 333; 5. Marcus Melander – 261.
Owners: 1. Diamond Creek Racing – 220.1; 2. Mark Ford – 148; 3. Burke Racing Stable – 147.7; 4. Hudson Standardbred Stable – 140; 5. Brad Grant – 105.5.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit racing will be taking place next week at the Delaware County (Ohio) Fair, Hoosier Park, Woodbine Mohawk Park and Tioga Downs. Delaware will host nine Grand Circuit races, led by the Little Brown Jug for three-year-old pacers. Hoosier Park features eight Grand Circuit races, including the Caesars Trotting Classic for open trotters. Mohawk Park’s week will include the Mohawk Million for two-year-old trotters, Canadian Trotting Classic and Elegantimage finals for three-year-old trotters and the Metro Pace and Shes A Great Lady finals for freshman pacers. Tioga will host Reynolds Memorial races for two-year-olds of both sexes and gaits.
(Grand Circuit)