With several special-event races allowing handicappers to use additional funds to wager on the card this past weekend, the handicappers took advantage of the situation in HANA Harness’ 2013 Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge, which allowed Richard Scott to move from sixth place to second place with the top four handicappers being within $50 of each other.

Despite a relatively bad week, Mark McKelvie remains on top, $31.27 ahead of Scott.

While Friday night’s stakes races, the William Conners Memorial and Miss Versatility, were relatively tame for the handicappers, they went to town on Saturday night at Balmoral Park and the Meadowlands, as Ray Garnett, Dennis O’Hara, and Anne Stepien collected some nice Trifectas. Richard Scott managed to hit some solid returns on straight wagers.

Key Hits: Ray Garnett – Four horse $1 trifecta box in second division of the Hanover Stakes for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers paying $211.60; Mark McKelvie – Two horse $1 exacta box in William R. Haughton Memorial paying $56.30; Dennis O’Hara - $5 Trifecta partial wheel ($30) in first division of Hanover Stakes for three-year-old filly pacers paid $117.00; Richard Scott - $15 Win, Place ticket on second division of Hanover Stakes for three-year-old filly pacers paying $166.50; Anne Stepien - $1 four horse Trifecta box in the William R. Haughton Memorial grossing $339.50.

Contest Schedule This Week

THURSDAY, JULY 18

• Tioga Downs $75,000 (Est.) Tompkins-Geers (2yoCGT), $75,000 (Est.) Tompkins-Geers (2yoFT).

FRIDAY, JULY 19

•Tioga Downs $70,000 (Est.) Tompkins-Geers (2yoFP), $65,000 (Est.) Tompkins-Geers (2yoCGP).

SATURDAY, JULY 20

• Mohawk Racetrack $340,000 (Est.) Roses Are Red (F&M Open Pacers), $543,000 Maple Leaf Trot (Open)
• Northfield Park $100,000 (Gtd.) Battle of Lake Erie (Open Pacers)
• Tioga Downs $70,000 (Est.) Tompkins-Geers (3yoCGT), $65,000 (Est.) Tompkins-Geers (3yoFT)
• Yonkers Raceway $100,000 (Est.) Lawrence B Sheppard (2yo Open Pacers).

SUNDAY, JULY 21

• Tioga Downs $65,000 (Est.) Tompkins-Geers (3yoFP), $70,000 (Est.) Tompkins-Geers (3yoCGP).

(HANA)