The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its preview for upcoming Grand Circuit races.

This Week: Breeders Crown finals, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. and Kindergarten Series, Vernon Downs, Vernon, NY.

Schedule of events: The 12 Breeders Crown championship events on Saturday night (October 19) at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs will be front and centre in the Grand Circuit spotlight this week. Breeders Crown championship races will be held for two-year-olds, three-year-olds and older standardbreds of both sexes and gaits.

Vernon Downs will host the fifth leg of the Kindergarten Series for two-year-old colt and filly trotters on Friday (October 18). There will be two $10,000 divisions for the colts and two $10,000 divisions for the fillies.

Last time: Breeders Crown eliminations were held this past weekend at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, as 18 contests were raced at the speedy five-eighths-mile oval.

Bee A Magican and Captaintreacherous were among the winners this past weekend.

Bee A Magician, with Brian Sears in the bike, continued to dominate her division with an easy win in the second three-year-old filly trot Breeders Crown elimination in 1:52.4 this past Saturday night. Bee A Magician needed no urging to dismiss a closing Ma Chere Hall, who could do no better than follow the top filly home. Time To Kill got third and Handover Belle took the fourth spot.

Melvin Hartman, Herb Liverman and David McDuffee own the daughter of Kadabra-Beehive, trained by Nifty Norman. She is undefeated this season in 14 starts.

Captaintreacherous (driven by Tim Tetrick) was challenged and challenged again throughout the mile, but was strong enough to win the second Breeders Crown three-year-old colt pace elimination at Pocono Downs on Saturday in 1:49.2. Captaintreacherous refused to surrender, regardless of the stressful trip, which got to pacesetter Vegas Vacation as he faded eventually to fourth, though Sunfire Blue Chip kept going to get second and Beach Memories passed tired ones to take third.

The Tony Alagna-trained son of Somebeachsomewhere-Worldly Treasure, bred by White Birch Farms and owned by Captaintreacherous Racing, won his 11th of 12 sophomore races.

Several world records were set in the Crown eliminations, including one by freshman trotting colt Father Patrick (Yannick Gingras). Father Patrick wore down Nuncio after a stretch duel to win the single Breeders Crown elimination for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings in a world record clocking of 1:52.1 on Friday night.

The streaking Father Patrick improved his record to 9-1-0 in 10 starts while surpassing the $500,000 earnings mark. The son of 2003 Breeders Crown champion Cantab Hall out of Gala Dream is owned by the Father Patrick Stable of East Windsor, NJ.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2013, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will 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). Hanover Shoe Farms is the sponsor for the 2013 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders following the past weekend:

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 1,488; 2. Tim Tetrick – 1,321; 3. David Miller - 898; 4. Brian Sears - 617.5; and 5. Andy Miller – 577.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 1,409.5; 2. Jimmy Takter – 972.5; 3. Linda Toscano – 443.5; 4. Jonas Czernyson – 382.5; and 5. Tony Alagna – 371.

Owners: 1. Burke Racing – 313; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 293.55; 3. Brittany Farms – 230.1; 4. Frank Bellino – 218.5; and 5. WJ Donovan – 197.75.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place next weekend at Vernon Downs, Yonkers Raceway and Hoosier Park. Vernon will host the Kindergarten finals and consolations for the two-year-old trotters, Yonkers will have eliminations for the Messenger and Lady Maud for three-year-old pacers and Hoosier Park will contest divisions of the Circle City for three-year-old colt pacers and trotters and two-year-olds of both sexes and gaits.

(With files from the Grand Circuit)