While early on in the contest, Bob Zanakis led all the handicappers this week and easily rolled to the front in HANA Harness’ 2014 Grand Circuit ‘Shoot-Out’ Handicapping Contest thanks to a net profit of $953.85 for the week and an overall profit of $827.35 for the first four legs of the contest.

With Zanakis’ lead, Brandon Valvo drops back to second place with an overall profit of $695. Out of 15 handicappers, seven were in the black.

Gordon Waterstone kicked off the weekend’s activity with a $540 profit on the second division of the Lady Suffolk at Freehold Raceway with a $40 Exacta Wheel topped with 1-9 Cee Bee Yes and 35-1 long shot Pinking of You in the runner-up spot.

After that, it was the Bob Zanakis show.

On Saturday, Zanakis earned $408 on the Dexter Cup by earning $275 with a $25 Exacta partial wheel and $162.15 on a $.50 Superfecta play. Sunday night, the debut of the Grand Circuit racing at Miami Valley Raceway once again found Zanakis in front with a $490.20 profit followed by Mark McKelvie ($390), Brandon Valvo ($375), and Garnet Barnsdale ($322). Barnsdale earned $442 on a $65 Trifecta partial wheel in the Miami Valley Distaff Trot while McKelvie earned a profit of $196 on the Sam ‘Chip’ Noble Memorial Pace and $194 on the distaff trot. First-week leader Valvo earned $375 by betting $250 to win on Shebestingin in the Skip Noble Memorial.

The standings at the end of the fourth leg of the contest are:

The Grand Circuit Shoot-Out resumes on Saturday evening, May 10, at the Meadowlands for the 1st leg of the TVG/Meadowlands Early Closing series.

(HANA)