The second week of the Grand Circuit at the Red Mile was a frustrating one for the handicappers, yet by the time the last race for the year at the Red Mile concluded, Derick Giwner was the last man standing as he clawed out weekly honours in HANA Harness’ Grand Circuit Shoot-Out Handicapping Contest with a net profit of $258.

How tough a week was it? The only other player with a positive return on investment was Brian McEvoy, who managed a net profit of $67.50. Overall leader Bob Zanakis, who, despite his net loss of $246.50 for the week, managed, with his contest-to-date-net-profit of $1,839.65, to lengthen his lead to $1,179.65 over second-place Mark McKelvie, with Josi Verlingieri and Brandon Valvo right behind in third and fourth place, respectively.

On Thursday (October 2), it became clear this was not going to be a breakout week, as the day ended with Anne Stepien ($90 net profit), Rusty Nash ($83), and Brian McEvoy ($30) showing modest profits with the majority of handicappers losing most, if not all, of their daily bankrolls. Stepien came out ahead on the first day thanks to her $20 WPS ticket ($60 total) on first division winner, Flirty Filly, in the International Stallion Stakes (ISS) for two-year-old filly trotters, which returned $266, while Nash made his net profit with a $20 win/place ticket ($40) on Flirty Filly, returning $222.00.

On Friday, Verilingieri and Giwner showed signs of coming to life with respective daily net profits of $215 and $164. In the third division of the ISS for two-year-old trotting colts, Verilingieri’s $85 win ticket on race winner Pinkman paid $425, while Giwner coupled the race winner with Billy Flynn to form a winning $40 exacta ticket which returned $384.

Saturday belonged to Earl Paulson ($150) and Bob Zanakis ($125). Paulson’s profit was made on a single wager on the second division of the Tattersalls when his $250 win play on JK Endofanera returned $400. Zanakis earned a $125 profit on the second division of the ISS for two-year-old colt pacers by playing a $250 win ticket on Lost For Words.

Sunday’s finale was a case of recovery for handicappers Ray Garnett ($628) and Gordon Waterstone ($295), and sealing victory by Giwner ($391). Garnett’s profit came on a single wager, a $20 Exacta box of four horses in the Allerage Farms Open, which turned a $240 investment into an $868 return thanks to State Treasurer finishing ahead of Foiled Again. Giwner’s daily profit came from a $5 Trifecta Key ($100 total) on the first division of the Allerage F&M Open, returning $641. Waterstone’s was heard from in the second division of the Allerage F&M stakes when his $150 win, $100 place wagers on Yagonnakissmeornot returning $545.

The current standings after the completion of the weekend’s activity are:

This week the Grand Circuit Shoot-Out heads to Illinois for American-National Saturday.

(HANA)