The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its weekly recap and preview of Grand Circuit races.
This Week: Breeders Crown eliminations, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Wilkes-Barre, Pa; The Pegasus, Hoosier Park, Anderson, Ind.; and Kindergarten Series, the Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.
Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit heads to The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono this Friday (Oct. 19) and Saturday (Oct. 20) for Breeders Crown eliminations in 11 divisions. Eliminations will not be required for the open pace.
The Friday card features a trio of $25,000 eliminations in the two-year-old colt pace and two-year-old filly trot and two $25,000 eliminations in the two-year-old filly pace and two-year-old colt trot.
The Saturday card has a total of 14 eliminations, with each carrying a purse of $25,000. The three-year-old colt pace will split three ways, while the three-year-old filly pace has a lone elimination. There will be two eliminations in the three-year-old colt and filly trot, mare pace and trot, and open trot.
On Friday night at Hoosier Park, there will be nine divisions of The Pegasus for three-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. The $80,100 filly trot will be contested in three divisions, while the $85,500 colt trot, the $73,500 colt pace and the $68,100 filly pace will each have two divisions.
The Meadowlands on Friday night will host another leg of The Kindergarten Series for two-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. There will be two divisions each in the colt pace, colt trot, filly pace and filly trot. Each race has a purse of $10,000.
Last time: Brian Sears and Sweden’s 30-1 out-the-whole-way Cruzado Dela Noche stalked, then snapped, Norway’s Lionel (Goran Antonsen) at the wire Saturday afternoon (Oct. 13), winning the $1 million Yonkers International Trot at Empire City Casino.
The one and one-quarter-mile 40th International began with 10 world-class trotters representing seven countries. It ended in the first turn for 7-5 favourite Ringsostarr Treb (Wim Paal) of Italy and Sweden’s Pastore Bob (John Untersteiner) after both made breaks trying to leave.
After that merriment, Italy’s Arazi Boko (Alessandro Gocciadoro) made the first lead, working around the lone American and lone lass Ariana G (Yannick Gingras) before a :28.2 opening quarter-mile. The U.S. miss then played leapfrog, retaking from Arazi Boko before Canada’s Marion Marauder (Scott Zeron) – out early from the cones – made the lead.
It was a :57.1 half with triple-millionaire Marion Marauder doing his thing and Lionel now first-up, having moved from fifth. He took it to Marion Marauder from the 1:27 three-quarters to the 1:55.3 mile.
Meanwhile, Cruzado Dela Noche, who from Post 6 advanced to be second-over, went three-deep early. It was Lionel putting away Marion Marauder soon after the final turn, needing only to hold off the horse he towed.
Despite racing his eyeballs out, Lionel could not stall Cruzado Dela Noche, who prevailed by a head in 2:24.3 at a $62.50 win mutuel. France’s Up And Quick (Jason Bartlett) knifed through to grab third – beaten one and three-quarter lengths – with Ariana G and Marion Marauder rounding out the payees.
For Cruzado Dela Noche, a six-year-old son of Muscle Massive leased by Anders Strom’s Courant Inc. and trained by Marcus Melander, it was his second win in seven seasonal starts.
Cruzado Dela Noche, who spent his first two racing seasons in North America before being exported, is Sweden’s sixth International Trot winner.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2018, 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 2018 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders following the past weekend.
Drivers: 1. Tim Tetrick – 1,299.5; 2. Yannick Gingras – 1,267; 3. David Miller – 1,056.5; 4. Scott Zeron – 629; 5. Andrew McCarthy – 550.5.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 1,047.5; 2. Jimmy Takter – 1,023; 3. Tony Alagna – 603.5; 4. Jim Campbell – 420; 5. Julie Miller – 409.
Owners: 1. Fashion Farms – 313; 2. Burke Racing Stable – 226.2; 3. Diamond Creek Racing – 211.2; 4. Weaver Bruscemi – 209.7; 5. Marvin Katz – 206.
Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will once again take place next week at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono with Breeders Crown finals in all 12 categories (two and three-year-old colt and filly pacers and trotters and older horse and mare pacers and trotters). Hoosier Park will host Circle City divisions for three-year-olds and Madison County divisions for two-year-olds. In addition, The Meadowlands will host another leg of the Kindergarten Series for two-year-old pacers and trotters of both sexes.
(Grand Circuit)