The Grand Circuit's weekly overview highlights its upcoming races at Meadowlands Racetrack, Hoosier Park and Pocono Downs.
This Week: Breeders Crown eliminations, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, New Jersey; The Pegasus, Harrah’s Hoosier Park, Anderson, Indiana; and John Simpson Stakes, Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Schedule of Events: Breeders Crown eliminations at The Meadowlands will take place on Friday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 19. On Friday, there will be three $25,000 USD eliminations for two-year-old filly trotters and two $25,000 USD eliminations each for two-year-old male trotters, two-year-old male pacers and two-year-old filly pacers. On Saturday, there is a single $25,000 USD Mare Pace elimination and two $25,000 USD eliminations each for three-year-old male pacers, three-year-old filly pacers, three-year-old male trotters, three-year-old filly trotters and older male pacers. The Open Trot and Mare Trot went straight to finals.
Also on Friday, Hoosier Park will host six Pegasus races for three-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. There will be a single $42,000 USD division in the filly trot, a single $40,000 USD division in the colt trot, a pair of $25,000 USD divisions in the colt pace and two divisions (one for $20,300 USD and one for $20,000 USD) in the filly pace.
Next Monday, Oct. 21 and Tuesday, Oct. 22, Pocono will host the John Simpson Stakes for three-year-old filly pacers and trotters and two-year-old colt pacers. Monday’s card will feature two $58,000 USD divisions in the two-year-old colt pace and four $30,000 USD divisions in the three-year-old filly trot. Tuesday’s card has a pair of divisions in the three-year-old filly pace. The first division will go for $41,800 USD and the second division will go for $42,200 USD.
Complete entries for all the races are available on the United States Trotting Association website.
Last Time: There were no Grand Circuit races scheduled this past weekend. For a list of 2024 race winners on the Grand Circuit, click here.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2024, 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 2024 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders (through the races on Oct. 7, 2024):
Drivers: 1. Dexter Dunn – 1,456; 2. Yannick Gingras – 919.5; 3. David Miller – 639; 4. Scott Zeron – 602; 5. Todd McCarthy – 536.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 972; 2. Ake Svanstedt – 750; 3. Nancy Takter – 545; 4. Marcus Melander – 484; 5. Noel Daley – 352.
Owners: 1. Burke Racing Stable – 229.9; 2. Determination – 205; 3. Weaver Bruscemi – 182.4; 4. Ake Svanstedt Inc. – 146.3; 5. Hudson Standardbred Stable – 142.5.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place next week at The Meadowlands, Hoosier Park and Pocono Downs. The Meadowlands will offer 12 Breeders Crown finals for two-year-olds, three-year-olds and older horses of both sexes and gaits, as well as the fourth leg of the Kindergarten Series for two-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. Hoosier will host The Circle City for three-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. Pocono will card John Simpson Stakes for two and three-year-olds of both sexes and gaits.
(Grand Circuit)