The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its weekly story recapping and previewing Grand Circuit races.
This Week: Fall Final Four finals, TVG Series finals, Tarport Hap and Continentalvictory, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.
Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit heads to Meadowlands Racetrack this weekend with action on Friday (Nov. 20) and Saturday (Nov. 21). On Friday, there will be four stakes races including the $409,850 Goldsmith Maid final for two-year-old filly trotters, the $385,250 Three Diamonds final for two-year-old pacing fillies, and a pair of $200,000 TVG Series finals for pacing and trotting mares. Saturday features six Grand Circuit stakes including the $489,400 Valley Victory final for two-year-old male trotters, the $413,000 Governor’s Cup for two-year-old male pacers, a pair of $400,000 TVG Series final for pacing and trotting horses, the $173,500 Tarport Hap for three-year-old pacing fillies and the $144,000 Continentalvictory for three-year-old trotting fillies.
Last time: Mission Brief stole the thunder while Wiggle It Jiggleit was dominant in last Thursday's (Nov. 12) Matron Stakes at Dover Downs. Crazy Wow and Mosquito Blue Chip won the other Matrons on a balmy 60-degree night.
In the $187,400 Matron for three-year-old filly trotters, Mission Brief got back in winning form, establishing a 1:50.2 world record over a five-eighths-mile track. Yannick Gingras took the Muscle Hill-Southwind Serena filly past Wild Honey (driven by John Campbell) after the opening panel and set sail to her ninth win of the season in 13 starts, drawing off for a five and three-quarter-length conquest. Wild Honey was second best, with Speak To Me (Brett Miller) third. Trained by Ron Burke, Mission Brief now has $929,317 earned this season and $1,520,387 lifetime for Burke Racing Stable, Our Horse Cents Stables, J&T Silva Stables, and Weaver Bruscemi.
Wiggle It Jiggleit continued his assault on sub-1:50 miles for a sophomore pacer, annexing a 1:49.4 triumph in the $201,900 Matron male pace. Montrell Teague permitted Wakizashi Hanover (Tim Tetrick) to set the early tempo before pulling out in front of the grandstand and annexed command past the half. The George Teague Jr. Inc. owned and Clyde Francis trained pacer then roared down the backstretch and came home in :27.4 for a two and a half-length score. Dealt A Winner (David Miller) was second and Artistic Major (Scott Zeron) third, as second favourite Wakizashi Hanover backed up and finished eighth. The win was the 20th of 2015 for the Mr Wiggles-Mozzi Hanover gelding, who in 25 lifetime races has 21 wins and three second-place finishes. The pacer has now won $2,014,495 this campaign.
Tim Tetrick sent the sharp Crazy Wow to the front after the opening quarter and never looked back enroute to a seven length victory in the $243,550 Matron male trot, giving the sport’s leading trainer Ron Burke a double. The win was the ninth this season for the Crazed-No Pan No Gain colt who now goes into seven-figure earnings, $1,027,612 this season and $1,260,540 lifetime. He is owned by Deo Volente Farms, Our Horse Cents Stables, JT45 and J&T Silva stables. Crescent Fashion (Scott Zeron) was best of the rest with French Laundry (Brett Miller) third.
In the $205,150 Matron Filly Pace, Daniel Dube went right to the front with Mosquito Blue Chip and took no prisoners, chalking up a 1:49.2 success, only one-fifth of a second off the track record set by Shebestingin in 2013. Owned by Donato Falcicchio, Paul Jessop and Our Three Sons Stable, the Bettor’s Delight-Sandfly Hanover distaff conditioned by Rene Allard racked up her sixth win of the year for $373,535 in earnings. She has now earned $614,086 in her two years of racing. Race Favorite Devil Child (Tetrick) saw her three race win streak come to an end, finishing second. Bedroomconfessions (Gingras) was the show horse.
This past Saturday night (Nov. 14) at The Meadowlands featured the final $50,000 preliminary legs for the TVG Free For All Pacing and Trotting Championships.
Resolve, fresh off his runner-up performance in the Breeders Crown, was established as the 6-5 betting choice in the TVG Free For All Trot and he did not disappoint. Resolve had plenty in reserve and sprinted through the final three-eighths of a mile to win in 1:53.3 for trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt. E L Titan trotted well despite a first-over trip and was able to land the runner-up spot with Melady’s Monet third. For Resolve, the win marked his third of the season. The four-year-old by Muscle Hill is owned by Hans Enggren.
A compact field of four contested the $50,000 TVG Free For All Pace after a pair of scratches. JK Endofanera was released as the 2-5 favourite and the William Haughton Memorial winner Mach It So was sent off the 5-2 second choice. Neither of them made the lead as Arthur Blue Chip would establish the pace from his inside starting position. Mach It So was riding the pocket as long as he could through three-quarters of 1:24.2 before ripping out of the pocket and launching a :25.3 final quarter to score in 1:50.1. Arthur Blue Chip held on for the runner-up spot while JK Endofanera hit his best stride late, but drifted in the stretch as a wide third. Mach It So is trained by Jeffrey Bamond Jr. for Bamond Racing. Tetrick was the winning driver.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2015, 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 Farm is the sponsor for the 2015 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders following the past week’s action:
Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 1,524; 2. David Miller – 1,234.5; 3. Tim Tetrick – 1,125; 4. Brett Miller – 665; 5. Scott Zeron – 581.5.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 1,812; 2. Jimmy Takter – 1,565; 3. Tony Alagna – 582.5; 4. Ake Svanstedt – 366; 5. Jeff Bamond Jr. – 350.
Owners: 1. Burke Racing – 414.15; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 344.7; 3. Bamond Racing – 285; 4. Christina Takter – 249.6; 5. George Teague Jr. Inc. – 220.
Looking ahead: After this weekend, the Grand Circuit has only two stakes remaining in the 2015 campaign – the Hap Hansen Progress Pace at Dover Downs (eliminations on Nov. 23 and the final on Nov. 30) and the Courageous Lady at Northfield Park (on Nov. 27).
(Grand Circuit)