The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its preview for upcoming Grand Circuit races.
This Week: Molson Pace, The Raceway at Western Fair District, London, Ontario; Art Rooney and Lismore, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y.; Somebeachsomewhere, Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, Ontario; and Roll With Joe, Tioga Downs, Nichols, N.Y.
Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit will take place at four locations this weekend. Action begins on Friday (May 30) at The Raceway at Western Fair District with the $150,000 Molson Pace for free for all pacers. In addition to the appearance of defending champion State Treasurer, who will start from the rail, two-time winner Foiled Again drew the outside Post 7 in the eight-horse field and will be making his sixth appearance in London’s signature race.
Yonkers Raceway will host the $300,000 final of the Art Rooney Pace (three-year-old colts/geldings) and the $124,744 Lismore Pace (three-year-old fillies) on Saturday (May 31). Elimination winners Stevensville and All Bets Off lead the field in the Art Rooney Pace, while the Lismore is led by Southwind Silence and Tyra, who captured last weekend’s pair of eliminations.
Also on Saturday, Mohawk Racetrack will host a trio of $75,000 divisions of the Somebeachsomewhere for three-year-old pacing colts.
The Grand Circuit action concludes on Sunday (June 1) as Tioga Downs will host the $200,000 (est.) Roll With Joe for free for all pacers.
Last time: Last weekend’s Grand Circuit action was highlighted by the Maxie Lee Memorial for trotters and the Betsy Ross for pacing mares at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Market Share won the $250,000 Maxie Lee by two lengths over Sevruga in 1:50.2. The time established the record for history’s fastest on a five-eighths-mile track, which previously was 1:50.3 and shared by Sevruga and Uncle Peter.
Sent off as the 1-5 favourite, Market Share and driver Tim Tetrick settled into fourth place behind Sevruga, Arch Madness, and Daylon Magician in the early part of the race. Market Share moved into second place on the backstretch before challenging Sevruga for the top spot on the final turn. Sevruga finished second followed by DWs NY Yank and Arch Madness.
“Nowadays, when you win a stakes race it’s either a stakes record or a world record,” trainer Linda Toscano said. “The horses are faster, the equipment is better; you just have to go (speed-wise) where you have to go to win. These are good horses, all of them.”
Market Share, a five-year-old who won for the second time in three starts this season, is owned by Richard Gutnick, TLP Stable and Bill Augustine. Gutnick, a Philadelphia native, won the 2012 Maxie Lee with Chapter Seven.
Two races later on the card, Anndrovette and Tetrick won the $250,000 Betsy Ross for older female pacers by two lengths over Rocklamation in 1:50.2.
Anndrovette took the lead from Monkey On My Wheel as the field headed to the halfway point and never looked back. Rocklamation made a late charge from the rear of the pack, but finished second. Jerseylicious was third, followed by Monkey On My Wheel.
Sent off at odds of 5-1, Anndrovette paid $13.40 to Win. Morning line favourite Shebestingin was scratched.
It was Anndrovette’s second win in seven starts this season and first since winning a leg of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series at Yonkers Raceway on April 4. She was fourth in the Matchmaker final on April 26.
Anndrovette, who captured the 2011 Betsy Ross, is owned by Bamond Racing and Joe Davino. The seven-year-old mare, a three-time Dan Patch Award winner, has won 37 of 95 career races and $2.77 million. She is trained by P.J. Fraley.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2014, 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 2014 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders following the past weekend.
Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 286; 2. Tim Tetrick – 225; 3. George Brennan – 144.5; 4. Ron Pierce - 113: 5. Brian Sears – 101.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 410.5; 2. PJ Fraley – 155; 3. Joe Holloway – 97; 4. Jimmy Takter – 95; 5. Julie Miller - 80.
Owners: 1. Bamond Racing – 128.5; 2. Burke Racing - 96.85; 3. Weaver Bruscemi – 94.35; 4. 3 Brothers Stable – 40; 5. Brad Grant – 39.5.
Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place at four different racetracks next weekend. The Meadows will host three-year-old filly trotters with the Currier & Ives on Wednesday (June 4). Mohawk will feature three sets of eliminations for three-year-olds, plus the Armbro Flight and Roses Are Red for older mares. The Goodtimes eliminations for colt trotters and the Armbro Flight eliminations for mare trotters will take place on Friday (June 6), while on Saturday (June 7) the track will host elims in the North America Cup (colt pacers), Fan Hanover (filly pacers) and Roses Are Red (mare pacers). Also on Saturday, Scioto Downs will host the Charlie Hill for free for all trotters and Balmoral Park will offer Hanover Stakes for three-year-old colt and filly trotters.
(With files from the Grand Circuit)