The Grand Circuit's weekly overview highlights its upcoming races at Freehold Raceway, Plainridge Park and The Meadowlands.
This Week: Dexter Cup and Lady Suffolk, Freehold Raceway, Freehold, New Jersey.; Paul Revere Pace, Plainridge Park, Plainville, Massachusetts; and Miss Versatility Series opening leg, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Schedule of Events: Grand Circuit action begins Thursday, May 4 at Plainridge Park with two $50,000 divisions in the Paul Revere Pace for three-year-old males.
Freehold Raceway will host Grand Circuit stakes on Saturday, May 6 with the $137,775 Dexter Cup for three-year-old male trotters and two divisions in the $56,450 Lady Suffolk for three-year-old filly trotters.
Also on Saturday, The Meadowlands has a $40,000 first leg division in the Miss Versatility Series for open trotting mares.
Complete entries for the races can be found on the USTA website.
Last Time: The 47-1 shot Hellabalou pulled off the big upset in the $511,000 MGM Borgata Pacing Series final on Monday night, April 24 at MGM Yonkers Raceway, rallying up the inside in the lane after yielding to sit in the pocket early. The final time for the Joe Bongiorno-driven, Ron Burke-trained horse was 1:50.3.
Amazing Dream N and driver Yannick Gingras drew the pole for Monday’s $328,200 Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final at MGM Yonkers Raceway and used that position to advantage, setting all the fractions and drawing clear in the homestretch to score an impressive victory in a 1:53.1 mile.
For a list of 2023 race winners on the Grand Circuit, click here.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2023, 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 2023 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders (through the races on April 24, 2023):
Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 107; 2. Jordan Stratton – 92; 3. Matt Kakaley – 90; 4. Dexter Dunn – 55; 5. Jason Bartlett – 46.
Trainers: 1t. Jeff Gillis – 82; 1t. Ron Burke – 82; 3. Linda Toscano – 70; 4t. Travis Alexander – 54; 4t. Jared Bako – 54.
Owners: 1. Mark Ford – 78; 2. Robert Di Nozzi – 39; 3. 1362313 Ontario Ltd. – 37; 4. Jesmeral Stable – 32; 5. Guy Corbeil – 29.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place at The Meadowlands on May 20 with the Arthur Cutler Memorial for older trotters.
(Grand Circuit)