The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its weekly story recapping and previewing Grand Circuit races.
This Week: John Simpson Memorial Stakes, W.N. Reynolds Memorial and Arthur J. Cutler Memorial Prep/TVG Free For All Series, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J. Confederation Cup eliminations, Flamboro Downs, Dundas, Ont.
Schedule of Events: The Grand Circuit at Meadowlands Racetrack this week begins on Friday (May 8) with the $43,106 W.N. Reynolds Memorial for three-year-old filly pacers and the $39,816 John Simpson Memorial for three-year-old filly trotters. The Saturday (May 9) card at The Big M features the $50,000 Arthur J. Cutler Memorial Prep for older trotters, part of the TVG Free For All Series.
Flamboro Downs on Sunday (May 10) will host C$20,000 Confederation Cup eliminations for four-year-old open pacers.
Last Time: Sophomore male trotters and older mares of both gaits were in the spotlight last weekend with Grand Circuit action at Freehold Raceway and Miami Valley Raceway.
Habitat was a wire-to-wire winner in 1:56.4 in the Dexter Cup.
Habitat made life easy for driver Yannick Gingras in Saturday’s (May 2) $133,170 Dexter Cup, taking the lead after the first turn and cruising to a 3-3/4 length win over Divisionist in 1:56.4 at Freehold Raceway.
A son of Conway Hall-Habits Best, the colt is trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing, Our Horse Cents Stables, and Weaver Bruscemi.
Habitat was making his seasonal debut in the Dexter Cup. He led the field through fractions of :28.2, :58.4 and 1:27.4 on his way to victory.
“On the backstretch, I could tell they were coming a little bit so I just opened him up a little so I wouldn’t have to rush him in the last turn,” Gingras said. “He was never in doubt.”
Gabe The Bear Dean finished third, followed by Apostles Creed, Sixteen Encores, Ha Taylor, Broken Record and Bavaro.
Grand Circuit action produced two new track records on closing day (May 3) of the 2015 meet at Miami Valley Raceway.
Reigning older Mare Trotter of the Year Classic Martine powered to the fastest trotting mile in the two-year history of Miami Valley -- 1:52.2 -- in the Miami Valley Distaff.
Classic Martine and Tim Tetrick rallied on the outside to win The Miami Valley Distaff in a track-record 1:52.2.
Despite drawing the outside number nine post position in the $86,500 race, driver Tim Tetrick sent Classic Martine directly on her way, immediately reaching the quarter station on top in :27. At that point Tetrick let favoured Shake It Cerry (Yannick Gingras) take the lead going to the :56 halfway station.
Daylon Miracle (Aaron Merriman) launched a first-over attack just past the half with Charmed Life (Jody Jamieson) in tow. Daylon Miracle had a neck advantage by the three-quarters in 1:23.3 with Shake It Cerry second, Charmed Life third and Classic Martine fourth.
At the top of the stretch, the field fanned out with six mares still within three lengths. Classic Martine had the most trot down the lane, holding off Charmed Life, who was making a strong bid along the pylons on the inside. Daylon Miracle hung on for third.
Off at 15-1 odds, the winner paid a healthy $32.20 and keyed an $81.80 exacta. Chris Oakes trains Classic Martine, who became the sport’s newest million dollar earner with the victory.
Yagonnakissmeornot established a new Miami Valley standard for pacing mares with her 1:50.3 triumph in the second annual $75,000 Chip Noble Memorial.
Driver Daniel Dube took full advantage of drawing the innermost post position, going gate-to-wire to top Table Talk (Jody Jamieson) by a neck with Waasmula (James MacDonald) also lapped on at the finish.
Rene Allard trains Yagonnakissmeornot, who is now just $45,000 shy of becoming a millionaire. Off as a lukewarm favourite, the winning six-year-old daughter of The Panderosa returned $5.80 and headed a $72.80 exacta.
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 Farms is the sponsor for the 2015 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders following the past weekend:
Drivers: 1. Daniel Dube – 125; 2. Jason Bartlett – 123; 3. George Brennan – 92; 4. Yannick Gingras – 86; 5. Brian Sears – 68.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 168; 2. Jeff Bamond Jr. – 154; 3. Rene Allard – 105; 4. Mark Silva – 45; 5. Tony O’Sullivan – 32.
Owners: 1. Bamond Racing – 138.5; 2t. Burke Racing - 43.55; 2t. Weaver Bruscemi – 43.55; 4. Jeff Snyder – 35; 5. Allard Racing – 34.90.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit action will again take place next weekend at Meadowlands Racetrack, with the Arthur Cutler Memorial for older trotters and the TVG Series for older pacers, while Flamboro Downs will host the Confederation Cup final for four-year-old open pacers.
(With files from Grand Circuit)