The Grand Circuit's weekly overview highlights its upcoming races at Woodbine Mohawk Park, The Meadows and Meadowlands Racetrack.
This Week: North America Cup, Fan Hanover, Goodtimes, Roses Are Red and Armbro Flight, Woodbine Mohawk Park, Milton, Ont.; Currier & Ives, The Meadows, Washington, Pa.; and Graduate Series leg, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, N.J.
Schedule of Events: A top-flight card of Grand Circuit racing will take place on Saturday, June 15 at Woodbine Mohawk Park and will be led by the $1 million North America Cup for three-year-old pacing colts. Also on tap are the $425,000 Fan Hanover for three-year-old pacing fillies, the $305,000 Roses Are Red for older pacing mares, the $233,000 Armbro Flight for older trotting mares and the $225,000 Goodtimes for three-year-old male trotters.
Also on Saturday, The Meadows will offer two divisions in the $97,854 USD Currier & Ives for three-year-old male trotters.
On Friday, June 14, The Meadowlands will host two $50,000 USD divisions each of the second leg of the Graduate Series for four-year-old pacers and four-year-old trotters.
Entries for the Meadows and Meadowlands races can be found on the USTA website. Entries for the Mohawk Park races can be found by clicking here.
Last Time: As the old saying goes, "the third time's the charm," and for Little Rocket Man, the third trip to the $273,973 Battle of Lake Erie was a winning one. He scored an impressive upset victory on Saturday, June 8 at MGM Northfield Park. Click here to read the full recap.
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 June 8, 2024):
Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 145.5; 2. Matt Kakaley – 142; 3. Jason Bartlett – 121.5; 4. Dexter Dunn – 121; 5. Louis Roy – 77.
Trainers: 1. Travis Alexander – 117; 2. Ron Burke – 90; 3. Per Engblom – 87.5. 4t. Ricky Bucci – 57; 4t. Anthony Beaton – 57.
Owners: 1. Guy Corbeil – 57; 2. Kathy Cecchin – 50; 3. Mark Ford – 42; 4. Flatland Racing – 35; 5t. Jeff Fought Racing – 31.8; 5t. Brian Carsey – 31.8.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place next week at Yonkers Raceway and The Meadowlands. Yonkers will have eliminations for a pair of Triple Crown races, the MGM Yonkers Trot for three-year-old open trotters and the MGM Grand Messenger for three-year-old open pacers. The Meadowlands will feature the third leg of the Graduate Series for four-year-old pacers and trotters and the Miss Versatility for older trotting mares.
(Grand Circuit)