The Grand Circuit's weekly overview highlights its upcoming races at Yonkers Raceway and Meadowlands Racetrack.
This Week: MGM Yonkers Trot and MGM Grand Messenger Stakes eliminations, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, New York; and Graduate Series and Miss Versatility legs, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Schedule of Events: The Grand Circuit weekend kicks off on Friday, June 21 at Yonkers Raceway, with a pair of $25,000 USD eliminations in the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes, the first leg of the Pacing Triple Crown for three-year-olds. There is also a single $25,000 USD elimination in the MGM Yonkers Trot, the first leg of the Trotting Triple Crown for three-year-olds.
Grand Circuit racing shifts to The Meadowlands on Saturday, June 22 for the third leg of the Graduate Series for four-year-old pacers and trotters. There will be a pair of $50,000 USD divisions in both the Open Pace and the Open Trot. Also on the card will be the third leg of the Miss Versatility Series for older trotting mares, with a single $40,000 USD division set to go behind the gate.
Entries for the races can be found on the USTA website.
Last Time: In a race chock full of contenders, it was Nijinsky, courtesy of a flawless journey orchestrated by Louis-Philippe Roy, who came out on top in the 41st edition of the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup, held Saturday night, June 15 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. To read the compete story, click here.
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 15, 2024):
Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 159.5; 2. Dexter Dunn – 156; 3. Matt Kakaley – 142; 4. Jason Bartlett – 121.5; 5. Louis Roy – 112.
Trainers: 1. Travis Alexander – 117; 2. Ron Burke – 107; 3. Per Engblom – 94.5; 4. Anthony Beaton – 77; 5. Nancy Takter – 59.
Owners: 1. Guy Corbeil – 57; 2. Kathy Cecchin – 50; 3. Graham Grace Stables – 45; 4. Mark Ford – 42; 5. West Wins Stable – 36.6.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place next week at Yonkers Raceway, The Meadowlands, and Woodbine Mohawk Park. Yonkers will have the MGM Yonkers Trot final for three-year-old open trotters, the MGM Grand Messenger final for three-year-old open pacers, the Park MGM Pace for three-year-old fillies and the New York New York Mile for sophomore trotting fillies; The Meadowlands will feature four events for the older set, the Dave Brower Memorial for open pacers, the Crawford Farms for open trotters, the Perfect Sting for pacing mares and the Six Pack for trotting mares, plus Reynolds Memorial races for three-year-old colt and filly trotters and the first leg of the Kindergarten Series for two-year-olds of both sexes and gaits; and Mohawk Park has Tompkins-Geers Stakes for two-year-olds of both sexes and gaits.
(Grand Circuit)