The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its preview for upcoming Grand Circuit races.
This Week: Maple Leaf Trot final, Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, Ontario; Battle of Lake Erie, Northfield Park, Northfield, Ohio; Lawrence B. Sheppard final, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y.; W.N. Reynolds Memorial, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.; and Delvin Miller Adios eliminations, the Meadows, Washington, Pa.
Schedule of events: Grand Circuit action will be held this Saturday (July 19) at five different racetracks.
Mohawk Racetrack will offer one of its most lucrative events, the $603,000 Maple Leaf Trot for open trotters, featuring world record holder Sebastian K and defending Maple Leaf Trot champion Market Share. Northfield Park’s marquee race, the $150,000 Battle of Lake Erie for open pacers, will also be held this Saturday. Yonkers Raceway will host the $125,000 Lawrence B. Sheppard final for two-year-old pacing colts. Meadowlands Racetrack will host a pair of W.N. Reynolds Memorial trots with two divisions in the $64,414 three-year-old male trot and a single division in the $47,915 three-year-old filly trot. Rounding out the Saturday night action, the Meadows will offer a trio of $50,000 eliminations for its signature event, the Devlin Miller Adios for three-year-old colt pacers.
Last time: Meadowlands Racetrack hosted seven lucrative Grand Circuit events this past Saturday, led by the $776,000 Meadowlands Pace for three-year-olds.
Hes Watching (driven by Tim Tetrick) watched and waited for a straight shot to the finish line as he won the Meadowlands Pace in an all-age world record-equalling 1:46.4. The time equalled the race mark for pacers on a mile track held by Somebeachsomewhere, Holborn Hanover and Warrawee Needy.
Hes Watching was content to take a back seat in fifth to early leader Lyonssomewhere, who led the field to the :25.3 quarter, with Luck Be Withyou pacing along in second and JK Endofanera third along the rail. The leader held his position to the :53.2 half when JK Endofanera came off the rail, attempting to improve his position and pressuring the leader around the turn. Hes Watching was behind JK Endofanera second-over. It looked like Lyonssomewhere might bottom out the field at the 1:20.3 three-quarters, but horses were soon coming from everywhere.
From the huddle of horses trailing Lyonssomewhere came Hes Watching, fanned five wide across the track and making up ground with every stride. Behind him and even wider were Always B Miki and Tellitlikeitis. Those three battled down the stretch with Hes Watching scoring by two and a half lengths over Always B Miki while Tellitlikeitis was third.
Hes Watching is owned by Menary Racing, Brad Gray, Michael Guerriero and Muscara Racing Trust.
In what some observers predict could be a dress rehearsal for the August 2 Hambletonian, the Jimmy Takter Stable starters finished in a fanned-out constellation of three horses across the track, with 2-5 favourite Father Patrick (Yannick Gingras) first to the wire in 1:51.3 in the $317,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial for three-year-old trotting colts.
The field was led off the gate by Nuncio, but he was soon overtaken by Father Patrick who hit the quarter-mile mark in :27.2 and led the field to the :56 half. Muscle Network was on the move on the outside, making progress toward the lead before making a break at the top of the stretch.
Father Patrick was well within himself at the 1:24.3 three-quarters, with Nuncio inching closer to the leader and Trixton advancing on those two, but unable to get past. As the field hit the finish line, Father Patrick was three-quarters of a length in front, with Nuncio two lengths in front of Trixton.
Father Patrick is owned by the Father Patrick Stable of East Windsor, N.J.
Sweet Lou sailed down the homestretch for his sixth straight win to take the $463,300 William Haughton Memorial for open pacers in 1:47.1.
When the field turned for home, Captaintreacherous held the lead at the 1:21 three-quarters, but was soon set upon on the inside by Bettors Edge and on the outside by Ron Pierce and Sweet Lou. At the wire, it was Sweet Lou with stablemate Bettors Edge second and Captaintreacherous held for third.
Sweet Lou is trained by Ron Burke and co-owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Larry Karr and Phil Collura.
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 – 432; 2. Tim Tetrick – 429; 3. Ron Pierce – 292; 4. Brian Sears – 205; 5. George Brennan – 174.5.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 730.5; 2. Jimmy Takter – 347; 3. PJ Fraley – 189; 4. Ray Schnittker - 182; 5. Joe Holloway – 152.
Owners: 1. Burke Racing - 167.35; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 151.1; 3. Bamond Racing – 146.5; 4. 3 Brothers Stable – 92; 5. Brad Grant – 79.5.
Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next weekend at the Meadows and the Meadowlands Racetrack. The Meadows will host eight Grand Circuit events, led by the final of the Delvin Miller Adios for three-year-old pacing colts. Meadowlands Racetrack will host eliminations for six lucrative stakes, led by the Hambletonian Oaks for three-year-old filly trotters.
(Grand Circuit)