The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its weekly recap and preview of Grand Circuit races.
This Week: Joe Gerrity Memorial, Saratoga Casino Hotel, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Nadia Lobell, Harrah’s Hoosier Park, Anderson, Ind.; Delvin Miller Adios eliminations, The Meadows, Washington, Pa.; and Tompkins-Geers and Kindergarten Series, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.
Schedule of events: Grand Circuit action will be held this weekend at four different racetracks.
Action will begin on Friday (July 19) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park with the $150,000 Nadia Lobell for three-year-old filly pacers.
Meadowlands Racetrack on Friday hosts the second leg of the Kindergarten Series for two-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. There will be three $10,000 divisions for two-year-old trotting colts, two $10,000 divisions for two-year-old pacing colts and single $10,000 divisions for two-year-old pacing fillies and trotting fillies. On Saturday (July 20), the Meadowlands card will offer two divisions in the $100,900 Tompkins-Geers for three-year-old trotting colts and two divisions in the $93,600 Tompkins-Geers for three-year-old trotting fillies.
Also on Saturday, Saratoga will host their marquee event, the $260,000 Joe Gerrity Memorial for older pacers.
Finally, the Meadows on Saturday will offer a trio of $25,000 eliminations for the Devlin Miller Adios for three-year-old colt pacers. The $400,000 Adios final the following Saturday afternoon anchors a blockbuster card that features six Grand Circuit stakes.
Last time: What a week for trainer Linda Toscano. On Sunday evening (July 7), the trainer gave a gracious acceptance speech at her induction into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y., and on Saturday night (July 13), she stood in the winner’s circle after Best In Show pulled a 27-1 upset in the $682,650 Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace. It was the perfect bookend to a seven-day span she’ll never forget. For more, click here.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2019, 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 2019 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders following this past weekend:
Drivers: 1. Tim Tetrick – 481; 2. Yannick Gingras – 344; 3. Dexter Dunn – 230; 4. Jason Bartlett – 226; 5. David Miller – 210.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 393; 2. Jim King Jr. – 209; 3. Tony Alagna – 192; 4. Chris Ryder – 138; 5. Marcus Melander – 125.
Owners: 1. Fashion Farms – 107; 2. Brad Grant – 86.9; 3. Jo Ann Looney-King – 75.3; 4. Tim Tetrick LLC – 71.8; 5. Howard Taylor – 67.1.
Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next weekend at the Meadows, Plainridge Racecourse and 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. Plainridge will card the Spirit of Massachusetts for older trotters and the Clara Barton for older pacing mares. Meadowlands Racetrack will host eliminations for three lucrative stakes, led by the Hambletonian Oaks for three-year-old filly trotters, as well as the Reynolds Memorial for three-year-old colt trotters.
(With files from the Grand Circuit)