The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its weekly preview for the upcoming weekend's Grand Circuit races.
This Week: Delvin Miller Adios, Adioo Volo and Arden Downs, the Meadows, Washington, Pa.; Yonkers Trot final, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y.; and Hambletonian Oaks, U.S. Pacing Championship, Peter Haughton Memorial and Merrie Annabelle eliminations, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.
Schedule of events: Grand Circuit actions kicks off this Wednesday (July 24) at the Meadows with three divisions in the $63,750 Arden Downs for two-year-old filly trotters and three divisions in the $60,000 Arden Downs for two-year-old colt trotters. On Friday (July 26) at the Meadows, there will be two divisions in the $66,098 Arden Downs for three-year-old colt trotters and two divisions in the $64,078 Arden Downs for three-year-old filly trotters. The Saturday (July 27) card at the Meadows features the $450,000 Delvin Miller Adios final and $50,000 Adios consolation for three-year-old colt pacers, two divisions in the $136,920 Adioo Volo for three-year-old filly pacers, five divisions in the $100,000 Arden Downs for two-year-old colt pacers and three divisions in the $76,350 Arden Downs for two-year-old filly pacers.
Yonkers Raceway will host the Grand Circuit on Saturday (July 27) with the $450,000 Yonkers Trot final, the first leg of the Triple Crown for three-year-olda.
Meadowlands Racetrack will offer four sets of elimination races this week, with all the finals slated for the Hambletonian card of Saturday (August 3). On Friday (July 26) The Big M will contest two $20,000 eliminations for the Peter Haughton Memorial for two-year-old colt trotters and a single $20,000 elimination in the Merrie Annabelle for two-year-old filly trotters. On Saturday (July 27) the program will feature two $35,000 eliminations in the Hambletonian Oaks for three-year-old filly trotters and two $50,000 eliminations in the U.S. Pacing Championship for open pacers.
Last time: Mohawk Racetrack hosted a pair of lucrative Grand Circuit events this past Saturday, with the Maple Leaf Trot for open trotters and the Roses Are Red for open pacing mares.
Market Share, trained by Linda Toscano and driven by Tim Tetrick, kept his 2013 record perfect with an awesome display in the $543,000 Maple Leaf Trot. Market Share took over the lead after the three-quarters and pulled away easily, posting a two and a half-length score in 1:51.1 over defending champion Mister Herbie, who had tracked the favourite throughout. Uncle Peter came on for third, while Wishing Stone, who had taken over from Knows Nothing after a :26.3 opening quarter, clocking a half in :54.3 and three-quarters in 1:24, faded to fourth.
It was the third win in just three starts this year for the four-year-old son of Revenue S-Classical Flirt, after a banner sophomore campaign which saw him win the famed Hambletonian and Canadian Trotting Classic, en route to divisional honours.
Anndrovette, with driver Tim Tetrick, overhauled pacesetter Drop The Ball in deep stretch to successfully defend her Roses Are Red title in a stakes, track and Canadian record time of 1:48.
Drop The Ball and driver Doug McNair took the field through three-quarters in a blistering 1:20.1 but braced for the challenge of Anndrovette down the stretch. Inch by inch, the two-time Breeders Crown winner closed the margin and finally got by the pacesetter for the record-setting half-length score in the $323,500 event.
In other Grand Circuit action over this past weekend, A Rocknroll Dance (Kayne Kauffman) broke the world record for four-year-old horses on a half-mile track, posting a 1:49.1 win by four lengths over Rockin Finish in the 28th edition of Northfield Park’s $120,500 Battle of Lake Erie. A Rocknroll Dance is owned by A Rocknroll Dance Stable and trained by Jim Mulinix.
Forty Five Red (Daniel Dube) won Yonkers Raceway's $111,250 Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace final for two-year-old colts and geldings on Saturday. The winner took over the front end past the opening quarter, widened his lead to two and a half lengths turning for home, then whipped Thereisapaceforus by two lengths in a life-best 1:55.4. Disarrei (Pat Lachance) sat a three-hole and wound up third.
Canadian import Creampuff Macdaddy (Jason Bartlett) and favoured Dontyouforgetit (Jimmy Takter) won their respective $40,000 eliminations for Yonkers Raceway's 59th Yonkers Trot. A total of 15 three-year-olds -- 11 colts and four geldings -- went at it in two elims for berths in this Saturday night’s $450,000 final in the first jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown.
Lonewolf Currier (John Campbell) and Sunfire Blue Chip (Dave Palone) captured Saturday’s $50,000 eliminations for the Delvin Miller Adios at the Meadows and will lead a field of eight into the $500,000 final this Saturday.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2013, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will 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). Hanover Shoe Farms is the sponsor for the 2013 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders following the past weekend:
Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 679; 2. Tim Tetrick – 618; 3. David Miller - 428; 4. Brian Sears – 286.5; and 5. Andy Miller – 198.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 688.5; 2. Jimmy Takter – 313.5; 3. Linda Toscano – 309.5; 4. Ray Schnittker – 189; and 5. P.J. Fraley – 145.
Owners: 1. Burke Racing – 145.25; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 130.05; 3. Frank Bellino – 93.5; 4. Our Horse Cents Stable – 91.4; and 5. Captaintreacherous Racing – 80.
Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next weekend at Meadowlands Racetrack and Balmoral Park. Meadowlands Racetrack will host nine Grand Circuit events, led by the $1.2 million Hambletonian, the second leg of Trotting’s Triple Crown for three-year-olds. Balmoral Park will contest Hanover Stakes for two-year-old colt and two-year-old filly pacers. The complete schedule is available at the Grand Circuit website.
(Grand Circuit)