The Grand Circuit's weekly overview highlights its upcoming races at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park, Woodbine Mohawk Park and The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
This Week: Earl Beal Memorial, Max C. Hempt Memorial, James Lynch Memorial and Delmonica Hanover, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; Gold Cup and Saucer, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, Charlottetown, P.E.I.; and William Wellwood and Peaceful Way eliminations, Woodbine Mohawk Park, Milton, Ont.
Schedule of Events: A busy Saturday afternoon (Aug. 20) of Grand Circuit racing will take place at Pocono with main events and consolations for the Earl Beal Memorial (colt and gelding trot), Max C. Hempt Memorial (colt and gelding pace), James Lynch Memorial (filly pace) and the Delmonica Hanover (filly trot).
The Beal has a $300,000 main event and $200,000 and $100,000 consolations; the Hempt also has a $300,000 main event and $200,000 and $100,000 consolations. The Lynch features a $250,000 main event and $125,000 and $75,000 consolations, while the Delmonica Hanover has a $250,000 main event and $125,000 consolation.
Also on Saturday, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino will host the $100,000 Gold Cup and Saucer final for older pacers.
Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday features three $30,000 William Wellwood Memorial eliminations for two-year-old male trotters and two $30,000 Peaceful Way eliminations for two-year-old filly trotters.
Complete entries for the Pocono races are available by clicking here. Entries for the Red Shores Racetrack & Casino and Woodbine Mohawk Park races are available by clicking here.
Last Time: Historically, the $300,000 Carl Milstein Memorial, MGM Northfield Park’s signature event, has featured some of harness racing’s greatest three-year-olds; the 2022 edition was no different on Saturday (Aug. 13). Click here to read the full recap.
For a list of 2022 race winners on the Grand Circuit, click here.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2022, 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 2022 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders (through the races on Aug. 13 2022):
Drivers: 1. Dexter Dunn – 676; 2. Tim Tetrick – 549; 3. Yannick Gingras – 429; 4. Todd McCarthy – 423; 5. David Miller – 350.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 411; 2. Tony Alagna – 376; 3. Ake Svanstedt – 342; 4. Nifty Norman – 261; 5. Brett Pelling – 212.
Owners: 1. David McDuffee – 135.9; 2. Schooner II Stable – 100; 3. Courant Inc. – 94; 4. Brad Grant – 86.3; 5. M3 Racing Stable – 79.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Mohawk will contest several stakes including the William Wellwood and Peaceful Way finals for two-year-old trotters, the Nassagaweya for two-year-old male pacers, the Eternal Camnation for two-year-old filly pacers, the Casual Breeze for three-year-old filly trotters and eliminations in the Maple Leaf Trot for older trotters and the Canadian Pacing Derby for older pacers.
(Grand Circuit)