The Grand Circuit's weekly overview highlights its upcoming races at The Meadowlands.
This Week: Hambletonian, Hambletonian Oaks, John Cashman Memorial, Sam McKee Memorial, Lady Liberty, Dr. John Steele Memorial, Cane Pace, Shady Daisy, and Kindergarten Series, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Schedule of Events: Grand Circuit action begins on Friday, Aug. 4 at Meadowlands Racetrack with two $20,000 divisions of the Kindergarten Series for two-year-old colt trotters, two-year-old filly trotters and two-year-old filly pacers and a single $20,000 division for two-year-old colt pacers.
Then on Saturday, Aug. 5, The Meadowlands will host one of the biggest Grand Circuit cards of the season. The afternoon program is led by the $1 million Hambletonian, the second leg of trotting’s Triple Crown for three-year-olds. Other major stakes races to be contested that day are the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks for three-year-old filly trotters, the $278,000 John Cashman Memorial for older trotters, two divisions in the $258,750 Sam McKee Memorial for older pacers, the $171,400 Lady Liberty for older pacing mares, the $131,250 Dr. John Steele Memorial for older trotting mares, the $315,750 Cane Pace, the second leg of Pacing’s Triple Crown for three-year-olds, and the $97,900 Shady Daisy for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Complete entries for the races can be found on the USTA website.
Last Time: As the field turned for home in Saturday's $350,000 final of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, two questions remained before the house: Could Cannibal find the Lightning Lane in enough time to speed by the trio vying for the lead? Would he have enough pop to overtake them? Click here to read the full story.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2023, 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 2023 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders (through the races on July 29, 2023):
Drivers: 1. Dexter Dunn – 468; 2. Yannick Gingras – 452; 3. Scott Zeron – 363; 4. Tim Tetrick – 311; 5. David Miller – 282.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 525; 2. Ake Svanstedt – 362; 3. Linda Toscano – 245; 4. Nancy Takter – 243; 5. Marcus Melander – 186.
Owners: 1. Diamond Creek Racing – 141.7; 2. Burke Racing Stable – 103.7; 3. Mark Ford – 98; 4. Ken Jacobs – 90.5; 5. Jorgen Sparredal Inc. – 81.3.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at MGM Northfield Park with the Carl Milstein Memorial for three-year-old pacers; at Harrah’s Hoosier Park with the Dan Patch for free for all pacers; at the Indiana State Fair with the Fox Stake highlighting 10 stakes; and at Charlottetown Driving Park with the Gold Cup and Saucer eliminations for older pacers.
(Grand Circuit)