The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its weekly preview for the upcoming weekend's Grand Circuit races.
This Week: Historic–Harriman Cup, Harrah’s Philadelphia, Chester, PA and Gold Cup and Saucer trials, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, Charlottetown, PEI
Schedule of events: Grand Circuit action kicks off this Wednesday (August 7) at Harrah’s Philadelphia with three $32,441 divisions of the Historic-Harriman Cup for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters.
Then on the weekend, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino will host three days of trials for the Gold Cup and Saucer for older pacers. Twenty-one horses have being nominated, thus setting the stage for $10,000 trials on Saturday (August 10), Sunday (August 11) and Monday (August 12). The top finishers in the trials will advance to the final on Saturday (August 17).
Last time: Meadowlands Racetrack closed out its Championship Meet this past Saturday with several lucrative Grand Circuit races led by the $1.21-million Hambletonian, the second leg of trotting’s Triple Crown for three-year-olds.
Brian Sears guided the Massachusetts-born and raised colt Royalty For Life to the finish line in 1:52.1 in the $1-million final of the Hambletonian before a crowd of 24,210 at Meadowlands Racetrack.
After winning his elimination heat, Royalty For Life raced from the inside Post 1 and was off the gate and settled in at the lead at the :26.2 first quarter, with Smilin Eli (driven by Tim Tetrick), who’d gunned out of Post 9 to get a spot, in behind him in second. Those two led the field to the :55 half.
By the 1:23.3 three-quarters, third elimination winner Spider Blue Chip (Ron Pierce) was up to make his move at the leader, but as the finish line came in to view off the turn, many tried but no one could advance on Royalty For Life. He trotted away from the field to win by three and a quarter lengths.
Three horses trotted together behind Royalty For Life. Smilin Eli got closest in finishing second, with Corky (David Miller) third. Aperfectyankee (Jim Oscarsson) was fourth and Spider Blue Chip was fifth.
The son of RC Royalty-Bourbon N Grits is owned by Chip Campbell, Al Ross and Paul Fontaine and is trained by George Ducharme.
Bee A Magician and Sears won the companion $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks for three-year-old trotting fillies by three and a quarter lengths in 1:51.4. That’s a stakes record; the record was previously held by Windylane Hanover in 2002 in a time of 1:53.
Bee A Magician had a nose in front by the :54.1 half and held that lead to the 1:22.3 three-quarters with To Dream On and Classic Martine at her heels.
In the stretch, there were many following but only one leading as Bee A Magician took the filly classic for trainer Richard 'Nifty' Norman and owners Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman and David McDuffee.
Classic Martine was second and To Dream On third.
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 – 824; 2. Tim Tetrick – 662; 3. David Miller - 455; 4. Brian Sears – 378.5; and 5. Andy Miller – 323.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 845.5; 2. Jimmy Takter – 459.5; 3. Linda Toscano – 331.5; 4. Ray Schnittker – 214; and 5. Jonas Czernyson – 173.5.
Owners: 1. Burke Racing – 184.25; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 169.05; 3. Frank Bellino – 103.5; 4. Our Horse Cents Stable – 98.1; and 5. Brittany Farms – 97.85.
Looking ahead: An extremely busy week of Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield with the Review Stakes; at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis with the Fox Stake, the Ralph Wilfong, the Horseman Stakes and the Hoosier Stakes; at Harrah’s Philadelphia with the Historic-Acorn; at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino with the Gold Cup and Saucer final; at Saratoga Raceway with the Joe Gerrity final; at Mohawk Racetrack with the Nassagaweya and Eternal Camnation; and at Pocono Downs with the Battle of the Brandywine, the Colonial and the Valley Forge.
(Grand Circuit)