The Grand Circuit's weekly overview highlights its upcoming races at Charlottetown Driving Park, Hoosier Park, Northfield Park and Indiana State Fair.
This Week: Dan Patch Invitational, Harrah’s Hoosier Park, Anderson, Indiana; Carl Milstein Memorial and Courageous Lady, MGM Northfield Park, Northfield, Ohio; Fox Stakes, the Ralph Wilfong, the Horseman Stakes and the Hoosier Stakes, Indiana State Fair, Indianapolis, Indiana; and Gold Cup and Saucer trials, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, Charlottetown, P.E.I.
Schedule of Events: An extremely busy week of Grand Circuit action kicks off this Wednesday, Aug. 7 as the Indiana State Fair will host one day of Grand Circuit racing with the feature being the $39,874 USD Fox Stakes for two-year-old colt pacers. The co-featured event is the $42,695 USD Ralph Wilfong for two-year-old colt trotters. The Hoosier Stakes for two-year-olds will see two divisions in the $24,340 USD two-year-old filly trot and single divisions in the $23,623 USD two-year-old filly pace, the $22,141 USD two-year-old colt trot and the $20,958 USD two-year-old colt pace. The Horseman Stakes for three-year-olds features single divisions in the $34,282 USD three-year-old colt trot, the $29,836 USD three-year-old filly pace, the $27,022 USD three-year-old colt pace and the $25,793 USD three-year-old filly trot.
On Friday night, Aug. 9, Hoosier Park will feature the $300,000 USD Dan Patch Invitational for older pacing horses.
On Saturday, Aug. 10, Northfield Park will host the $300,000 USD Carl Milstein Memorial for three-year-old colt pacers and the $100,000 USD Courageous Lady for three-year-old filly pacers.
Also on Saturday, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino will host two of $15,000 three trials for the Gold Cup and Saucer for older pacers. The third trial will be held on Monday, Aug. 12.
Complete entries for the U.S. races are available on the U.S. Trotting Association website. Entries for the Red Shores Racetrack & Casino races are available by clicking here.
Last Time: Karl won the $1,458,333 Hambletonian on Saturday (Aug. 3) at the Meadowlands as trainer Nancy Takter continued a family tradition and Hall of Fame driver Yannick Gingras scored his first win in the trotting classic. Click here to read the full story.
For a list of 2024 race winners on the Grand Circuit, click here.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2024, 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 2024 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders (through the races on Aug. 3, 2024):
Drivers: 1. Dexter Dunn – 543; 2. Yannick Gingras – 508.5; 3. David Miller – 334; 4. Tim Tetrick – 282; 5. Scott Zeron – 270.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 528; 2. Ake Svanstedt – 344; 3. Nancy Takter – 273; 4. Travis Alexander – 194; 5. Anthony Beaton – 179.
Owners: 1. Burke Racing Stable – 121.4; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 101.4; 3. Caviart Farms – 75.4; 4. Ryan Smith – 60; 5. West Wins Stable – 59.9.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, Woodbine Mohawk Park and Hippodrome 3R. Pocono will host four events for three-year-olds — the Earl Beal Memorial (colt and gelding trot), the Max C. Hempt Memorial (colt and gelding pace), the James Lynch Memorial (filly pace) and the Delmonica Hanover (filly trot). Red Shores has the Gold Cup and Saucer final for older pacers. Woodbine Mohawk Park has eliminations for the William Wellwood (two-year-old open trot) and Peaceful Way (two-year-old filly trot). Hippodrome 3R has the Prix d’Ete for four-year-old open pacers.
(Grand Circuit)