The Grand Circuit's weekly overview highlights its upcoming races at Harrah's Hoosier Park and Woodbine Mohawk Park.
This Week: Peter Haughton Memorial and Jim Doherty Memorial, Harrah’s Hoosier Park, Anderson, Ind.; Milton Stakes final, Champlain Stakes, and Canadian Trotting Classic, Elegantimage, Metro Pace and She’s A Great Lady eliminations, Woodbine Mohawk Park, Milton, Ont.
Schedule of Events: Grand Circuit action will commence on Friday (Sept. 13) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park with the $390,000 Peter Haughton Memorial for two-year-old trotting males and the $305,000 Jim Doherty Memorial for two-year-old trotting fillies.
Woodbine Mohawk Park will also feature Grand Circuit action on Friday with two divisions in the $170,245 Champlain Stakes for two-year-old filly trotters and a single division in the $164,785 Champlain Stakes for two-year-old male trotters. The busy Saturday (Sept. 14) program has the $205,000 Milton Stakes for older pacing mares headlining the card. The Saturday card also features two $40,000 Canadian Trotting Classic eliminations for three-year-old open trotters, two $35,000 Elegantimage eliminations for three-year-old trotting fillies, two $40,000 Metro Pace eliminations for two-year-old open pacers and two $35,000 She's A Great Lady eliminations for two-year-old pacing fillies.
Complete entries for the races at Mohawk are available by clicking here.
Last Time: Jiggy Jog S — a familiar face to the North American racing scene but representing Sweden, where she was bred — improved from second in last year's MGM Yonkers International Trot to first in this year's $1.35 million edition on Saturday, Sept. 7, prevailing for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Ake Svanstedt in 2:25 flat for the mile and a quarter distance. To read a complete recap, click here.
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 Sept. 7):
Drivers: 1. Dexter Dunn – 765; 2. Yannick Gingras – 565.5; 3. Scott Zeron – 410; 4t. David Miller – 409; 4t. James MacDonald – 409.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 618; 2. Ake Svanstedt – 449; 3. Nancy Takter – 323; 4. Anthony Beaton – 279; 5. Marcus Melander – 219.
Owners: 1. Burke Racing Stable – 142.7; 2. Determination – 125; 3. Weaver Bruscemi – 118.9; 4. Caviart Farms – 89.2; 5. Hudson Standardbred Stable – 82.5.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit racing will be taking place next week at the Delaware County (Ohio) Fair, Hoosier Park, Tioga Downs and Woodbine Mohawk Park. Delaware will host nine Grand Circuit races, led by the Little Brown Jug for three-year-old pacers. Hoosier Park features seven Grand Circuit races, including the Caesars Trotting Classic for open trotters. Mohawk Park’s week will include the Mohawk Million for two-year-old trotters, Canadian Trotting Classic and Elegantimage finals for three-year-old trotters and the Metro Pace and She’s A Great Lady finals for freshman pacers. Tioga will host Reynolds Memorial races for two-year-olds of both sexes and gaits.
(Grand Circuit)