The Grand Circuit will be back at Yonkers Raceway again on Friday night (July 9), as a trio of $25,000 eliminations of the MGM Springfield Stakes for two-year-old colt and gelding pacers will take place in races six through eight on the program.
The connections behind last Friday's MGM Grand Messenger Stakes champion American Courage - owner-breeder Fiddler's Creek Stables LLC, trainer Travis Alexander, and driver Matt Kakaley - have Pleaseletmeknow, a gelded son of American Ideal, in the first elimination. Pleaseletmeknow enters off a second-place finish in the first leg of the New York Sire Stakes at Buffalo Raceway.
Stretch The Line, a gelding from the first crop of Huntsville, picked up a stakes victory in a division of the Landmark at Goshen Historic Track on July 2, and he'll start from post two in the second elimination for owner-trainer Erv Miller and driver Tyler Buter. Bred by Eric Taddeo, Stretch The Line was purchased for $16,000 at last year's Goshen Yearling Sale.
Hurrikane Chuck, a winner in the New York Sire Stakes at Buffalo on the 30th of June, leaves from post four in the last elimination for driver Mark MacDonald, trainer John McDermott, and owners Jonathan Klee Racing, Justin Bolasci, William Garofalo and Peter Kleinhans.
Hurrikane Chuck, another one from the initial crop of Huntsville, was a $21,000 Goshen Yearling Sale buy from the consignment of Vieux Carre Farms. Wolftrax (post one, Scott Zeron/Paula Wellwood) and River Ness (post eight, David Miller/Ron Burke) also come into this event off victories.
The first two finishers in each elimination, plus the two third-place finishers with the fastest individual times in each elimination, return for July 16's $100,000 (est.) final. Post time for Friday's 12-race program at Yonkers is 7:15 p.m.
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$25,000 Elimination #1 - Race 6
1-American Artist K-(American Ideal)-Andrew McCarthy/Aaron Lambert
2-Xmarxthesport-(Huntsville)-Tim Tetrick/Andrew Harris
3-Crack A Smile-(Heston Blue Chip)-Jordan Stratton/Kerin Warner
4-Silverstone-(American Ideal)-George Brennan/Ron Burke
5-Kingsville-(Huntsville)-Dan Dube/Deborah Daguet
6-KJ Hunter-(Huntsville)-Matt Kakaley/Gary Messenger
7-Pleaseletmeknow-(American Ideal)-Matt Kakaley/Travis Alexander
$25,000 Elimination #2 - Race 7
1-Stage West-(American Ideal)-George Brennan/James Marshall IV
2-Stretch The Line-(Huntsville)-Tyler Buter/Erv Miller
3-Gone Before Dawn-(Huntsville)-Jason Bartlett/Andrew Harris
4-Te Amo Blue Chip-(Roll With Joe)-Jim Marohn Jr./John Berger
5-Thebiznes Bluechip-(Betting Line)-Jordan Stratton/Jeff Gillis
6-Aces Or Bettor-(So Surreal)-Jason Bartlett/Kerin Warner
7-Last Witch Hunt-(Huntsville)-Joe Bongiorno/Jennifer Bongiorno
$25,000 Elimination #3 - Race 8
1-Wolftrax-(Betting Line)-Scott Zeron/Paula Wellwood
2-Greg The Leg-(Huntsville)-Dan Dube/Ray Schnittker
3-Letmecallyouback-(Huntsville)-Joe Bongiorno/Jennifer Bongiorno
4-Hurrikane Chuck-(Huntsville)-Mark MacDonald/John McDermott
5-Jovian-(Roll With Joe)-Matt Kakaley/Eve Bergeron
6-Twin B Deluxe-(American Ideal)-Jason Bartlett/Andrew Harris
7-Spread The Fear-(Fear The Dragon)-Jordan Stratton/Jamie Sullivan
8-River Ness-(Huntsville)-David Miller/Ron Burke
(Yonkers)