The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its weekly recap and preview of racing on the Grand Circuit.
This Week: Dan Patch, Hoosier Park, Anderson, Ind.; Carl Milstein Memorial, Northfield Park, Northfield, Ohio; Fox Stake, the Ralph Wilfong, the Horseman Stakes and the Hoosier Stakes, Indiana State Fair, Indianapolis, Ind.; Crawford Farms Trot, Joie De Vie and Artiscape, Tioga Downs, Nichols, N.Y.; and Gold Cup and Saucer trials, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, Charlottetown, PEI.
Schedule of Events: An extremely busy week of Grand Circuit action kicks off this Wednesday (Aug. 12) as the Indiana State Fair will host one day of Grand Circuit racing with the feature being the $57,235 Fox Stake for two-year-old colt pacers. The co-featured event is the $33,530 Ralph Wilfong for two-year-old colt trotters. The Hoosier Stakes for two-year-olds will see two divisions in the $21,576 two-year-old colt trot and single divisions in the $21,085 two-year-old filly pace, the $20,677 two-year-old colt pace and the $19,835 two-year-old filly trot. The Horseman Stakes for three-year-olds features single divisions in the $31,502 three-year-old colt trot, the $29,632 three-year-old filly trot, the $29,027 three-year-old colt pace, and the $27,307 three-year-old filly pace.
Friday night (Aug. 14) at Hoosier Park will feature the $225,000 Dan Patch for older pacing horses.
On Saturday (Aug. 15), Northfield Park will host the $250,000 Carl Milstein Memorial for three-year-old pacers. Also on Saturday, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino will host one of two $12,500 trials for the Gold Cup and Saucer for older pacers. The second trial will be held on Monday (Aug. 17).
The week’s action will continue on Sunday (Aug. 16) at Tioga Downs with the $175,000 (est.) Crawford Farms Trot for older open trotters, the $175,000 (est.) Joie De Vie for older trotting mares and the $175,000 (est.) Artiscape for older pacing mares.
Last Time: The sensational filly Ramona Hill took a well-deserved gulp from the Hambletonian trophy after beating the boys on Saturday (Aug. 8) in the $1 million trotting classic at the Meadowlands Racetrack. To read a recap of the race and watch the replay, click here. For a complete recap of the Hambletonian Day card, including replays of the afternoon's major stakes events, click here.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2020, 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 2020 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders following this past weekend:
Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 327; 2. Tim Tetrick – 244; 3. Andrew McCarthy – 237; 4t. Dexter Dunn – 219; 4t. Brian Sears – 219.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 311; 2. Nancy Takter – 250; 3. Marcus Melander – 203; 4. Tony Alagna – 192; 5. Ake Svanstedt – 164.
Owners: 1. S R F Stable – 82.5; 2. Brad Grant – 82.4; 3, Courant Inc. – 67; 4. Burke Racing Stable – 65; 5. Crawford Farms Racing – 59.7.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at Vernon Downs, Woodbine Mohawk Park and Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park. Vernon will host the Zweig Memorial races for three-year-old colt and filly trotters; Woodbine Mohawk Park will have eliminations for the North America Cup for three-year-old open pacers, the Fan Hanover for three-year-old filly pacers, the Roses Are Red for open pacing mares and the Armbro Flight for older trotting mares; and Red Shores Racetrack & Casino has the Gold Cup and Saucer final.
(With files from the Grand Circuit)