The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its weekly recap and preview of racing on the Grand Circuit.
This Week: Canadian Trotting Classic, Elegantimage, Metro Pace eliminations, Shes A Great Lady eliminations and Milton Stakes eliminations, Woodbine Mohawk Park, Milton, Ont. and Kindergarten Series, the Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.
Schedule of Events: Another busy night of Grand Circuit action at Woodbine Mohawk Park will take place this Saturday (Sept. 19) and is led by the $560,000 Canadian Trotting Classic for three-year-old male trotters and the $350,000 Elegantimage for three-year-old filly trotters. Rounding out the action is a pair of $40,000 Metro Stakes eliminations for two-year-old colt pacers, two $35,000 Shes A Great Lady eliminations for two-year-old filly pacers, and a pair of $35,000 Milton Stakes eliminations for older pacing mares.
On Friday (Sept. 18) the Meadowlands will host the opening leg of the Kindergarten Series for two-year-old pacers and trotters. There will be three $20,000 divisions for both the colt and filly trotters and two $20,000 divisions for both the colt and filly pacers.
Last Time: On A Streak punched his ticket to the Mohawk Million with an upset in last Saturday’s $535,000 William Wellwood Memorial for driver Scott Young, trainer Luc Blais and owner Determination (recap here). Donna Soprano made a three-wide move up the backstretch moving to the lead and never looked back for a dominating 1:53.3 victory in the $335,000 Peaceful Way two-year-old filly trot for the team of Bob McClure, Blais and Determination (recap 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 – 583; 2. Andrew McCarthy – 337; 3. Tim Tetrick – 284; 4. Bob McClure – 275; 5t. Dexter Dunn – 239; 5t. Brian Sears – 239.
Trainers: 1. Nancy Takter – 410; 2. Ron Burke – 376; 3. Tony Alagna – 362; 4. Ake Svanstedt – 264; 5. Marcus Melander – 233.
Owners: 1. Determination – 185; 2. Brad Grant – 142.9; 3. S R F Stable – 95; 4. Crawford Farms Racing – 90.6; 5. Burke Racing Stable – 86.4.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit racing will be taking place next week at the Delaware County (Ohio) Fair, Hoosier Park, Woodbine Mohawk Park and the Meadowlands. Delaware will host nine Grand Circuit races, led by the Little Brown Jug for three-year-old pacers. Hoosier Park will feature eight Grand Circuit races, including the Caesars Trotting Classic for open trotters. Mohawk’s week will include the Mohawk Million for two-year-old trotters and the Metro Pace and Shes A Great Lady finals for freshman pacers. The Meadowlands will host the second leg of the Kindergarten Series for freshman pacers and trotters.
(With files from the Grand Circuit)