by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, The Grand Circuit

This Week: Meadowlands Pace, William Haughton Memorial, Mistletoe Shalee, Stanley Dancer Memorial, Delvin Miller Memorial and Miss Versatility, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.; William Connors Memorial, Hazel Park, Hazel Park, Mich.; Hanover Stakes, Balmoral Park, Crete, Ill; Roses Are Red eliminations, Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, Ontario; and Lawrence B. Sheppard eliminations, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit schedule continues to be a busy one and this week the spotlight shines on several racetracks, beginning with the Meadowlands. On Friday night, The Big M will host a $40,000 leg of the Miss Versatility for older trotting mares. The stakes heavy Saturday card features the $635,750 Meadowlands Pace for 3-year-olds, the $471,800 William Haughton Memorial for free for all pacers, the $294,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial for 3-year-old male trotters, the $265,500 Delvin Miller Memorial for 3-year-old filly trotters and the $184,250 Mistletoe Shalee for 3-year-old filly pacers.

Also on Friday in Grand Circuit action, Hazel Park will host the $100,000 William Connors Memorial for 3-year-old trotters. Saturday Grand Circuit action includes the $60,000 (est.) Hanover Colt Stakes for 3-year-old colt pacers, the $60,000 (est.) Hanover Filly Stakes for 3-year-old filly pacers and the $50,000 (est.) Hanover Filly Stakes for 3-year-old filly trotters, all at Balmoral Park; two C$35,000 eliminations at Mohawk for the Roses Are Red for older pacing mares; and two $25,000 eliminations at Yonkers in the Lawrence B. Sheppard for 2-year-old colt pacers.

Complete entries for the U.S. races are available at this link. Mohawk entries can be found at this link.

USTA photo

Ray Schnittker

Last time: Ray Schnittker had an incredible performance during last weekend’s Grand Circuit action. He posted 140 training points, 120 driving points and 57.6 owner points, thanks largely to his success in Landmark Stakes events at Historic Track. Schnittker trained, drove and shared ownership in five of the nine Landmark winners from the Friday (July 5) card in Goshen.

Schnittker opened the nine-race card by winning the $7,520 first division of the Landmark Stakes for 2-year-old male trotters with Sheer Action in 2:02.3. The colt is by stallion Deweycheatumnhowe — Schnittker’s 2008 Trotter of the Year award winner — out of the mare Banza Hanover. Schnittker also had wins with Caneel Hall in the $13,670 Landmark Stakes for 3-year-old filly trotters in 2:01.4 despite going off stride at the start; Caroline Street in the $8,247 Landmark for 2-year-old filly trotters in 2:05.4; Cowboy Terrier in the $18,070 Landmark for 3-year-old male pacers in 1:57.1; and Big Short in the $19,170 Landmark for 3-year-old male trotters in 2:01.

Mike Lizzi photo

Andie Sophia was a 1:55.3 winner in the Hudson Filly Trot at Yonkers.

Schnittker also finished second in the $155,624 Hudson Filly Trot final on Saturday (July 6) at Yonkers with Royal Assets. Andie Sophia (Larry Stalbaum) lasted on the lead that night, winning the event for 3-year-olds. Andie Sophia found a 1:27.3 three-quarters in the race, taking a 1-1/2 length lead into the lane. Royal Assets had her shot, edging out of the pocket only to miss by a head in 1:55.3, the fastest edition of the Hudson held at Yonkers. Southwind Cocoa was a credible third, beaten by 3-1/2 lengths.

A Meadowlands Pace elimination and two Haughton eliminations were among the Grand Circuit races this past weekend at Meadowlands Racetrack. The $50,000 Meadowlands Pace elimination saw Sunshine Beach pace the mile of his life, scoring in a personal best 1:48. George Brennan put the colt on the lead approaching the half-mile and the 3-5 favorite took it from there. The only meaningful challenge came from Odds On Equuleus who was first-over and dead game in the stretch. Sunshine Beach held on by a neck.

The Meadowlands also staged two $50,000 eliminations for the Haughton.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Warrawee Needy equaled the fastest race mile in the history of the sport, with a 1:46.4 score for Jody Jamieson.

Warrawee Needy (Jody Jamieson) dazzled in his elimination, pacing the mile in 1:46.4 to equal the fastest race mile in the history of the sport, set by Holborn Hanover and equaled by Somebeachsomewhere. Racing second-over around the final bend, Warrawee Needy tipped wide turning for home and wore down a very determined Golden Receiver by 1-1/4 lengths.

The Ron Burke-trained entry of Foiled Again (third) and Hugadragon (fifth) also advanced to the final, along with fourth-place finisher Razzle Dazzle.

Sweet Lou won the other elimination in 1:48.4 to give Burke three entrants in the Haughton final. Sweet Lou had to grind first-over to wear down Pet Rock by a neck, thanks to a :25.2 final quarter with Yannick Gingras at the lines. Bolt The Duer, trapped in for much of the stretch drive, was third, followed by Up The Credit and Aracache Hanover.

Complete recaps of the weekend races are available at the Grand Circuit website.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2013, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will 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). Hanover Shoe Farms is the sponsor for the 2013 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders following the past weekend:

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 616.5; 2. Tim Tetrick – 453; 3. David Miller – 313; 4. Brian Sears – 239.5; and 5. Andy Miller – 161.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 601.5; 2. Jimmy Takter – 223.5; 3. Ray Schnittker – 157; 4. Linda Toscano – 142; and 5. Jonas Czernyson – 125.

Owners: 1. Burke Racing – 123.05; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 120.35; 3. Frank Bellino – 68.5; 4. Our Horse Cents Stable – 65.5; and 5. Ray Schnittker – 65.3.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next weekend at Tioga Downs, Yonkers Raceway, Mohawk Racetrack, Northfield Park and The Meadows. Tioga will host eight Tompkins-Geers events for 2- and 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits; Yonkers Raceway will offer the Sheppard final and eliminations for the Yonkers Trot; Mohawk will race the Maple Leaf Trot and Roses Are Red finals; Northfield will contest the Battle of Lake Erie; and The Meadows will have eliminations for the Adios.