This Week: Camluck Classic, The Raceway at Western Fair District, London, Ontario; Currier & Ives Filly Trot, The Meadows, Washington, Pa.; and Graduate Series second leg and Somebeachsomewhere, Woodbine Mohawk Park, Milton, Ontario.

Schedule of events: Grand Circuit action opens on Friday night (May 31) at The Raceway at Western Fair District with the C$157,000 Camluck Classic for older male pacers.

Racing will take place on Saturday (June 1) at two venues. The Meadows will host the $70,000 Currier & Ives for 3-year-old filly trotters and Woodbine Mohawk Park will feature two C$80,000 divisions in the Somebeachsomewhere for 3-year-old pacing colts and single C$99,000 second leg divisions in the Graduate Series for 4-year-old trotters and 4-year-old pacers.

Complete entries for the Meadows race can be found by clicking on this link. Western Fair and Mohawk entries can be found by clicking on this link.

Last time: As a yearling, Bettor’s Wish sold for all of $20,000.

“But he’s not a $20,000 horse anymore.”

Bettor’s Wish captured the $300,000 Art Rooney Pace. Mike Lizzi photo.

So said co-owner and trainer Chris Ryder Saturday night (May 25) after his charge — and driver Dexter Dunn — made short work of Yonkers Raceway’s $300,000 Art Rooney Pace. The 29th Rooney, for 3-year-old colts and geldings, turned into a romp for the odds-on ($3.70) choice.

One of two elimination winners, Bettor’s Wish drew post position No. 6 in the finale. He found himself three-wide early, outside of Captain Malicious (Mark MacDonald) and Buddy Hill (Brian Sears) and inside of Blood Money (Scott Zeron).

Blood Money made the lead before a :27 opening quarter-mile, then a :55.4 intermission. Going up the backside the second time, Rollwithpapajoe (Joe Bongiorno) was advancing out of fifth before he broke stride. That allowed Buddy Hill a path out of third, and as he was about to leave the cones, Bettor’s Wish extricated himself from the pocket. That one disposed of Blood Money soon after a 1:24.1 three-quarters, preparing to bust the race wide open.

Bettor’s Wish slapped three lengths on his rivals in and out of the final turn, then ran it up. The final margin was a half-dozen lengths in a season’s-best 1:51.4. Second went to Branquinho (Tyler Buter), while Air Force Hanover (David Miller) was third. Buddy Hill and Blood Money picked off the remainder.

Bettor’s Wish, a Bettor’s Delight colt co-owned by Chris Ryder, Bella Racing, Fair Island Farm and Kenneth Solomon, has won all three of his seasonal starts and earned $180,000.

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

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2019, 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 2019 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders following this past weekend:

Drivers: 1. Tim Tetrick – 193; 2. Jason Bartlett – 144; 3. George Brennan – 110; 4. Jordan Stratton – 107; 5. Daniel Dube – 104.

Trainers: 1. Jim King Jr. – 149; 2. Ron Burke – 85; 3. Rene Allard – 77; 4. Richard Banca – 61; 5. Andrew Harris – 54.

Owners: 1. Jo Ann Looney-King – 55.2; 2. Tim Tetrick LLC – 51.7; 3. Richard Poillucci – 41.7; 4. Brad Grant – 41; 5. D R Van Witzenburg – 40.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place next week at Northfield Park, Woodbine Mohawk Park, and Tioga Downs. Northfield will host the Battle of Lake Erie for invitational pacers, Mohawk will feature five stakes eliminations, led by the North America Cup for 3-year-old male pacers, and Tioga Downs will offer the third leg of the Graduate Series for 4-year-old pacers and trotters.