by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, the Grand Circuit

This Week: Bluegrass Stakes, Red Mile, Lexington, Ky. and Dayton Pacing Derby and Dayton Trotting Derby, Hollywood Dayton Raceway, Dayton, Ohio.

Schedule of events: Grand Circuit action kicks off on Thursday (Sept. 29) at Red Mile with six divisions in the $334,500 Bluegrass for 2-year-old colt trotters. The Friday (Sept. 30) card at the Lexington oval will feature five divisions in the $298,000 Bluegrass for 2-year-old filly trotters. On Saturday (Oct. 1), The Red Mile will offer $200,000 (est.) Bluegrass events for 2-year-old colt and filly pacers. The first week of racing in Lexington will conclude on Sunday (Oct. 2) with $200,000 (est.) Bluegrass events for 3-year-old male and female trotters and pacers.

Hollywood Dayton Raceway on Friday night will feature a pair of Grand Circuit stakes in the $150,000 Dayton Pacing Derby for older pacers and the $160,000 Dayton Trotting Derby for older trotters.

Complete entries for the races are available at this link.

Last time: The Grand Circuit spotlight was on the Delaware (Ohio) County Fair this past week, with the $577,000 Little Brown Jug leading five days of exciting stakes races.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Betting Line won the Little Brown Jug with a world record 1:49 score in the second heat.

Betting Line won the 71st Little Brown Jug, presented by the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association, with a world record performance in the event’s second heat Thursday (Sept. 22) at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.

The Casie Coleman-trained Betting Line, who extended his win streak to 13 races with his Jug victory, stopped the timer in 1:49, equaling the fastest mile ever by a 3-year-old pacer on a half-mile track. Wiggle It Jiggleit, a gelding, established that record last year at Harrington Raceway. Betting Line’s effort, though, was the fastest half-mile triumph ever by a colt.

Betting Line, the 1-9 favorite in the second heat, took the lead from Western Fame just after the halfway point in the mile race for 3-year-old pacers and cruised to an eight length victory from there. Western Fame was second, followed by Dr J Hanover and Lyons Snyder.

It was driver David Miller’s fourth career Jug win and the third for Coleman.

Betting Line has won 13 of 14 races this year and earned $1.37 million. He is owned by Coleman’s West Wins Stable, Christine Calhoun, and Mac Nichol.

In other Grand Circuit action over the weekend, some of the sport’s top trotters were showcased in the $220,000 Centaur Trotting Classic at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday (Sept. 24). Hannelore Hanover, with driver Yannick Gingras, returned to her home state of Indiana to turn in a dominant performance.

Just as Bee A Magician did the previous year, Hannelore Hanover easily handled a field of nine male counterparts to add another stakes victory to her resume. With a final time of 1:52.4, the world champion mare made her game winning move down the backside and coasted on to the wire to finish 2-1/4 lengths in front of the competition.

Trained by Hoosier Park’s leading trainer, Ron Burke, the 4-year-old daughter of Swan For All-High Sobriety notched her 15th win from 17 seasonal outings. Hannelore Hanover has now amassed $1,201,685 lifetime for her connections of Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Baldachino, and J&T Silva Stables.

Lady Shadow continued her outstanding season with a powerful 1:50 victory in the $236,360 Milton Stakes Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack. Yagonnakissmeornot was able to finish second after getting away fourth and staying inside until three-quarters. Waasmula charged home for third, while Bedroomconfessions closed well from the back for fourth.

A 5-year-old daughter of Shadow Play, Lady Shadow has now won nine of 16 starts and earned $618,481 this season for trainer Ron Adams and owners David Kryway, Carl Atley, Edwin Gold and BFJ Stable.

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

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2016, 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 Farm is the sponsor for the 2016 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the current leaders:

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 1,056.5; 2. David Miller – 820; 3. Tim Tetrick – 708.5; 4. Brett Miller – 407.5; 5. Scott Zeron – 336.5.

Trainers: 1. Jimmy Takter – 952.5; 2. Ron Burke – 913.5; 3. Tony Alagna – 412; 4. Ake Svanstedt – 306; 5. Linda Toscano – 249.

Owners: 1. Burke Racing Stable – 211.17; 2. Marvin Katz – 179.6; 3. Tom Hill – 179; 4. Weaver Bruscemi – 175.52; 5.Harry von Knoblauch – 149.5.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at Lexington’s historic Red Mile. Featured will be the Kentucky Futurity, the third leg of Trotting’s Triple Crown for 3-year-olds. Also on tap will be the companion Kentucky Filly Futurity for the sophomore fillies, the Tattersalls Pace and the Glen Garnsey Memorial for 3-year-old pacers, four International Stallion Stakes races for 2-year-olds of both sexes and gaits, and four Allerage contests for open pacers and trotters.