Sun Stakes eliminations top Grand Circuit schedule
June 21, 2017,by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, the Grand Circuit
This Week: Ben Franklin Pace, Earl Beal Jr. Memorial, Max C. Hempt Memorial and James M. Lynch Memorial eliminations, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Schedule of events: The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono will host four sets of stakes eliminations on Saturday (June 24). There will be three $35,000 eliminations in the Ben Franklin for older pacers; a trio of $25,000 eliminations in the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for 3-year-old trotters and the Max C. Hempt Memorial for 3-year-old pacers; and three $20,000 eliminations in the James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old filly pacers. Complete entries for the races can be found by clicking on this link.
Last time: Last weekend’s Grand Circuit action was highlighted by the $730,000 Pepsi North America Cup for 3-year-old pacers at Mohawk Racetrack. Fear The Dragon, driven by David Miller, defeated the bettor’s choice Huntsville by three-quarters of a length to capture the prestigious race in 1:48.4 on Saturday (June 17).
USTA/Mark Hall photo
Fear The Dragon and driver David Miller captured the Pepsi North America Cup in 1:48.4.
Trained by Delaware, Ohio’s Brian Brown, Fear The Dragon gave his conditioner his first Cup victory and his driver back-to-back Cup wins. Miller, who now has two trophies, won last year’s edition with Betting Line. Stablemate Downbytheseaside, who is also trained by Brown, finished third.
Sports Column and driver Chris Christoforou was quickest off the gate from post five and grabbed the front on the rail. Classic Pro and driver Trevor Henry was close on his heels from post six, making a rush for the lead from the outside. Classic Pro was able to take command at the quarter pole posting a flashy :25.2 opening panel.
The speed revved up in the backstretch. Filibuster Hanover and driver Louis Philippe Roy came first-over from third to clear to the front but a stalking Downbytheseaside, driven by Brian Sears, caught second-over cover and was quick to steal the lead at the midway point. Downbytheseaside posted a scorching :52.1 half, the fastest half-mile in Mohawk history.
The 4-5 favorite, Huntsville, driven by Tim Tetrick, was on the move first-up from fifth before the half. Fear The Dragon followed behind the advancing favorite. Downbytheseaside remained in command past the three-quarters in 1:19.3 and into the lane.
All three Cup elimination winners — Downbytheseaside on the rail, Huntsville in the middle and Fear The Dragon on the outside — battled into the stretch. It then became a two-horse duel between Huntsville and Fear Of The Dragon, but it was the Brian Brown trainee who crossed the wire first, taking a new lifetime mark in the process. Huntsville was second and Downbytheseaside was third.
“My horse was having a hard time keeping up,” said Miller of the quick fractions. “He was gapping and I was chasing him and he didn’t really get into contention until right at the head of the stretch and then he dug, he fought, Huntsville he kept fighting and it was a battle right to the wire.”
Fear The Dragon remains unbeaten as a 3-year-old with six victories from six outings. He notched his 11th lifetime victory in 17 starts. The son of Dragon Again and Armbro Cinnamon increased his career earnings to $684,094 for owner Emerald Highlands Farm.
Complete recaps of the weekend races are available at the Grand Circuit website.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2017, 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 2017 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders through and including the races on June 17.
Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 253; 2. David Miller – 169; 3. Jason Bartlett – 150; 4. Matt Kakaley – 138; 5. Jordan Stratton – 136.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 270; 2. Peter Tritton – 132; 3. Rene Allard – 119; 4. Richard Banca – 86; 5. Brian Brown – 75.
Owners: 1. Harry von Knoblauch Stable – 103.5; 2. Burke Racing Stable – 61; 3. Weaver Bruscemi – 52.2; 4. J&T Silva Stables – 48.9; 5. Determination – 42.
Looking ahead: Next weekend Pocono will have the finals for the Ben Franklin (older pacers), Earl Beal Memorial (3-year-old trotters), Max Hempt Memorial (3-year-old pacers) and James Lynch (3-year-old filly pacers) as part of a busy weekend of Grand Circuit racing.
- Spectacular Saturday at Pocono with Sun Stakes eliminations (Monday, June 19, 2017)
The very best trotters and pacers in North American harness racing will be converging on The Downs at Mohegan Pocono with elimination races being held this Saturday (June 24) for the right to participate in the Sun Stakes Saturday supercard on Saturday (July 1).
- Update on Sun Stakes Saturday elims (Tuesday, June 20, 2017)
Saturday (June 24), the very best of the best trotters and pacers in North America will descend upon The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Northeast Pennsylvania for the Sun Stakes Saturday eliminations. The star power for this night is dazzling! After scratch time on Tuesday, the final driving assignments and morning line odds have been released.
- Soup’s on (Wednesday, June 21, 2017)
Talent Soup was limited to a handful of races last year at age 2 because of sickness, but trainer Bruce Saunders saw enough of the colt to believe there was ability beyond the horse’s name. Good looking, well gaited, quick, and professional, Talent Soup checked all the boxes.
- EBC triumph sends Devious Man to Beal (Wednesday, June 21, 2017)
Less than a week ago, trainer Julie Miller was uncertain whether she would send Devious Man to the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial. Devious Man’s performance in last Sunday’s Empire Breeders Classic made the decision easier. Devious Man won the EBC championship by four lengths over Bill’s Man in 1:52.2, prompting Team Miller — Julie and husband Andy — to enter the colt in the Beal.
- Improving Concerto aims for Lynch (Friday, June 23, 2017)
Kelvin Harrison knows Lynch Memorial hopeful Concerto is stepping up in class, but he thinks it could be a stepping stone. Unraced at age 2, Concerto has won four of eight races this season as she prepares for Saturday’s eliminations of the James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old female pacers at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
- Mel Mara aspires to Franklin glory (Friday, June 23, 2017)
He is a world champion and one of the few horses to possess the distinction of besting Always B Miki and Sweet Lou, yet Mel Mara has not visited the winner’s circle for a stakes race since he captured the 2012 edition of the Ontario Sire Stakes Gold final at Flamboro Downs over that year’s Little Brown Jug winner Michael’s Power. His connections are hoping this is the year the 8-year-old stallion collects his fair share of hardware beginning with a victory in his $35,000 Ben Franklin elimination on Saturday (June 24) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
- Ariana G, Mel Mara, Downbytheseaside wow at Pocono (Saturday, June 24, 2017)
Ariana G, Mel Mara, and Downbytheseaside were impressive in victories in the Sun Super Stakes eliminations Saturday (June 24) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in a night with a healthy dose of favorites and a sprinkling of longshots as victors. Each of next week’s (July 1) championship events on the $2 million Sun Stakes Saturday card – the $500,000 Ben Franklin Free-For-All Pace, the $500,000 Earl Beal 3-Year-Old Trot, the $500,000 Max C. Hempt 3-Year-Old Colt Pace, and the $300,000 James Lynch 3-Year-Old Filly Pace – had enough entrants to necessitate three elimination divisions on this Saturday’s (June 24) card, with the top three finishers returning in seven days for their respective championship event.