by Paul Ramlow, Grand Circuit Publicity Director

This Week: Meadows Grand Circuit, The Meadows, Washington, Pennsylvania and Meadowlands Grand Circuit, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.

Schedule of events: Grand Circuit week at The Meadows continues on Wednesday (July 25) with a trio of $20,000 divisions in the $60,000 Arden Downs for 2-year-old colt trotters. The Thursday (July 26) program offers three $25,000 splits in the $75,000 Arden Downs for 2-year-old filly trotters. The Friday (July 27) card is highlighted by the $80,000 (est.) Arden Downs for 3-year-old filly trotters and the $65,000 (est.) Arden Downs for 3-year-old colt trotters. The week of Grand Circuit racing concludes on Saturday afternoon (July 28) with the $550,000 (est.) Delvin Miller Adios final for 3-year-old colt pacers, the $150,000 (est.) Adioo Volo for 3-year-old filly pacers, and $100,000 (est.) Arden Downs events for 2-year-old colt pacers and 2-year-old filly pacers.

The Grand Circuit also heads to the Meadowlands this week with eliminations in four lucrative events for 2- and 3-year-olds. The schedule kicks off on Friday (July 27) with a pair of $20,000 Merrie Annabelle eliminations for 2-year-old filly trotters and two $20,000 eliminations in the Peter Haughton Memorial for 2-year-old colt trotters. The Saturday (July 28) card has $70,000 (est.) Hambletonian eliminations for 3-year-old open trotters and $35,000 (est.) Hambletonian Oaks eliminations for 3-year-old filly trotters. Eliminations were scheduled, but not required, in the Woodrow Wilson for 2-year-old colt pacers and the Sweetheart for 2-year-old filly pacers.

Last time: A pair of $50,000 Delvin Miller Adios eliminations were contested this past Saturday (July 21) at The Meadows. The top four in each elimination will advance to this Saturday’s Adios final.

Chris Gooden photo

Sweet Lou was a 1:49.1 winner in his Delvin Miller Adios elimination.

Sweet Lou and Dave Palone scored a front-end victory in 1:49.1 in the first elimination. The winner was followed across the wire by A Rocknroll Dance, Thinking Out Loud and Hurrikane Kingcole.

In the other $50,000 elimination, Bettor’s Edge (Daniel Dube) overcame post nine to work out a comfortable pocket trip and triumphed in 1:49. Bettor’s Edge outkicked Bolt The Duer inside and downed him by a nose. Breakin The Law and Allstar Legend completed the ticket.

Grand Circuit racing was also held at Tioga Downs last week with 17 races in the Tompkins-Geers for 2- and 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. Among the winners were 3-year-old pacing filly Major Look, 3-year-old trotting colt Archangel and 2-year-old trotting colt Aperfectyankee, who all set stakes records at the Nichols, N.Y., oval.

Fred Brown photo

Major Look set a stakes record clocking of 1:49.3 in the Tompkins-Geers at Tioga Downs.

Major Look (Jeff Gregory) carved the mile out for herself, putting up fractions of :27, :54.3 and 1:21.4 before drawing away from the field with ease in a new stakes record for 3-year-old filly pacers of 1:49.3. This was the second straight sub-1:50 performance by the daughter of Art Major-Band Of Emeralds, who won the Mistletoe Shalee in 1:49.3 in her previous start.

Archangel prepped for the Hambletonian with a stakes record performance of 1:54.3 in the Tompkins-Geers 3-year-old colt trot. Starting from post three in a field of six, catch driver Fern Paquet, Jr. wasted no time getting Archangel to the front through an opening quarter in :28.2. The duo then strolled through a leisurely :58.1 half before getting down to business and opening up on the field by the three-quarters in 1:26.1. Paquet kept the colt’s mind on business in the stretch but was well within himself across the wire in 1:54.3.

Aperfectyankee (Jim Oscarsson) established a new stakes record for 2-year-old trotting colts with a wire- to-wire effort in 1:56.4. The son of Yankee Glide–Asixpakfromperfect cut through fractions of :29.1, :59.2 and 1:27.4 before easing away from the field a winner in his second lifetime start. Oscarsson also owns and trains Aperfectyankee who was purchased for $55,000 as a yearling.

Grand Circuit Driving Standings: David Miller continues to lead in the Grand Circuit driving standings with eight winners. Matt Kakaley, Jim Morrill, Jr., Ray Schnittker, Jimmy Takter and Tim Tetrick share second place, each with five victories. Jeff Gregory and Dave Palone are tied for seventh place with three victories apiece. Yannick Gingras, George Napolitano, Jr., Charlie Norris, Joe Pavia, Jr. and Ron Pierce share ninth place, each with two victories in 2012.

Looking ahead: The Grand Circuit remains at the Meadowlands next week with the lucrative finals of the four events for which eliminations are scheduled this week. Topping the program will be the $1.5 million Hambletonian, the second leg of Trotting’s Triple Crown for 3-year-olds. In addition, the 2-year-old colt pacers join the action with the $300,000 (est.) Woodrow Wilson and the 2-year-old filly pacers with the $350,000 (est.) Sweetheart.

The remaining 2012 schedule for the Grand Circuit is as follows.

Track–Dates
Meadows–July 23-July 28
Meadowlands–August 2-August 4
Illinois State Fair (Springfield)–August 13-August 19
Harrah’s Chester–August 16-August 19
Indiana State Fair (Indianapolis)–August 17
Indiana Downs–August 22-August 25
Mohawk–September 1-September 8
Delaware, Ohio County Fair–September 16-September 20
The Red Mile–September 27-October 7
Breeders Crown at Woodbine–October 19-October 27
Balmoral Park–November 3-November 10
Maywood Park–November 16