Category: Grand Circuit Results

Sir Pinocchio became a two-time winner on harness racing’s Grand Circuit this year, as the Dexter Cup champion was a front-stepping 1:54.4 winner in Friday night’s (June 28) $300,000 MGM Yonkers Trot at MGM Yonkers Raceway, giving him the first leg of the Trotting Triple Crown.

Trainer Travis Alexander won the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes final for 3-year-old male pacers at MGM Yonkers Raceway for a third time and swept the exacta in Friday night’s (June 28) $225,000 edition of the first leg of the Pacing Triple Crown, as Sweet Beach Life rallied past stablemate Howlenthehills for a 1:53.1 victory.

Wicked N Single and Incantation became the first 2-year-old Grand Circuit winners of 2024 in Thursday’s (June 27) Tompkins-Geers Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Apparently, the Nancy Takter barn has more good trotters in it than presumptive Hambletonian favorite Karl, as in Saturday night’s third and final leg of the Graduate Series for 4-year-olds, she sent out the winners of both trotting divisions for a second straight week.

In a race chock full of contenders, it was Nijinsky, courtesy of a flawless journey orchestrated by Louis-Philippe Roy, who came out on top in the 41st edition of the C$1 million Pepsi North America Cup, held Saturday night (June 15) at Woodbine Mohawk Park. 

Highland Kismet, with Bob McClure in the race bike, stamped himself as a superstar-in-the-making courtesy of a stupendous score in the C$225,000 Goodtimes Stakes on Saturday evening (June 15) at Woodbine Mohawk Park. 

Driver Tim Tetrick wrangled Call Me Goo to sit off the speed and caught a covered ride to vault effortlessly by 1-5 favorite M-M’s Dream in the stretch and win the C$233,000 Armbro Flight final at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (June 15).

Once Dexter Dunn got Twin B Joe Fresh rolling for the lead, her peers could mount no fight as she registered a geared-down 1:48 win in the C$305,000 Roses Are Red final at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (June 15).

Dave Menary trainee Its A Love Thing sustained through a first-over push and forged forward in the homestretch charge to win the C$425,000 Fan Hanover on Saturday (June 15) at Woodbine Mohawk Park and tied the stakes, track and Canadian record with a 1:48.2 mile.

James MacDonald is the two-time defending O’Brien Award-winning Driver of the Year in Canada, but Friday night (June 14) at the Meadowlands, the 38-year-old pilot proved he can travel south and still do quite well, as he guided the winners of two of the four $50,000 divisions of the second leg of the Graduate Series, for 4-year-olds.