by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, The Grand Circuit

This Week: Arthur J. Cutler Memorial and TVG Series Pace, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.; Confederation Cup final, Flamboro Downs, Dundas, Ontario; and Miss Versatility first leg, Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, Ontario.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit at Meadowlands Racetrack this week will feature the $183,650 Arthur J. Cutler Memorial for older trotters and the $50,000 TVG Series for older pacers on Saturday (May 16).

Heading into the early part of next week, Flamboro Downs will host the C$226,575 Confederation Cup final for 4-year-old open pacers on Sunday (May 17), while Mohawk will host their first Grand Circuit race of the year on Monday (May 18) with the C$40,000 (est.) first leg of the Miss Versatility Series for older trotting mares.

Complete entries for the Meadowlands races can be found by clicking on this link, while the Flamboro and Mohawk races can be viewed on this link.

Last time: Meadowlands Racetrack was the site for most of the Grand Circuit action this past weekend and the prep for the Arthur Cutler Memorial took center stage.

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Bee A Magician won the Cutler Prep in 1:51.3.

If the first two starts of her 2015 campaign are any indication, Bee A Magician will be a force to be reckoned with once again. On Saturday night (May 9) at The Meadowlands, she not only defeated the boys in the $50,000 Cutler Prep, she destroyed them.

Escaping at 12-1, despite coming off a track record performance at Yonkers, Bee A Magician was dismissed by the punters from post position 10. Off the gate, driver Scott Zeron asked his champion mare for a little speed, but his plan wasn’t to make the lead. Bee A Magician did lead at the first point of call, which she reached in :27.4, but she would relinquish that lead to DW’s NY Yank, who briefly went off-stride at the start. The Ron Burke-trainee would lead the field past the half-mile in :55.4.

Bee A Magician continued to draft in the pocket behind the leader past three-quarters in 1:24.3. But from there, the mare made her move. Bee A Magician opened up daylight in the stretch and was a geared down and ultra-impressive winner in 1:51.3. Wind Of The North rallied well to finish second, with Melady’s Monet holding onto third despite a tough first-over trip.

The magnificent mare is owned by Melvin Hartman, Marvin Katz and David McDuffee and is trained by Nifty Norman. For Bee A Magician, it was her 33rd victory from 49 career starts. Her earnings continue to close in on $2.8 million.

All Bets Off and Let’s Drink On It scored impressive victories Sunday night (May 10) at Flamboro Downs in the eliminations for the Confederation Cup. A group of 16 4-year-old pacers were split into two $16,600 eliminations to determine the field for next Sunday’s C$226,575 Confederation Cup final.

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All Bets Off established a new Flamboro track record with a 1:50.4 victory.

In the first elimination, All Bets Off established a new Flamboro Downs track record with a dominant 1:50.4 victory. All Bets Off paced away from his competition in the final quarter to score a 3-1/2 length victory. Bettorever, who was seventh at the three-quarter pole, was able to split his way between rivals on the final turn to finish second, while National Debt and Big Boy Dreams finished third and fourth, securing spots in the final.

All Bets Off‘s clocking of 1:50.4 set a new track record for an older pacer, shaving a fifth of a second off the previous mark of 1:51 set in 2007 by Rare Jewel. A son of Bettor’s Delight, All Bets Off is trained by Ron Burke for the ownership group of Burke Racing Stable, Frank Baldachino, The Panhellenic Stb Corp. and the Estate of Rosemary J. Shelswell.

Let’s Drink On It got a perfect second-over trip to score an impressive five length victory in the second elimination. Driver Billy Davis Jr. sent Let’s Drink On It three-wide at the three-quarter pole to sweep around the leaders and the Joe Seekman trainee responded by pacing off to an easy victory in 1:51.4. Somewhere Fancy came on late to finish second, while Ideal Cowboy and Limelight Beach qualified for the final by finishing third and fourth, respectively.

A son of Art Official, Let’s Drink On It now has two wins in four starts in his 4-year-old season. He is owned by Tina Seekman, Larry Bond, Hal Hewitt and Vincent Boido Jr. Sunday’s elimination victory gives Let’s Drink On It 15 career wins and pushes his bankroll to $625,389.

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

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2015, 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 2015 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders following the past weekend:

Drivers: 1. Daniel Dube – 145; 2. Jason Bartlett – 123; 3. Yannick Gingras – 106; 4. George Brennan – 92; 5. Tim Tetrick – 87.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 188; 2. Jeff Bamond Jr. – 154; 3. Rene Allard – 125; 4. Mark Silva – 45; 5. Tony O’Sullivan – 32.

Owners: 1. Bamond Racing – 138.5; 2t. Burke Racing – 53.55; 2t. Weaver Bruscemi – 53.55; 4. Allard Racing – 41.6; 5. Jeff Snyder – 35.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place at Yonkers Raceway, Harrah’s Philadelphia and Tioga Downs next weekend. Yonkers Raceway offers eliminations in the Art Rooney and Lismore on Saturday (May 23); Harrah’s Philadelphia will hold the Betsy Ross for pacing mares, the Jerry Taylor for pacing horses and the Maxie Lee Memorial for trotters on Sunday (May 24); and Tioga Downs will host the first leg of The Graduate for 4-year-old pacers and trotters on Memorial Day Monday (May 25).