by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, the Grand Circuit

This Week: Fall Four finals, Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, Ont., and Progress Pace eliminations, Dover Downs, Dover, Del.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit returns to Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday (Nov. 19) with the Fall Four finals for 2-year-old pacers and trotters. On tap will be the C$520,000 Governor’s Cup for pacing colts, the C$447,000 Goldsmith Maid for filly trotters, the C$427,000 Three Diamonds for pacing fillies and the C$404,000 Valley Victory for colt trotters.

On Monday (Nov. 21) Dover Downs will host $35,000 eliminations in the Progress Pace for 3-year-old colt pacers. The $300,000 (est.) Progress Pace final will be held on Nov. 28.

Complete entries for the Woodbine races are available at this link. The Dover entries are available at this link.

Last time: Always B Miki will always be remembered as a champion. The fastest pacer in the history of harness racing capped his career in triumphant fashion, using a sustained first-over bid to overpower All Bets Off and sprint off to a 1:48.2 victory in the $400,000 TVG Free For All Pace on Saturday evening (Nov. 12) at The Meadowlands.

Lisa photo

Always B Miki closed out his career with a win in the TVG Free For All Pace.

David Miller moved Always B Miki first-over out of midfield after patiently stalking sizzling fractions of :25.4 and :54.1, making gradual gains into pacesetter All Bets Off (Matt Kakaley) through the far turn. The 5-year-old Always A Virgin stallion pushed to the fore in upper stretch, leaving All Bets Off well in his wake and evading eventual runner-up Mach It So (Tim Tetrick) by 4-1/4 lengths. Melmerby Beach (Marcus Miller) benefitted from the outer flow and saved third with a mild stand-side push over the tiring All Bets Off.

Miller and trainer Jimmy Takter had nothing but glowing reports of Always B Miki’s curtain call.

“When I asked him, he took right off,” said Miller. “Jimmy (Takter) has done a great job keeping him good all year, and I tell you what, he’s good today as he’s been all year. He’s an incredible horse; he’s a true champion.”

“It’s a wonderful feeling standing here at our home track,” said Takter. “He’s just a wonderful horse to be around. He’s so personable, anybody working with this horse just would love him.

“It’s nice to quit on the top, too. This horse has a future ahead of him, and it’s going to be very, very exciting to train his offspring.”

Always B Miki wraps up his racing career with 30 wins in 53 starts — 12 of those wins coming this year — as well as $2,715,368 in earnings for Bluewood Stable, Roll The Dice Stable and Christina Takter.

Obrigado, one of two of the eight in the $400,000 TVG Free For All Trot to have not contested a Breeders Crown event two weeks ago, sought control of the terms early and dug in to parry a barrage of pressure in a compelling race which saw the entire octet covered by two lengths at the winning post.

The 6-year-old Boy Band gelding pushed clear of JL Cruze (John Campbell) following a :27.2 initial quarter-mile and worked to stave off the first-over threat of 3-year-old Crown champion Bar Hopping (Tim Tetrick) through the far turn. Upon straightening for home, Mark MacDonald called upon Obrigado for every ounce of effort he had remaining, and the pair dug in to withstand a late three-wide charge from Crazy Wow (Yannick Gingras) by a nose in 1:52.4. Lookslikeachpndale (Scott Zeron) charged down the grandstand side to take third over odds-on favorite Resolve (Åke Svanstedt), who only could muster fourth place from a third-over trip while only missing by a neck.

Trainer Paul Kelley shares ownership of Obrigado with the SRF Stable, Linwood Higgins and Stable 45.

In the $200,000 TVG for trotting mares, Hannelore Hanover rallied from off the pace to once again defeat Bee A Magician, vaulting home and reeling in the quadruple millionaire for a 1:51.4 score. Lady Shadow used nearly identical tactics as Always B Miki en route to her 1:50 win in the $200,000 TVG for pacing mares, grinding down rival Solar Sister and evading the late-emerging Bedroomconfessions by 1-1/2 lengths.

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 – 1,660.5; 2. David Miller – 1,325; 3. Tim Tetrick – 1,231.5; 4. Scott Zeron – 641.5; 5. Brett Miller – 609.5.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 1,576.5; 2. Jimmy Takter – 1,498.5; 3. Tony Alagna – 608; 4. Ake Svanstedt – 491; 5. Erv Miller – 477.

Owners: 1. Burke Racing Stable – 357.42; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 294.17; 3. Marvin Katz – 280.8; 4. Tom Hill – 249; 5. Al Libfeld – 226.8.

Looking ahead: The 2016 Grand Circuit season will conclude after Thanksgiving with the Progress Pace at Dover Downs and the Courageous Lady for 3-year-old pacing fillies at Northfield Park.