This Week: Graduate Series, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, N.J. and Arden Downs, The Meadows, Washington, Pa.

Schedule of events: This week’s Grand Circuit schedule will again feature Graduate Series racing on Saturday (June 27) at The Meadowlands with two $50,000 divisions in the second leg for 4-year-old open trotters. First leg winners Gimpanzee and Grand Swan will square off in the second division on Saturday.

Grand Circuit action will also be held Saturday at The Meadows with two $26,764 divisions in the Arden Downs for 3-year-old filly trotters.

Complete entries for the races can be found by clicking on this link.

Last time: The Roll With Joe Open Pace, sponsored by Blue Chip Farms, was full of anticipation as Bettor’s Wish kicked off his 4-year-old season following his dominant sophomore year and was upset by Backstreet Shadow (Tim Tetrick) at Tioga Downs on Sunday (June 21).

Backstreet Shadow and Tim Tetrick won the Roll With Joe at Tioga Downs. Fred Brown photo.

Backstreet Shadow ($10) and This Is The Plan (Yannick Gingras) both timed the gate perfectly, with Backstreet Shadow making the lead through the first turn before the first quarter in :26.2. He would face no pressure through a :54.2 half, but None Bettor A (Andrew McCarthy) would pull the pocket heading up the backstretch, but he could not collar the leader, only getting within three-quarters of a length.

Heading around the last turn, a host of others took their shot at the leader, but to no avail with Backstreet Shadow drawing off to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:49. None Bettor A held on to second, and after being parked the mile, Bettor’s Wish (Dexter Dunn) closed to be third.

Backstreet Shadow, a 5-year-old by Shadow Play, now has career earnings just shy of $575,000 with 22 wins in 46 starts for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Larry Karr, and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby.

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

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2020, 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 2020 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders following this past weekend:

Drivers: 1. Tim Tetrick – 32; 2. Brian Sears – 30; 3. Dexter Dunn – 22; 4. Yannick Gingras – 15; 5. Mark MacDonald – 10.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 35; 2. Marcus Melander – 22; 3t. Brian Brown – 10; 3t. Tahnee Camilleri – 10; 3t. John McDermott – 10.

Owners: 1. Black Horse Racing – 10; 2. Oldford Racing – 7.5; 3t. Burke Racing Stable – 6.3; 3t. J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby – 6.3; 3t. Weaver Bruscemi – 6.3.

Looking ahead: Next weekend Grand Circuit action will once again be taking place at The Meadowlands. On the schedule will be the Cutler Memorial for older trotters and the second leg of the Graduate Series for 4-year-old pacers.