Schedule of events: The week of Grand Circuit racing at The Meadows features the $500,500 Delvin Miller Adios for three-year-old open pacers, which has drawn a record number 27 entries. Action gets underway on Tuesday (August 10) with seven divisions in the $99,268 Arden Downs for two-year-old filly trotters. The Wednesday (August 11) card has five splits in the $96,830 Arden Downs for two-year-old filly pacers. The Thursday (August 12) program is highlighted by $50,000 (est.) Arden Downs events for three-year-old filly trotters and two-year-old colt trotters. The Friday (August 13) card also offers a pair of events in the $150,000 (est.) Adioo Volo for three-year-old filly pacers and the $50,000 (est.) Arden Downs for three-year-old colt trotters. The week of Grand Circuit racing concludes on Saturday afternoon (August 14) with The Adios and the $100,000 (est.) Arden Downs for two-year-old colt pacers.

Last time: Ron Pierce was the big winner during the Grand Circuit’s final week of action at The Meadowlands. Pierce’s mounts banked $747,310 on the strength of four wins and one third in 11 trips to the post. Ron was victorious in the $450,620 Merrie Annabelle two-year-old filly trot final with Reinvent (1:57¹), the $432,000 Woodrow Wilson two-year-old colt pace final with Village Jolt (1:51³), the $420,000 Peter Haughton Memorial two-year-old colt trot final with New York Yank (1:58²), and a $100,000 Oliver Wendell Holmes three-year-old colt pace split with Geartogear (1:49⁴).

George Brennan also had a nice week, with $546,940 in purses won, thanks to triumphs in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks three-year-old filly trot final with Silver Springs (1:53³) and the $443,200 Sweetheart two-year-old filly pace final with Fox Valley Shaker (1:53³).

Grand Circuit Driving Standings: Ron Pierce has widened his lead in the G.C. driving dash standings with 15 wins in 2004, six ahead of Dave Palone and David Miller’s total of nine. Pierce is also the top driver in earnings with $1,563,847, while John Campbell is second with a total of $825,656. Dave Palone is first in the UDR chase with a mark of .448, while Brian Zendt is in the runner-up slot at .433.

Looking ahead: The Grand Circuit heads to the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Indiana Downs in Shelbyville, and the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis next week. Springfield will host the Review Stakes on Monday (August 16) and Tuesday (August 17), Indiana Downs will host the Kentucky Standardbred Sales Company races for two-year-old filly trotters on Friday (August 20) and for two-year-old filly pacers on Saturday (August 21), while Indianapolis will hold ten events in a single day on Saturday (August 21).