by Paul Ramlow, Grand Circuit Publicity Director

This Week: Grand Circuit events will be held this week at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Indiana Downs in Indiana, and Harrah’s Chester in Pennsylvania.

Schedule of events: Review Stakes action at Springfield will be held on Tuesday (August 16) with the $36,000 3-year-old colt/filly pace; the $35,000 2-year-old colt/filly trot; the $22,000 2-year-old colt pace; the $20,000 3-year-old colt trot; the $20,000 3-year-old filly trot; and the $18,000 2-year-old filly pace.

The Grand Circuit racing card that was scheduled for Friday (August 19) at the Indiana State Fair has been moved to Thursday (August 18) at Indiana Downs due to the tragedy over the weekend at the Fairgrounds. The feature is the $45,000 (est.) Fox Stakes for 2-year-old open pacers. Its companion stake is the $27,000 (est.) Ralph Wilfong Memorial for 2-year-old open trotters. There will also be four events in The Horseman (a stake for 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits) and the Hoosier Stakes (for 2-year-olds of both sexes and gaits).

Harrah’s Chester will host its annual Grand Circuit “Super Stakes Sunday” event on Sunday (August 21). Featured are the $500,000 Battle of the Brandywine for 3-year-old open pacers, the $500,000 Colonial for 3-year-old open trotters, and the $350,000 Valley Forge for 3-year-old filly pacers. Each of these races will also offer a pair of lucrative consolations.

Last time: George Brennan posted a rare double during Grand Circuit action on August 6 at Meadowlands Racetrack. Brennan became only the second driver to win the Hambletonian and the Hambletonian Oaks in the same year; Brian Sears did it with Broadway Schooner and Muscle Hill in 2009, while Brennan duplicated the feat behind Broad Bahn in the $1.5 million Hambo and Bold And Fresh in the $750,000 Oaks.

Andy Miller won three Grand Circuit stakes during the first week of August at Meadowlands Racetrack. He captured a $58,625 Niatross division for 2-year-old colt trotters with Mybrothergeorge, a $50,000 Townsend Ackerman division for 3-year-old colt trotters with Whatever It Takes and a $30,000 Duenna division for 3-year-old filly trotters behind Pantholops.

David Miller and Brian Sears both added a pair Grand Circuit winners that week.

Grand Circuit Driving Standings: Dave Palone continues to lead in the Grand Circuit driving standings with 22 winners. Tim Tetrick is in second place with 13 victories. David Miller has moved into third place with 11 triumphs. Ray Schnittker is fourth with 10 scores. Andy Miller is now fifth with eight victories. Yannick Gingras and Brett Miller share sixth place, each with six wins. George Brennan, Ron Pierce and Montrell Teague are tied for eighth place with four wins each.

Looking ahead: The Grand Circuit will be at Indiana Downs next week with the featured event being the $250,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management for 2-year-old filly trotters.

The remaining 2011 schedule for the Grand Circuit is as follows.

Track–Dates
Illinois State Fair (Springfield)–August 16
Indiana State Fair (Indiana Downs)–August 18
Harrah’s Chester–August 21
Indiana Downs–August 24-August 27
Mohawk–September 3-September 10
Delaware, Ohio County Fair–September 18-September 22
The Red Mile–September 29-October 9
Breeders Crown at Woodbine–October 21-October 29
Balmoral Park–November 5-November 12
Maywood Park–November 18