by Paul Ramlow, Grand Circuit Publicity Director

This Week: Mohawk Grand Circuit, Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, Ontario

Schedule of events: Grand Circuit racing at Mohawk begins on Thursday (Sept. 1) with the C$275,000 (est.) Champlain Stakes for 2-year-old filly trotters. Action continues on Friday (Sept. 2) with the C$300,000 (est.) Champlain Stakes for 2-year-old open trotters. The Saturday (Sept. 3) program has the C$285,000 Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old open trotters. The Monday (Sept. 5) card is highlighted by the C$225,000 (est.) Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old filly pacers. The Tuesday (Sept. 6) program features the C$225,000 (est.) Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old filly trotters. Action concludes on Saturday (Sept. 10) with a trio of events — the C$280,000 Champlain Stakes for 2-year-old open pacers, the C$280,000 Champlain Stakes for 2-year-old filly pacers and the C$240,000 (est.) Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old open pacers.

Last time: The Grand Circuit was at Indiana Downs in Shelbyville this past Wednesday (August 24) with the Pride In Progress free for all trot and a pair of divisions in the Kentuckiana Stallion Management for freshman trotting fillies.

Il Villaggio and driver Jody Jamieson swept past favored Arch Madness rounding the final turn and trotted to a new track record of 1:53 to win the $213,500 Pride In Progress. The Yankee Glide stallion, trained by Blair Burgess, scored by 4-1/4 lengths over Hot Shot Blue Chip, with Al Cantab, the other half of a Burgess-trained entry, finishing third. Owned by Brittany Farms, Blue Chip Bloodstock, Inc. and Il Villaggio Partners, the stallion lowered the track record for older trotters by a fifth of a second.

Indiana Downs also played host to two divisions of freshman filly trotters in the Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes. The first of the two $105,000 divisions produced another track record when Win Missy B (Conway Hall-Winning Miss Brenda) tripped the timer in 1:56.1 for Charlie Norris. A neck in front of Aunt Mel and Marcus Miller at the top of the stretch, Win Missy B crossed the wire a half-length in front. Canadian Justice finished third. The victory was the third in six starts for the filly bred and owned by Robert Key.

Brian Sears and Chilitodayhotamale (Muscles Yankee-Miss Molly Tamale) picked up the win in the second division in 1:56.3. Starting from the outside post in the field of seven, Chilitodayhotamale trotted a :28.3 final panel to overtake Dream On Hanover and the favored Personal Style. The pupil of Trond Smedshammer earned her first career win. Chilitodayhotamale was bred and is owned by Michael Andrew.

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 16 victories. David Miller holds down third place with 14 triumphs. Ray Schnittker is fourth with 10 scores. Andy Miller is fifth with eight victories. Yannick Gingras and Brett Miller share sixth place, each with six wins. Ron Pierce, Montrell Teague and Peter Wrenn are tied for eighth place with five wins each.

Looking ahead: Following the stop at Mohawk, the Grand Circuit will be off until action resumes on Sept. 18 at the Delaware, Ohio County Fair. The featured event at Delaware will be the $610,000 (est.) Little Brown Jug for 3-year-olds, the second leg of Pacing’s Triple Crown.

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

Track–Dates
Mohawk–September 1-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