by Paul Ramlow, Grand Circuit Publicity Director
This Week: Lexington Grand Circuit, The Red Mile, Lexington, Kentucky
Schedule of events: The first week of Grand Circuit action at The Red Mile begins on Thursday (Sept. 29) with the $300,000 (est.) Bluegrass for 2-year-old filly trotters. The Friday (Sept. 30) card has the $300,000 (est.) Bluegrass for 2-year-old filly pacers and the $300,000 (est.) Bluegrass for 2-year-old colt trotters. The Saturday (Oct. 1) program features the $400,000 (est.) Bluegrass for 2-year-old colt pacers and the $200,000 (est.) Bluegrass for 3-year-old filly pacers. The opening week concludes on Sunday (Oct. 2) with the $700,000 (est.) Kentucky Futurity for 3-year-old colt trotters, the $350,000 (est.) Kentucky Filly Futurity for 3-year-old filly trotters and the $200,000 (est.) Bluegrass for 3-year-old colt pacers.
Last time: David Miller became only the second driver to win the Little Brown Jug and the Jugette in the same year when he turned the trick last week in Delaware. Bill Haughton was the first to accomplish that feat in 1974.
Miller won the $526,800 Little Brown Jug for 3-year-old pacers behind Big Bad John, winning his $84,288 first-heat elimination in a time of 1:50.2, then coming back to capture the $252,864 second-heat final in a time of 1:50. He was also triumphant a day earlier in the $292,350 Jugette for 3-year-old filly pacers with Idyllic, taking a $58,470 first-heat elimination in a time of 1:53.1, then capturing the $175,410 final in 1:54.
Miller added a fifth Grand Circuit victory when he piloted End Of Innocence home first in a $33,116 division of the Standardbred for 2-year-old filly trotters.
Ron Pierce also had a nice week with a trio of Grand Circuit winners. He captured the other $84,288 first-heat elimination of the Little Brown Jug with Roll With Joe, scored behind Lady Andover in the $96,800 Buckette for 3-year-old filly trotters, and won the other $33,116 Standardbred 2-year-old filly trot split with Mystical Escapade.
Grand Circuit Driving Standings: Dave Palone continues to lead in the Grand Circuit driving standings with 22 winners. David Miller has moved into second place with 19 victories. Tim Tetrick is in third place with 17 winners. Andy Miller and Ray Schnittker share fourth place, each with 10 scores. Ron Pierce is sixth with nine winning drives. Yannick Gingras checks in seventh with eight triumphs. Brett Miller and Montrell Teague are tied for eighth place, each with seven wins. Jody Jamieson rounds out the top ten with six victories.
Looking ahead: Next week will see the Grand Circuit continue its two-week stay at Lexington’s Red Mile. The highlight of the second week of racing in Kentucky will be the $700,000 (est.) Tattersalls Pace for 3-year-old colt pacers. Also in the spotlight will be the Glen Garnsey Memorial for 3-year-old filly pacers, Bluegrass stakes for 3-year-old colt and filly trotters, and International Stallion Stakes events for 2-year-olds of both sexes and gaits.
The remaining 2011 schedule for the Grand Circuit is as follows.
Track–Dates
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