Grand Circuit season opens this weekend at Yonkers
March 15, 2017,by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, the Grand Circuit
This Week: Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy series opening legs, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y. This is the opening event of the 2017 Grand Circuit season.
Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit at Yonkers features three $40,000 divisions on Friday (March 17) in the first round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker series for open pacing mares. The Saturday (March 18) card at Yonkers will see four $50,000 divisions in the opening round of the George Morton Levy series for open pacers.
Friday night’s three $40,000 Matchmaker melees (races four, five and six) are comprised of 24 of the best pacing mares in training.
Saturday night offers four $50,000 Levy groupings (races five through eight), including Bit Of A Legend N. The defending series champ drew post position No. 2 in the final division, with Jordan Stratton driving for owner Harry von Knoblauch and trainer Peter Tritton. A total of 31 leading Free-For-Allers declared their intentions for the first series go-round.
Both series include five preliminary rounds leading to their respective (Saturday, April 22) finals.
Complete entries for the races can be found by clicking on this link.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2017, 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 2017 Grand Circuit awards.
Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will continue with legs of the Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy over the next four weekends. The finals and consolations for both events will be held on April 22.
- It’s Ladies Night at Yonkers Raceway as Blue Chip Matchmaker begins (Friday, March 17, 2017)
Yonkers Raceway’s Blue Chip Matchmaker for high-end pacing mares began Friday night (March 17), with a trio of $40,000 divisions. The opening event saw odds-on choice Shesjustadelight N (Ron Cushing, $3.60) parlay a perfect pocket trip into a handy, 1:53 victory
- Grand Circuit action continues at Yonkers with first round of Levy Series (Sunday, March 19, 2017)
Yonkers Raceway’s George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series for Free-For-Allers began Saturday night (March 18), with a quartet of $50,000 divisions over a ‘sloppy’ surface.