by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, The Grand Circuit

This Week: Credit Winner, Muscle Hill and Reynolds Memorial, Vernon Downs, Vernon, N.Y.; Simcoe Stakes, Champlain Stakes, Canadian Trotting Classic eliminations, William Wellwood Memorial eliminations and Peaceful Way eliminations, Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, Ontario.

Schedule of events: Grand Circuit action kicks off on Thursday (Sept. 5) at Vernon Downs with two divisions in the $78,600 W.N. Reynolds Memorial for 2-year-old colt trotters and two divisions in the $66,000 W.N. Reynolds Memorial for 2-year-old filly trotters. The Friday (Sept. 6) card at Vernon features the $214,000 Credit Winner for open trotters and the $202,000 Muscle Hill for trotting mares.

Grand Circuit action at Mohawk commences on Thursday (Sept. 5) with three C$30,000 eliminations in the Peaceful Way for 2-year-old filly trotters. The Friday (Sept. 6) Mohawk card features two C$30,000 eliminations in the William Wellwood Memorial for 2-year-old open trotters. The big Saturday (Sept. 7) program is highlighted by two divisions in the C$261,594 Champlain Stakes for 2-year-old colt pacers, two divisions in the C$243,582 Champlain Stakes for 2-year-old filly pacers, two divisions in the C$241,475 Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old colt pacers and two C$40,000 eliminations in the Canadian Trotting Classic for 3-year-old open trotters.

Complete entries for the races at Vernon are available at this link. Entries for the Mohawk races are available at this link.

Last time: The Grand Circuit spotlight was on Mohawk Racetrack this past Saturday with a trio of lucrative events, led by the Canadian Pacing Derby for open pacers.

New Image Media photo

A Rocknroll Dance (#3) held off Clear Vision (#4) to win the Canadian Pacing Derby.

A Rocknroll Dance and Clear Vision dueled stretch-long in the $618,450 Canadian Pacing Derby, but the former was a touch better and took home the spoils in a stakes record 1:47.2. Foiled Again was third. Tim Tetrick drove the 4-year-old son of Rocknroll Hanover to the nose victory for trainer Jim Mulinix and the A Rocknroll Dance Stable of Ohio. The speed mark also equaled the Mohawk and Canadian record.

Also at Mohawk, Boomboom Ballykeel, driven by Sylvain Filion, exploded in late stretch to nail pacesetting favorite Western Vintage at the wire and win the rich $648,850 Metro Pace for 2-year-olds. The task looked hopeless late in the lane until Boomboom Ballykeel, avoiding some stretch interference, rocketed to the leader and went on by to post a going-away 2-1/4 length tally in a career best 1:50.4. Some Major Beach wound up third, 4-1/2 lengths behind the winner, with Tellitlikeitis fourth.

Finally at Mohawk, 2-year-old pacing filly Precocious Beauty turned in a 1:50.2 stakes record equaling performance in the $428,450 She’s A Great Lady final for the father and son team of trainer Gregg and driver Doug McNair. McNair rolled Precocious Beauty three-wide off cover around the final turn and the streaking filly sprinted home in :27.1 to edge out Gallie Bythe Beach for the half-length victory. Beach Gal came on for third, finishing more than three lengths behind.

Tioga Downs held one of its banner days of the 2013 racing season on Monday (Sept. 2) with the $360,211 Cane Pace and $122,212 Shady Daisy.

In the $360,211 Cane Pace, Captaintreacherous (Tim Tetrick) dug in to hold off a late closing Word Power, who finished second by a neck, in 1:49.2. Wake Up Peter finished third, while Vegas Vacation was fourth.

In the $122,212 Shady Daisy, driver David Miller urged Scandalous Hanover to the wire to win by a neck over Ms Caila J Fra in 1:51. Shebestingin was third.

Complete recaps of all the races are available at the Grand Circuit website.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2013, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will 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). Hanover Shoe Farms is the sponsor for the 2013 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders following the past weekend:

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 929; 2. Tim Tetrick – 868; 3. David Miller – 572; 4. Andy Miller – 440; and 5. Brian Sears – 428.5.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 983.5; 2. Jimmy Takter – 565.5; 3. Linda Toscano – 376.5; 4. Ray Schnittker – 234; and 5. Julie Miller – 219.

Owners: 1. Burke Racing – 219.15; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 201.45; 3. Frank Bellino – 128.5; 4. Brittany Farms – 118.85; and 5. WJ Donovan – 118.25.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at Balmoral Park, The Red Mile, Tioga Downs and Mohawk Racetrack. Balmoral will host American-National eliminations for 2-year-old colt and filly trotters; The Red Mile will feature a leg of the Kindergarten Series for 2-year-old colt and filly trotters; Tioga will host W.N. Reynolds Memorial races for 2-year-old colt and filly pacers; and Mohawk will feature the finals of the Canadian Trotting Classic, the William Wellwood Memorial and the Peaceful Way, as well as the Milton Stake eliminations for pacing mares.