by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, The Grand Circuit

This Week: Maywood Park Grand Circuit, Maywood Park, Melrose Park, Ill.; Lady Maud, Messenger Stakes and Yonkers Trot eliminations, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y.; Fall Four Stakes eliminations, Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, Ontario; and Kindergarten Classic leg, Vernon Downs, Vernon, N.Y.

Schedule of events: Grand Circuit action this week will get underway on Friday (Oct. 17) at Maywood Park with the $180,000 Windy City Pace for 3-year-old open pacers, the $92,300 Galt for 3-year-old open trotters, two divisions in the $75,200 Cinderella for 3-year-old filly pacers and the $57,100 Abe Lincoln for 2-year-old colt pacers.

The fifth and final preliminary leg of the Kindergarten Series will be held on Friday night at Vernon Downs, with three $10,000 divisions for the 2-year-old filly trotters and two $10,000 divisions for the 2-year-old colt trotters.

Woodbine will offer a pair of C$25,000 eliminations on Friday for the Three Diamonds for 2-year-old filly pacers and the Goldsmith Maid for 2-year-old filly trotters. The Saturday (Oct. 18) card at Woodbine will also feature a pair of C$25,000 eliminations in the Governor’s Cup for 2-year-old colt pacers and the Valley Victory for 2-year-old colt trotters.

Yonkers Raceway will offer three sets of eliminations on Saturday night, with two Triple Crown events. Sixteen horses have entered the Yonkers Trot for 3-year-olds and a pair of $40,000 eliminations will be held. Only nine entered the Messenger for 3-year-old male pacers and a single $40,000 elimination will be contested, with the top eight horses advancing to next week’s final. Also on tap will be a pair of $20,000 eliminations in the Lady Maud for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

Complete entries for the U.S. races are available at this link. Woodbine entries can be seen at this link.

Last time: Eight American-National stakes were in the Grand Circuit spotlight this past Saturday night (Oct. 11) at Balmoral Park.

REB Photos

Creatine trotted the fastest mile ever at Balmoral Park, 1:51.3, in winning the American-National Open Trot.

Creatine captured the $166,300 American-National Open Trot in a new Balmoral track record time of 1:51.3 with Dan Noble at the lines. The previous time of 1:51.4 was set by Sand Vic in 2006.

In the lane, Creatine (Andover Hall-Berry Nice Muscles) finally shook loose behind Archangel and charged through the inside. Wishing Stone came flying late on the outside to get up for second, while Archangel held on for third.

The 4-year-old stallion, trained by Bob Stewart, is owned by Diamond Creek Racing of Wellsville, Pa., and now has $322,571 in seasonal earnings from three wins, three seconds and one third in 13 starts. Lifetime, he’s amassed 14 wins, nine seconds and three thirds in 37 trips postward, with $1,189,730.

Shake It Cerry trotted to a new stakes and track record clocking of 1:52.2 in the $150,000 American-National 3-year-old filly trot. The previous record was 1:54, set in 2010 by Springtime Volo and in 2000 by Armbro Temple.

Turning for home, Shake It Cerry began to open up on her rivals, being challenged only briefly by Lifetime Pursuit, but to no avail as the former brushed in :26.4 to extend her win streak to six. Lifetime Pursuit notched runner-up honors, with the hard-trying Cee Bee Yes grabbing the show money.

Reined by Ron Pierce for trainer Jimmy Takter and the Solveig’s Racing Partners of East Windsor, N.J., the daughter of Donato Hanover-Solveig notched her 20th career victory and pushed her career earnings to $1,631,205.

Father Patrick added another feather to his illustrious cap by simply cruising to a five length victory in 1:52.2 in the $203,000 American-National for 3-year-old male trotters at Balmoral Park.

The son of Cantab Hall-Gala Dream led at every post for driver Yannick Gingras, comfortably trotting through fractions of :28.2, :57.2 and 1:24.4. That final time equaled the Balmoral track record for sophomore trotting colts. E L Titan finished in second for driver Ron Pierce and trainer Riina Rekila, while Rompaway Galaxy got up for third with John Campbell in the sulky for trainer Krista Harmon.

Trained by Jimmy Takter for the Father Patrick Stable of East Windsor, N.J., Father Patrick upped his seasonal earnings to $1,385,581 and his career earnings to $2,129,638.

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

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2014, 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 2014 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders following the past weekend.

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 1,815; 2. Tim Tetrick – 885; 3. David Miller – 835.5; 4. Ron Pierce – 620.5; 5. Corey Callahan – 521.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 1,840.5; 2. Jimmy Takter – 1,477; 3. Joe Holloway – 349; 4. Erv Miller – 326.5; 5. Tony Alagna – 310.

Owners: 1. Burke Racing – 405.9; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 363.4; 3. 3 Brothers Stable – 267; 4. Brittany Farms – 253.95; 5. Robert Key – 230.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place next weekend at Yonkers Raceway, Woodbine Racetrack, Hollywood Dayton Raceway, Hoosier Park and Vernon Downs. Yonkers will feature the finals of the Messenger, the final leg of Pacing’s Triple Crown, and the Yonkers Trot, the final leg of Trotting’s Triple Crown, along with the Lady Maud for pacing fillies and the Hudson Filly Trot for trotting fillies; Woodbine will offer four finals for 2-year-olds of both sexes and gaits (the Goldsmith Maid and Three Diamonds for fillies and the Governor’s Cup and Valley Victory for colts); Hollywood Dayton will feature the inaugural Dayton Pacing Derby and Trotting Derby for older horses; Hoosier will offer Madison County events for 2-year-olds of both sexes and gaits and Circle City races for 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits; and Vernon will offer John Simpson Stakes for 2-year-olds of both sexes and gaits.