by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, The Grand Circuit

This Week: Armbro Flight, Elegantimage, Fan Hanover, Goodtimes and North America Cup finals, Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, Ontario; and Historic Series, Tioga Downs, Nichols, N.Y.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit spotlight will be on Mohawk Racetrack this weekend as the Ontario oval hosts five lucrative stakes finals on Saturday night (June 15), led by the C$1 million Pepsi North America Cup for 3-year-old colt pacers. Also on the card will be the C$391,882 Fan Hanover for 3-year-old filly pacers, the C$364,266 Elegantimage for 3-year-old filly trotters, the C$271,470 Armbro Flight for older mare trotters and the C$225,276 Goodtimes for 3-year-old colt trotters.

Tioga Downs will host four Historic Series Grand Circuit events on Sunday (June 16) with the $65,000 (est.) Historic-Ladyship for 3-year-old filly pacers, the $60,000 (est.) Historic–Dickerson Cup for 3-year-old colt trotters, the $55,000 (est.) Historic–Coaching Club Trotting Oaks for 3-year-old filly trotters and the $46,000 (est.) Historic–Jersey Cup for 3-year-old colt pacers.

Complete entries for the Mohawk races can be found by clicking on this link. Tioga entries can be found by clicking on this link.

Last time: Last weekend’s Grand Circuit action was highlighted by the Roll With Joe for older pacers and the Artiscape for older pacing mares at Tioga Downs.

Fred Brown photo

Pet Rock was a 1:48.1 winner in the Roll With Joe at Tioga Downs.

In the $184,000 Roll With Joe pace, Pet Rock (David Miller) stopped the timer in 1:48.1, establishing a new track record for 4-year-old stallions at Tioga Downs and equaling the all age-track record. Virgil Morgan, Jr. trains the 4-year-old son of Rocknroll Hanover–Casual Beauty for Frank Bellino. The lone threat to Pet Rock in the stretch was a fast closing Foiled Again (Matt Kakaley), who was looking for room in the stretch but had to settle for second for the second straight year. Rockincam (Brian Sears) finished third.

In the $156,000 Artiscape Pace, a world record was equaled by Camille, part of a four-horse entry for trainer Ron Burke. Matt Kakaley had Camille in the outer flow seventh at the three-quarters and was following stablemate Rocklamation (Yannick Gingras), who was gobbling up ground around the final turn. In the stretch Kakaley tipped Camille off of Gingras’ helmet and quickly paced by Rocklamation to win in 1:48.3. The mile equaled the world record for older mare pacers on a five-eighths-mile track set by Southwind Tempo at Harrah’s Chester in 2009. Burke trains the 5-year-old daughter of Camluck–Art Of Design for Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, M1 Stable and Jack Piatt III. Rocklamation finished a half-length back in second. Anndrovette (Tim Tetrick) went a big mile to hang on for third.

The Meadows hosted the Currier & Ives for sophomore trotters last week with three divisions in both the open and filly divisions. Dontyouforgetit and Bluto gave the team of Jimmy Takter and Dave Palone a pair of victories in the $134,426 Currier & Ives open division. Longshot Its Complicated took the other split of the stake. Making the first start of her sophomore campaign, Ma Chere Hall followed cover beautifully and scored in 1:55, the fastest mile in the $108,000 Currier & Ives for 3-year-old filly trotters. Faith and Top Tart won the other splits.

Five sets of eliminations for this weekend’s Mohawk stakes finals rounded out last week’s Grand Circuit action. Leading the way were the finest 3-year-old pacing colts on the continent, facing off in three Pepsi North America Cup eliminations. Captaintreacherous, Fool Me Once and Vegas Vacation all turned in impressive victories in 1:49 or faster.

Complete recaps of the weekend 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 – 450.5; 2. Tim Tetrick – 281; 3. Brian Sears – 204.5; 4. David Miller – 156; and 5. Andy Miller – 127.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 535.5; 2. PJ Fraley – 113; 3. Jimmy Takter – 106.5; 4. Linda Toscano – 87; and 5. Mark Harder – 78.5.

Owners: 1. Burke Racing – 105.85; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 103.15; 3. Bamond Racing – 62; 4. KDM Stables Corp. – 60; and 5. Our Horse Cents Stable – 58.

Looking ahead: Next weekend will see Grand Circuit action taking place at Meadowlands Racetrack and Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The Meadowlands will host a leg of the TVG Free For All series for older trotters on Friday (June 21), while Pocono will have eliminations for the Ben Franklin (older pacers), Earl Beal Memorial (3-year-old colt trotters), Max Hempt Memorial (3-year-old colt pacers) and James Lynch (3-year-old filly pacers) on Saturday (June 22).