by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, The Grand Circuit

This Week: Molson Pace, The Raceway at Western Fair District, London, Ontraio; Art Rooney and Lismore, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y.; Golden Girls and TVG Open Pace, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.; and Somebeachsomewhere, Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, Ontario.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit will take place at four locations this weekend.

Action begins on Friday (May 31) at The Raceway at Western Fair District with the C$150,000 Molson Pace for free for all pacers. In addition to the appearance of two-time defending champion, and richest pacer of all time, Foiled Again ($4.83 million), the connections of Betterthancheddar have accepted the final invite and the world-class pacer will be making his seasonal debut in the field of eight.

Yonkers Raceway will host the $275,000 final of the Art Rooney Pace (3-year-old colts/geldings) and the $117,060 Lismore Pace (3-year-old fillies) on Saturday (June 1). Elimination winners Source Of Pride and Sir Cary’s Z Tam lead the field in the Art Rooney,

Also on Saturday, Meadowlands Racetrack will feature two divisions in the $183,400 Golden Girls for pacing mares and a single $50,000 division in the TVG Open Pace for free for all pacers. Defending Dan Patch Award winner Anndrovette is in the opening split of the Golden Girls, while last weekend’s Betsy Ross winner Economy Terror headlines the second split.

Rounding out the Saturday night Grand Circuit action, Mohawk Racetrack will host a pair of C$75,000 divisions in the Somebeachsomewhere for 3-year-old pacing colts. Highly regarded Odds On Equuleus will be making his season’s debut in the second division.

Complete entries for the Yonkers and Meadowlands races can be found by clicking on this link. Western Fair and Mohawk entries can be found by clicking on this link.

Last time: Last weekend’s Grand Circuit action was highlighted by the Dan Patch Invitational for older pacers at Hoosier Park and the Maxie Lee Memorial for older trotters and the Betsy Ross for pacing mares at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Linscott Photography

Bolt The Duer won the Dan Patch at Hoosier Park.

Bolt The Duer and driver Sam Widger used a valiant stretch drive to overtake a field of ten in the 20th installment of the $200,000 Dan Patch Invitational this past Saturday at Hoosier Park Racing and Casino.

With a :27.1 final panel, Bolt The Duer powered home to win by 1-1/2 lengths. Fred And Ginger overcame a taxing trip and battled gamely to finish second. Rockincam, last year’s Dan Patch victor, used his same off the pace tactics to charge home and finish third.

Wishing Stone (Yannick Gingras) led from start to finish on Sunday to win the $250,000 Maxie Lee Memorial Invitational for older trotters by three lengths over Uncle Peter in 1:52. The time set the stakes record and equaled the fastest mile ever trotted at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

USTA/Ken Weingartner photo

Wishing Stone set a stakes record in the Maxie Lee.

Starting from post five, Gingras put Wishing Stone in front with a :27.1 opening quarter-mile and never looked back. The duo hit the halfway point in :56.4 and cruised from there. Uncle Peter was second and Modern Family finished third.

Economy Terror (Matt Kakaley) made her first stakes-caliber start as a 4-year-old a winning one, capturing the $250,000 Betsy Ross Invitational for pacing mares by three-quarters of a length over Rocklamation in 1:51.1. Royal Cee Cee N, who won the event last season, was third.

Economy Terror benefited from a ground-saving trip behind early leader Drop The Ball while several horses, including favorite Anndrovette, were forced to race outside for the entire mile.

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 – 389.5; 2. Tim Tetrick – 246; 3. Brian Sears – 169.5; 4. David Miller – 121; and 5. Andy Miller – 95.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 423.5; 2. PJ Fraley – 88; 3. Jimmy Takter – 82.5; 4. Mark Harder – 78.5; and 5. Amber Buter – 57.

Owners: 1. Burke Racing – 90.15; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 87.45; 3. KDM Stables Corp. – 60; 4. Bamond Racing – 49.5; and 5. Our Horse Cents Stable – 48.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place at three different racetracks next weekend. The Meadows will host three-year-old trotters with the Currier & Ives. The fillies will take to the track on Wednesday (June 5) and the colts on Friday (June 7). Mohawk will feature four sets of eliminations in stakes for 3-year-olds. The Elegantimage eliminations for filly trotters will take place on Friday (June 7), while on Saturday (June 8) the track will host elims in the North America Cup (colt pacers), Fan Hanover (filly pacers) and Goodtimes (colt trotters). Tioga Downs will have a pair of Grand Circuit events on Sunday (June 9) with the Roll With Joe for open pacers and the Artiscape for pacing mares.