by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, The Grand Circuit

This Week: Bluegrass Stakes, The Red Mile, Lexington, Ky. and Dayton Pacing Derby and Dayton Trotting Derby, Hollywood Dayton Raceway, Dayton, Ohio.

Schedule of events: Grand Circuit action kicks off on Wednesday (Sept. 30) at The Red Mile with two divisions in the $259,000 Bluegrass for 2-year-old filly trotters. The Thursday (Oct. 1) card features four divisions in the $289,000 Bluegrass for 2-year-old colt trotters. On Friday (Oct. 2) the Lexington oval will feature three divisions in the $292,200 Bluegrass for 2-year-old male pacers and three splits in the $243,000 Bluegrass for 2-year-old filly pacers. On Saturday (Oct. 3), The Red Mile will offer four $200,000 (est.) Bluegrass events for 3-year-old colt and filly pacers and trotters.

Hollywood Dayton Raceway on Friday night will feature a pair of Grand Circuit stakes in the $138,500 Dayton Pacing Derby for older pacers and the $135,750 Dayton Trotting Derby for older trotters.

Complete entries for the races are available at this link.

Last time: The Grand Circuit spotlight was on the Delaware (Ohio) County Fair this past week, with the $677,000 Little Brown Jug leading three days of exciting stakes races.

Seemingly beaten in mid-stretch, Wiggle It Jiggleit and driver Montrell Teague fought back in the final strides to win last Thursday’s (Sept. 24) Jug for 3-year-old male pacers by a nose over Lost For Words in 1:49.3.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Wiggle It Jiggleit got up in the final strides to win the Little Brown Jug.

The closing moments of the Jug capped an epic duel between the event’s first-heat winners. Lost For Words, who got a quick lead and inside position in the decisive second heat, and Wiggle It Jiggleit raced side-by-side for nearly five-eighths of a mile in the one-mile race.

Lost For Words appeared to be on his way to victory as the horses came off the final turn, opening up by more than one length on Wiggle It Jiggleit, but Wiggle It Jiggleit dug in and nipped Lost For Words at the wire. My Hero Ron finished third and Arque Hanover was fourth.

It was the first Little Brown Jug victory for “Team Teague,” which is owner George Teague Jr., his son Montrell, and trainer Clyde Francis. The 24-year-old Montrell became the second-youngest driver in history to win the Jug.

Wiggle It Jiggleit is a son of stallion Mr Wiggles out of the mare Mozzi Hanover. George Teague owns both horses and raced both horses during their careers on the track. Wiggle It Jiggleit, the No. 1-ranked horse in harness racing’s weekly poll, has won 18 of 20 races this year and pushed his seasonal earnings to $1.76 million with his victory.

In other Grand Circuit action over the weekend, some of the sport’s top trotters were showcased in the $210,000 Centaur Trotting Classic at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Sept. 26. Bee A Magician made Hoosier Park history as she became the first mare to ever win the Centaur. With David Miller in the bike, Bee A Magician dominated a field of nine male counterparts to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:53. The champion mare was able to overcome a long, first over trip to score her second consecutive victory and first victory at Hoosier Park.

Miller gave Bee A Magician the green light approaching the final turn and she ranged up to reach leader Gural Hanover’s wheel at the three-quarter clocking in 1:23.4. As the field turned for home, Bee A Magician began to put her talent on display as she found another gear to trot away from the field. Wind Of The North rallied gamely in the stretch but had to settle for second place honors while Gural Hanover held on for third. As the 3-5 favorite, Bee A Magician returned $3.20 at the betting window.

Trained by Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman, the 5-year-old Kadabra mare scored her 41st career win and 10th seasonal victory from 14 starts. With the win, Bee A Magician pushed her career bankroll to $3.6 million for owners Melvin Hartman, Herb Liverman and David McDuffee.

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

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2015, 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 Farm is the sponsor for the 2015 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders following the past week’s action:

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 1,046; 2. David Miller – 641.5; 3. Tim Tetrick – 624; 4. Brian Sears – 477; 5. Corey Callahan – 377.5.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 1,296; 2. Jimmy Takter – 893; 3. Tony Alagna – 372.5; 4. Jeff Bamond Jr. – 330; 5. Nifty Norman – 229.

Owners: 1. Burke Racing – 290.6; 2. Bamond Racing – 265; 3. Weaver Bruscemi – 262.4; 4. George Teague Jr. Inc. – 170; 5. Christina Takter – 150.45.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at Lexington’s historic Red Mile. Featured will be the Kentucky Futurity, the third leg of Trotting’s Triple Crown for 3-year-olds. Also on tap will be the companion Kentucky Filly Futurity for the sophomore fillies, the Tattersalls Pace and the Glen Garnsey Memorial for 3-year-old pacers, four International Stallion Stakes races for 2-year-olds of both sexes and gaits, and four Allerage contests for open pacers and trotters.