by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, the Grand Circuit

This Week: Yonkers Trot and Messenger eliminations, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y.; Casual Breeze, Nassagaweya, Eternal Camnation and Canadian Pacing Derby eliminations, Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, Ontario; and Artiscape, Crawford Farms Trot, Joie De Vie and W.N. Reynolds Memorial divisions, Tioga Downs, Nichols, N.Y.

Schedule of events: This Saturday (Aug. 26), Yonkers Raceway will host a pair of $40,000 eliminations in the Yonkers Trot for sophomore trotters, the second leg of the sport’s trotting Triple Crown. The top four horses in each elimination will return for the $500,000 final on Sept. 2. Only nine horses entered the Messenger Stakes for sophomore pacers, the second leg of pacing’s Triple Crown, so all nine will contest a single $40,000 elimination to get the eight for the $500,000 final.

Also on Saturday, Grand Circuit action at Mohawk Racetrack will feature two divisions in the C$226,050 Nassagaweya for 2-year-old pacing colts; a single C$192,333 division in the Eternal Camnation for 2-year-old pacing fillies; and a pair of C$40,000 eliminations in the Canadian Pacing Derby for older pacers. On Friday (Aug. 25) Mohawk will host two C$81,412 divisions in the Casual Breeze for 3-year-old filly trotters.

On Sunday (Aug. 27), Tioga Downs will card the $160,000 (est.) Artiscape for older pacing mares, the $160,000 (est.) Crawford Farms Trot for older trotters, the $150,000 (est.) Joie De Vie for older trotting mares and W.N. Reynolds Memorial events for freshman pacers and trotters.

Complete entries for the races at the U.S. tracks are available at this link. Entries for the Mohawk races are available at this link.

Last time: Sitting off a contested front, Yes Mickey snuck up the pylons to edge past 6-5 favorite Ariana G and upset at 34-1 in the $320,000 Dr. Harry Zweig Memorial on Friday (Aug. 18) at Vernon Downs.

Fotowon photo

Yes Mickey snuck up the pylons to edge past Ariana G and upset at 34-1 in the $320,000 Dr. Harry Zweig Memorial.

Long Tom grabbed the front from Yes Mickey before a :26.4 first quarter. Ariana G, sitting third, edged outside and brushed to the lead off a :55.1 half. Devious Man, behind International Moni stalled first over, loomed wide and trotted towards Ariana G’s wheel, pressuring the leader through a 1:23.3 third-quarter while Long Tom drifted off the rail, giving room to Yes Mickey.

Yes Mickey gradually approached the leader up the inside, getting his nose in front within the final sixteenth and edging away to win by a neck over Ariana G in a lifetime-best effort of 1:51.2. Devious Man finished third and International Moni finished fourth.

A 3-year-old gelding by Muscle Hill from the Pine Chip mare My Favorite Chip, Yes Mickey won his second race in ten starts, earning $223,087 for owner Mellby Gard Inc. Trained and driven by Ake Svanstedt, he paid $71.00 to win.

Svanstedt completed a sweep of the Zweig finals when Evelyn shook loose off a pocket trip to win the $135,000 Filly final in 1:54.1.

Sitting behind a tempo of :27, :57, and 1:25.4 set by Feed Your Head and pressure from Sunshine Delight parked first-over, Evelyn managed to weave through the dueling leaders midway through the stretch to win by a length over Sunshine Delight, with Feed Your Head faltering to third and Glitzey Gal recovering from an early break to take fourth.

Racing for owners Ake Svanstedt Inc., Little E LLC, Borje Nasstrom, and Silva Stable 45, Evelyn won her fourth race in 20 starts, pushing her career earnings to $192,166. Driven by Andy Miller, she paid $16.00 to win.

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

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2017, 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 2017 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders through and including the races on Aug. 19.

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 635; 2. David Miller – 489; 3. Tim Tetrick – 423; 4. Scott Zeron – 330; 5. Jason Bartlett – 238.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 572; 2. Jimmy Takter – 432; 3. Brian Brown – 245; 4. Ray Schnittker – 187; 5. Ake Svanstedt – 181.

Owners: 1. Emerald Highlands Farm – 155; 2. Burke Racing Stable – 130.2; 3. Harry Von Knoblauch Stable – 123.5; 4. Weaver Bruscemi – 108.6; 5. Melby Gard –90.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at Yonkers Raceway and Mohawk Racetrack. Yonkers will feature the finals of the Yonkers Trot and Messenger Stakes, as well as the Hudson Filly Trot and Lady Maud. Mohawk will offer the Canadian Pacing Derby, as well as Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old colt and filly trotters and Champlain Stakes for 2-year-old colt and filly pacers and trotters.