by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, the Grand Circuit

This Week: Dexter Cup and Lady Suffolk, Freehold Raceway, Freehold, N.J.; Arthur Cutler Memorial and Graduate Pace first leg, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.; and Miami Valley Distaff and Chip Noble Memorial, Miami Valley Raceway, Lebanon, Ohio.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit at Freehold this week features the $143,737 Dexter Cup for 3-year-old open trotters and two $36,850 divisions in the Lady Suffolk for 3-year-old filly trotters on Saturday (May 6). Meadowlands Racetrack offers the $200,000 Arthur Cutler Memorial for older trotters and two $50,000 divisions in the first leg of the Graduate for 4-year-old pacers, also on Saturday. Miami Valley Raceway will feature the $86,400 Miami Valley Distaff for older trotting mares on Sunday (May 7) and the $100,000 Chip Noble Memorial for older pacing mares on Monday (May 8).

Complete entries for the races are available at this link.

Last time: A pair of $24,000 Dexter Cup eliminations were contested on Saturday (April 29) afternoon at Freehold Raceway and two sons of Chapter Seven, Another Chapter and Lord Cromwell, served notice they are prepared for their sophomore seasons as each triumphed in his respective contest.

Another Chapter, who is out of Southwind Catlin, making him a half-sibling to the $1.2 million man Spider Blue Chip, left from the rail in the first elimination with Scott Zeron at the controls. The colt was content to sit in the pocket spot, while Sir John F (Yannick Gingras) cut the mile.

As the field of eight trotted into the stretch, Southwind Cruze (Andy Miller) briefly snatched the second spot, but Zeron and Another Chapter went past that rival to score in 1:57. Southwind Cruze was second while Sir John F held for third.

Conditioned by Mark Silva, Another Chapter paid $15.00 for his maiden-breaking victory. Owned by Jeffrey Snyder and Four Friends Racing Stable, the colt now sports a lifetime resume of 11-1-1-5 with $59,975 in the bank.

In the second elimination, John Campbell steered Lord Cromwell to the winner’s circle for his third career win and first of the season for trainer Ed Hart and owner/breeder Carolyn Atherton.

The son of the aforementioned stallion and Oh Oh Its Magic left from post position four and was never threatened as he trotted from gate-to-wire on the lead while stopping the clock in 1:56.2. Gustavo Fring (Eric Carlson) and Arch Credit (Trond Smedshammer) followed him home.

Lord Cromwell’s lifetime record now stands at 5-3-0-0 and he has earned $25,720. The gelding provided a $16.60 payout to his backers.

Complete recaps of the weekend 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 following the past weekend:

Drivers: 1. Jason Bartlett – 148; 2. Jordan Stratton – 96; 3. Matt Kakaley – 91; 4. Tim Tetrick – 61; 5. Daniel Dube – 59.

Trainers: 1. Peter Tritton – 92; 2. Richard Banca – 86; 3. Rene Allard – 59; 4. Scott DiDomenico – 37; 5. Ron Burke – 36.

Owners: 1. Harry von Knoblauch Stable – 73.5; 2. Fred Monteleone Stable – 32; 3. Bamond Racing – 22.5; 4t. Carmen Iannacone – 21.7; 4t. D’Elegance Stable IX – 21.7; 4t. T L P Stable – 21.7.

Looking ahead: There will be no Grand Circuit racing next week. Action resumes on May 20 at The Meadowlands with the first leg of the Graduate for 4-year-old open trotters and at Yonkers Raceway with eliminations in the Art Rooney for 3-year-old open pacers and the Lismore for 3-year-old filly pacers.