by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, The Grand Circuit

This Week: Yonkers Trot eliminations and Hudson Filly Trot and Lady Maud, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y.; Canadian Pacing Derby, Metro and She’s A Great Lady eliminations and Casual Breeze, Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, Ontario; and Kindergarten Series, Tioga Downs, Nichols, N.Y.

Schedule of events: This Saturday (Aug. 29), 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. Only eight horses entered the Messenger Stakes for sophomore pacers, the second leg of pacing’s Triple Crown, so all eight will advance to next week’s final. Additionally, Yonkers will host the $149,240 Hudson Filly Trot for 3-year-old filly trotters and the $116,430 Lady Maud for 3-year-old filly pacers.

Grand Circuit action at Mohawk Racetrack kicks off on Friday (Aug. 28) with two divisions in the C$183,950 Casual Breeze for 3-year-old trotting fillies. On Saturday, Mohawk will host a trio of stakes eliminations. There will be a pair of C$40,000 eliminations in the Canadian Pacing Derby for open pacers, a trio of C$40,000 eliminations in the Metro for 2-year-old colt pacers and two C$35,000 eliminations in the She’s A Great Lady for 2-year-old filly pacers.

On Sunday (Aug. 30), Tioga Downs will host the second leg of the Kindergarten Series for 2-year-old colt and filly trotters. Each of the divisions will race for purses of $10,000.

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: The Grand Circuit spotlight was on The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono this past Saturday night as the track hosted a busy card of 3-year-old stakes, while celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Curtis Salonick photo

Wiggle It Jiggleit won the Battle of the Brandywine in 1:48 for driver Montrell Teague.

Wiggle It Jiggleit made it look easy, capturing Saturday’s $500,000 Battle of the Brandywine for 3-year-old male pacers by three lengths over Wakizashi Hanover in 1:48. Dude’s The Man finished third and Artspeak was fourth.

The winning time equaled Lucan Hanover’s world record for a 3-year-old gelding pacer on a five-eighths-mile track.

Wiggle It Jiggleit has won 16 of 18 races this year and pushed his seasonal earnings to $1.43 million. His previous stakes victories this season included the Hempt Memorial, also at Pocono, Meadowlands Pace and Milstein Memorial. For his career, the son of Mr Wiggles-Mozzi Hanover has won 17 of 19 starts.

Hambletonian champion Pinkman went off stride at the start, opening the door for his eight rivals in Saturday’s $500,000 Colonial for 3-year-old male trotters, and Crazy Wow was the one to take advantage.

Crazy Wow, who was not eligible to the Hambletonian, won the Colonial by 1-1/4 lengths over The Bank in 1:52.3. Uncle Lasse finished third and Wicker Hanover was fourth. Crazy Wow, sent off at odds of 9-1, was the third choice in the betting behind 1-5 favorite Pinkman and Uncle Lasse.

Crazy Wow has won five of nine races this year and earned $542,537. For his career, the son of Crazed-No Pan No Gain has won 10 of 20 starts and banked $775,465. He is owned by Our Horse Cents Stables, JT45, J&T Silva Stables, and Deo Volente Farms.

Bettor Be Steppin earned her second stakes win of the season at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, capturing Saturday’s $350,000 Valley Forge for 3-year-old female pacers in a lifetime-best 1:50. Momas Got A Gun was second, beaten by three-quarters of a length, while Sassa Hanover finished third and Totally Rusty was fourth.

Bettor Be Steppin, trained by Joe Holloway, has won five of 11 races this year and earned $419,150. She has won nine of 23 races lifetime for owners Val D’Or Farms, Rojan Stables, and Ted Gewertz. She pushed her career earnings to $717,793.

Fresh off his 1:47 win in the U.S. Pacing Championship, State Treasurer maintained his superiority in the older pacing ranks with a 1:47.2 track record triumph in the $150,000 Roll With Joe, held Sunday (Aug. 23) at Tioga Downs.

State Treasurer prevailed by 3-3/4 lengths in the end, well in hand at the winning post with plenty in reserve. Clear Vision held second, while Foiled Again stayed on for third off a second-over trip.

Dr. Ian Moore trains State Treasurer for owners Sally and Paul MacDonald. He has won six of his 12 season’s starts, with earnings of $489,482.

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 – 669; 2. Tim Tetrick – 485; 3. David Miller – 431.5; 4. Brian Sears – 387; 5. Corey Callahan – 327.5.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 857; 2. Jimmy Takter – 542; 3. Jeff Bamond Jr. – 298; 4. Erv Miller – 212; 5. Tony Alagna – 191.

Owners: 1. Bamond Racing – 233; 2. Burke Racing – 198.4; 3. Weaver Bruscemi – 172.70; 4. George Teague Jr. Inc. – 140; 5. Jeff Snyder – 101.2.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at Yonkers Raceway, Mohawk Racetrack and Balmoral Park. Yonkers will feature the finals of the Yonkers Trot and Messenger Stakes; Mohawk will offer the finals of the Canadian Pacing Derby, Metro Pace and She’s A Great Lady, as well as Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old colt and filly trotters and 3-year-old filly pacers and Champlain Stakes for 2-year-old colt and filly trotters; and Balmoral has American-National races for 2-year-old colt and filly trotters.