The Grand Circuit's weekly overview highlights its upcoming races at Dover Downs and The Meadowlands.
This Week: Matron Stakes, Dover Downs, Dover, Delaware; and Kindergarten Series finals, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Schedule of Events: The Grand Circuit returns to Dover Downs this Thursday (Nov. 10) for four Matron Stakes for three-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. The three-year-old colt pace carries a purse of $158,200, the three-year-old colt trotters will race for $143,950, the purse for the three-year-old filly trot is $135,300 and the three-year-old filly pacers will race for $123,950.
The Meadowlands on Saturday (Nov. 12) will offer the lucrative finals of the Kindergarten Series for two-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. The two-year-old filly trot carries a purse of $279,290, the two-year-old colt trotters will race for $268,180, the purse for the two-year-old filly pace is $238,810 and the two-year-old colt pacers will race for $233,970.
Complete entries for the races are available on the USTA website.
Last Time: Driver Yannick Gingras swept both Matron Stakes for two-year-old trotters, held Thursday (Nov. 3) at Bally’s Dover, using identical front-end tactics to win with colt Kimmeridgian and filly Brunella. Click here to recap the full recap.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2022, 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 2022 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders (through the races on Nov. 5, 2022):
Drivers: 1. Dexter Dunn – 1,507; 2. Tim Tetrick – 1,043; 3. Yannick Gingras – 1,007; 4. Todd McCarthy – 871; 5. David Miller – 829.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 1,001; 2. Ake Svanstedt – 838; 3. Tony Alagna – 728; 4. Brett Pelling – 519; 5. Marcus Melander – 441.
Owners: 1. David McDuffee – 225.9; 2. Burke Racing Stable – 191; 3. Brad Grant – 188.3; 4. Courant Inc. – 174; 5. Caviart Farms – 172.8.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit action will again take place next week at The Meadowlands and Dover Downs. The Meadowlands will feature eliminations for the Fall Four stakes for two-year-old pacers and trotters. Dover will host the Progress Pace eliminations for three-year-old open pacers.
(Grand Circuit)