The Grand Circuit's weekly overview highlights its upcoming races at Dover Downs and Meadowlands Racetrack.
This Week: Progress Pace eliminations, Bally’s Dover, Dover, Delaware, and Fall Four eliminations, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Schedule of Events: The Grand Circuit returns to Dover today (Thursday, Nov. 16) for two $35,000 eliminations in the Progress Pace for three-year-old open pacers. A field off 13 will compete for eight spots in the final slated for Nov. 22.
On Saturday night, Nov. 18, Meadowlands Racetrack will host the Fall Four eliminations for freshman pacers and trotters. The Fall Four features a pair of $20,000 eliminations in the Governor’s Cup for two-year-old male pacers and the Goldsmith Maid for two-year-old filly trotters and single $20,000 eliminations in the Valley Victory for two-year-old male trotters and the Three Diamonds for two-year-old filly pacers. The $1.6 million (est.) finals will be held on Nov. 25.
Complete entries for the races are available on the USTA website.
Last Time: Four Matron Stakes for sophomore pacers highlighted the Thursday, Nov. 9 card at Dover Downs with the $170,850 Hap Hansen Matron Stakes for pacing colts and geldings served up as the main event on tap. Confederate took the spotlight in the card headliner as he joined driver Tim Tetrick to win his 11th race in a row. to recap the complete recap, click here.
For a list of 2023 race winners on the Grand Circuit, click here.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2023, 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 2023 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders (through the races on Nov. 9, 2023):
Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 1,318; 2. Tim Tetrick – 1,150; 3. Dexter Dunn – 1,134; 4. David Miller – 1,047; 5. Scott Zeron – 950.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 1,583; 2. Ake Svanstedt – 1,338; 3. Nancy Takter – 670; 4. Tony Alagna – 605; 5. Linda Toscano – 489.
Owners: 1. Diamond Creek Racing – 432.6; 2. Burke Racing Stable – 316.9; 3. Hudson Standardbred Stable – 210.8; 4. Weaver Bruscemi – 209.1; 5. Brad Grant – 187.4.
Looking Ahead: Grand Circuit action takes place next week at The Meadowlands and Bally’s Dover. The Meadowlands will feature four FanDuel finals for older pacers and trotters and the Fall Four finals for two-year-old pacers and trotters. Dover will host the Progress Pace final for three-year-old open pacers.
(With files from Grand Circuit)