This Week: Harness racing action with the Delaware Grand Circuit, Delaware County Fair, Delaware, Ohio; Caesars Trot, Hoosier Park Pacing Derby, Jenna's Beach Boy, Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes, Moni Maker and The Elevation, Hoosier Park, Anderson, Ind.; and Metro, She's A Great Lady and Milton, Woodbine Mohawk Park Milton, Ontario.
Schedule of events: Grand Circuit action kicks into full gear on Wednesday (Sept. 18) at Delaware with the $259,600 Jugette for 3-year-old filly pacers, the $76,125 Buckette for 3-year-old filly trotters, the $46,800 Standardbred for 2-year-old filly pacers and the $46,000 Standardbred for 2-year-old filly trotters.
The Thursday (Sept. 19) card at Delaware is highlighted by the $640,000 Little Brown Jug, the third leg of Pacing's Triple Crown for 3-year-olds. Also on tap that day is the $100,000 Miss Versatility final for older trotting mares, the $95,425 Old Oaken Bucket for 3-year-old male trotters, the $48,100 Standardbred for 2-year-old colt pacers and the $47,100 Standardbred for 2-year-old colt trotters.
Grand Circuit racing at Hoosier Park will be held on Friday (Sept. 20) with the $230,000 Caesars for Open trotters, the $230,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management stakes for 2-year-old filly pacers, the $215,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management stakes for 2-year-old filly trotters, the $176,000 Hoosier Park Pacing Derby for Open pacers, the $170,000 Jenna's Beach Boy for 3-year-old colt pacers, the $135,000 Moni Maker for 3-year-old filly trotters, and the $125,000 Elevation for 2-year-old colt pacers.
Grand Circuit action at Woodbine Mohawk will be held on Saturday (Sept. 21) with the C$750,000 Metro final for 2-year-old open pacers, the C$540,000 She's A Great Lady for 2-year-old filly pacers and the C$250,000 Milton for older pacing mares.
Complete entries for the races at the U.S. tracks are available at this link. Entries for the Woodbine Mohawk Park races are available at this link.
Last time: The Grand Circuit spotlight was on Woodbine Mohawk Park this past Saturday, with four major stakes, led by the Canadian Trotting Classic. Green Manalishi S and driver Tim Tetrick went to the front and never looked back to capture the $453,750 Canadian Trotting Classic. The Marcus Melander trainee held off a late push from Pilot Discretion to win Woodbine Mohawk's marquee event for 3-year-old trotters by a half-length in 1:52.4. Tetrick became the winningest driver in the history of the Canadian Trotting Classic with four titles now to his name.
"That's a big honor," Tetrick said. "It just kind of fell into place and worked out really good."
Tetrick's previous three victories in the Canadian Trotting Classic came with Crystal Fashion (2018), Bar Hopping (2016) and Market Share (2012).
Green Manalishi S won the Canadian Trotting Classic in 1:52.4. New Image Media photo.
Green Manalishi S, who went off as the 6-5 favorite, shot to the top from post four and led the field by the opening quarter in :27.2. After an easy :29 second quarter, Tetrick ramped up the tempo with the son of Muscle Hill to trot a :27.3 third quarter. Swandre The Giant raced in the two-hole, but made a break going to three-quarters. Hambletonian winner Forbidden Trade moved out from third entering the final turn and was nearly four lengths behind Green Manalishi S turning for home. Pilot Discretion followed the move of Forbidden Trade to sit third at the three-quarter pole.
In the stretch, Green Manalishi S had close to three lengths on his rivals with an eighth of a mile to go. The push to the finish line saw the lead shrink with Pilot Discretion closing in, ultimately coming up a half-length short.
"I wanted to get out of there and either sit really close or go ahead and cut it, but I didn't want to have to work too hard to do it," said Tetrick of his strategy. "I wanted him to feel really brave going down the backside and I went a little faster in the third quarter to get a little separation on them and down by the wire it was getting close, but my horse held on good and he never wins by too many."
Forbidden Trade finished third, but was placed back to fifth for causing interference in deep stretch to Only For Justice. Smart As Hill was moved up from fourth to third, while Only For Justice entered the superfecta going from fifth to fourth.
Owned by Courant Inc., Green Manalishi S is now five for nine this season with $590,788 earned. The Canadian Trotting Classic victory is his 10th career visit to the winner's circle and pushes his career earnings over the $1 million plateau.
Complete recaps of all the races are available at the Grand Circuit website.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2019, 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 2019 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders following this past weekend:
Drivers: 1. Tim Tetrick – 905.5; 2. Yannick Gingras – 678; 3. David Miller – 600; 4. Dexter Dunn – 491; 5. Andrew McCarthy – 454.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 748; 2. Tony Alagna – 483; 3. Marcus Melander – 394; 4. Ake Svanstedt – 317; 5. Jim King Jr. – 316.5.
Owners: 1. Fashion Farms – 192; 2. Brad Grant – 173.8; 3. Courant Inc. – 172.5; 4. Burke Racing Stable – 135.9; 5. Weaver Bruscemi – 123.4.
Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at Lexington's historic Red Mile. There will be eight Bluegrass stakes for 2- and 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. Hollywood Dayton Raceway will also be hosting a pair of Grand Circuit events, the Dayton Pacing Derby and the Dayton Trotting Derby for older horses and Harrah's Philadelphia will contest John Simpson Stakes for 3-year-old male pacers and trotters.
by Paul Ramlow, for the Grand Circuit