Mohawk to host lucrative Grand Circuit program

Harness Racing This Week: North America Cup, Fan Hanover, Roses Are Red, Armbro Flight and Goodtimes finals, Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, Ontario.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit spotlight will be on Mohawk Racetrack this weekend as the Ontario oval hosts five lucrative stakes finals on Saturday night (June 17) led by the C$1 million Pepsi North America Cup for 3-year-old colt pacers. Also on the card will be the C$440,000 Fan Hanover for 3-year-old filly pacers, the C$365,000 Roses Are Red for older mare pacers, the C$253,000 Armbro Flight for older mare trotters and the C$251,000 Goodtimes for 3-year-old colt trotters.

Complete entries for the Mohawk races can be found by clicking on this link.

Last time: On an absolutely picturesque evening at Eldorado Scioto Downs, Crazy Wow and Chris Page assumed command upon their departure from the gate and did not experience a truly tense moment en route to a powerful 1:52 track record score in the $200,000 Charlie Hill Memorial in front of a standing-room only crowd on Saturday (June 10). Defending older trotting champion Obrigado (Mark MacDonald) was second, with Canadian invader Musical Rhythm (Peter Wrenn) third.

Commencing his journey from post position eight did not seem to hamper Crazy Wow's need to display his speed. Conditioned by Ron Burke and owned by Our Horse Cents Stables, Stable 45, J&T Silva Stables and Deo Volente Farms, the 5-year-old stallion, fresh off his first victory in nearly a year in the $150,000 Maxie Lee Invitational on May 28 at Harrah's Philadelphia, laid down a very swift first split of :26.2 with Obrigado in hot pursuit in the field of nine with the scratch of Homicide Hunter. In essence it was reduced to eight competitors after 2015 Dan Patch Award winner and world champion JL Cruze broke strode going into the first turn.

As Crazy Wow and Page went past the half-mile marker in :55.1, Obrigado was hemmed in and slightly shuffled back to third as Hemi Seelster (Brett Holland) moved aggressively, intent on not allowing his top two rivals to stray too far.

After Crazy Wow passed the three-quarter marker in 1:23.1, the rest of the field began their bids to overtake him in their quest for the wire. Both Centurion ATM (Aaron Merriman) and Musical Rhythm made their moves from sixth and fifth, respectively, as Hemi Seelster tired from his earlier efforts to drop back to fourth entering the top of the stretch.

This transition of positions provided Obrigado, who was making his 2017 debut, with a desperately needed seam and he and MacDonald pulled to the outside in an attempt to chase down Crazy Wow. Their efforts, however, were in vain, as Crazy Wow appeared to lengthen his stride with each hoof he placed upon the Columbus oval and he maintained a comfortable 1-3/4 length advantage right to the wire. Musical Rhythm spurted up the rail after Obrigado vacated that area to finish third.

Collecting his second consecutive triumph and propelling his 2017 record to 5-2-3-0, with his career resume now at 47-17-10-3, Crazy Wow has now earned more than $1.7 million. Sent off the as the second selection at 3-1, the stallion paid a generous $8.20 for his victory.

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 through and including the races on June 10.

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 211; 2. Jason Bartlett – 148; 3. Jordan Stratton – 136; 4. David Miller – 129; 5. Matt Kakaley – 128.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 238; 2. Peter Tritton – 132; 3. Rene Allard – 99; 4. Richard Banca – 86; 5. Noel Daley – 67.

Owners: 1. Harry von Knoblauch Stable – 103.5; 2. Burke Racing Stable – 53; 3. Weaver Bruscemi – 44.2; 4. J&T Silva Stables – 43.2; 5. Determination – 37.

Looking ahead: Next weekend will see Grand Circuit action taking place at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with eliminations for the Ben Franklin (older pacers), Earl Beal Memorial (3-year-old colt trotters), Max Hempt Memorial (3-year-old colt pacers) and James Lynch (3-year-old filly pacers) on Saturday (June 24).

Paul Ramlow

Grand Circuit Publicity Director