Trotters headline Grand Circuit schedule

Harness Racing Next Week: Battle of Bunker Hill, Plainridge Park, Plainville, Mass., and Arthur J. Cutler Memorial, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, N.J.

Schedule of events: Grand Circuit action begins next week on Monday (May 15) at Plainridge Park with the $100,000 Battle of Bunker Hill for 3-year-old trotting males. The field is led by recent Dexter Cup winner Khaosan Road.

Then on Saturday (May 20), The Meadowlands has the $175,000 (est.) Arthur J. Cutler Memorial for open trotters.

Complete entries for the races (when available) can be found by clicking on this link.

Last Time: Khaosan Road (International Moni) went to the front from post one at the start of Saturday’s (May 6) $137,775 Dexter Cup and never relinquished the lead on his way to a one-length win over favorite Espresso in 1:57.4 at Freehold Raceway. Candy Bomber finished third.

Khaosan Road, driven by Scott Zeron, was making his seasonal debut for trainer Ake Svanstedt after a limited 2-year-old campaign. The gelding’s victory in the Dexter, the year’s first Grand Circuit event for 3-year-old male trotters, was his second in five career starts and increased his earnings to $81,697.

“Post one makes it easier for everyone on the half-mile track,” assistant trainer Sarah Svanstedt said. “He was fast, and he behaved. I was surprised he was so good gaited on this small track because he’s a big horse. He fought from the start to the finish, so I’m very happy and pleased with him.”

After taking the lead, Khaosan Road set fractions of :29, :59.1, and 1:28.1. He fended off a first-over challenge from Designer Drink and kept pocket-sitting Espresso at bay down the stretch.

“The trip was good,” said Zeron, who also won a division of the Lady Suffolk Stakes on Saturday at Freehold. “Once we got through the first turn, it looked like we were going to take command of the race. I just stayed with the first-up horse and when it came time down the lane, I asked him, and he responded. He was great.”

Khaosan Road is owned by Knutsson Trotting Inc. and Little E LLC. The son of International Moni-Jewels In The Sand was bred by Kelly Duval Lacaille. He is not eligible to the $1 million Hambletonian Stakes at The Meadowlands in August.

“He had some soreness issues last year, so he had fewer starts,” Svanstedt said. “But he’s trained back great. I think he’s grown into his big body and is ready for 2023.”

Khaosan Road, the 3-1 second choice, paid $8.40 to win.

Complete recaps of all the races are available at the Grand Circuit website. 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 5-6-23):

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 107; 2. Jordan Stratton – 102; 3. Matt Kakaley – 90; 4. Scott Zeron – 77; 5. Dexter Dunn – 70.

Trainers: 1. Linda Toscano – 90; 2t. Jeff Gillis – 82; 2t. Ron Burke – 82; 4t. Travis Alexander – 54; 4t. Jared Bako – 54.

Owners: 1. Mark Ford – 78; 2. Jesmeral Stable – 42; 3. Robert Di Nozzi – 39; 4. 1362313 Ontario Ltd. – 37;  5. Guy Corbeil- 29.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place on the final weekend of May at Harrah’s Philadelphia (Maxie Lee Memorial, Besty Ross and Commodore Barry for older horses) and The Raceway at Western Fair District (Camluck Classic for older open pacers).

by Paul Ramlow, for the Grand Circuit