Busy Grand Circuit week opens Wednesday

Harness Racing This Week: Dan Patch Invitational, Harrah’s Hoosier Park, Anderson, Ind.; Carl Milstein Memorial and Courageous Lady, MGM Northfield Park, Northfield, Ohio; Fox Stake, the Ralph Wilfong, the Horseman Stakes and the Hoosier Stakes, Indiana State Fair, Indianapolis, Ind.; and Gold Cup and Saucer trials, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, Charlottetown, PEI.

Schedule of events: An extremely busy week of Grand Circuit action kicks off this Wednesday (Aug. 7) as The Indiana State Fair will host one day of Grand Circuit racing with the feature being the $39,874 Fox Stake for 2-year-old colt pacers. The co-featured event is the $42,695 Ralph Wilfong for 2-year-old colt trotters. The Hoosier Stakes for 2-year-olds will see two divisions in the $24,340 2-year-old filly trot and single divisions in the $23,623 2-year-old filly pace, the $22,141 2-year-old colt trot and the $20,958 2-year-old colt pace. The Horseman Stakes for 3-year-olds features single divisions in the $34,282 3-year-old colt trot, the $29,836 3-year-old filly pace, the $27,022 3-year-old colt pace, and the $25,793 3-year-old filly trot.

Friday night (Aug. 9) at Hoosier Park will feature the $300,000 Dan Patch Invitational for older pacing horses.

On Saturday (Aug. 10), Northfield Park will host the $300,000 Carl Milstein Memorial for 3-year-old colt pacers and the $100,000 Courageous Lady for 3-year-old filly pacers.

Also on Saturday, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino will host two of three trials for the Gold Cup and Saucer for older pacers. The third trial will be held on Monday (Aug. 12).

Complete entries for the U.S. races are available at this link. Entries for the Red Shores Racetrack & Casino races are available at this link.

Last Time: Karl won the $1,050,000 Hambletonian on Saturday (Aug. 3) at the Meadowlands as trainer Nancy Takter continued a family tradition and Hall of Fame driver Yannick Gingras scored his first win in the trotting classic.

Contested in a driving rainstorm, Karl closed resolutely to beat Highland Kismet by a length as the 3-5 favorite. No one in the winner’s circle seemed to mind the raindrops falling on their heads.

Takter, a part owner of the 3-year-old colt, became the first trainer to win consecutive Hambletonians since her Hall of Fame father, Jimmy Takter, in 2014 and 2015. She was only the third female trainer to win the Hambletonian when Tactical Approach finished first last year.

“I was definitely a lot prettier in the winner’s circle last year, and a lot drier,” said a thoroughly-drenched Takter. “He’s just an amazing horse.”

The other female trainers who have won Hambletonians in the sport’s 99-year history are Paula Wellwood, with Marion Marauder in 2016; and Linda Toscano, with Market Share in 2012.

Only three trainers have won the race in consecutive years: the Takters; and Per Eriksson, in 1991 and 1992.

“I don’t think I’ve screamed so much in my entire life as I did the last eighth of that mile,” Takter said. “It was really exciting, and I’m extremely proud of the horse and the entire team. I’m happy for Yannick for his first Hambletonian.”

For Gingras, it was the end of a lengthy quest. He was winless in 11 previous Hambletonian finals, finishing second three times. Perhaps the most excruciating loss was the defeat by a nose to Triple Crown winner Marion Marauder in 2016.

Gingras was extremely emotional, twirling his whip in a victory salute roughly 50 yards from the finish line.

“It means so much,” said Gingras who drove his 9,000th career winner last week. “Especially for my kids. As they got older, I saw the disappointment in their faces every year. They’re not disappointed that I’m not winning. They’re disappointed for me because they know how much it means.”

It means everything, especially when it finally happens.

Karl was away sixth in the early stages before tracking Highland Kismet into the outer flow down the backstretch. Karl needed several strides in the sloppy stretch before kicking into high gear to claim the trophy.

“Highland Kismet kept clear for a little bit but I just had to wait for a couple of strides,” Gingras said. “It was tight quarters. I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize it. I just figured an eighth of a mile was enough to show what a champion he was.”

The time was 1:51.3 for the mile.

Karl posted his 15th win in 17 starts for the ownership of Nancy and her mother, Christina Takter, along with Black Horse Racing, Bender Sweden, and Crawford Farms Racing, who was also the breeder of the 2024 Hambletonian winner.

Karl, last season’s Dan Patch Award winner, paid $3.40, $2.40 and $2.20. Highland Kismet returned $4.00 and $4.00. Amazing Catch paid $9.60 to show after surviving a judges’ inquiry that determined he was not guilty of a penalty for racing inside the pylons.

Complete recaps of all the races are available at the Grand Circuit website. For a list of 2024 race winners on the Grand Circuit, click here.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2024, 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 2024 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders (through the races on 8-3-24):

Drivers: 1. Dexter Dunn – 543; 2. Yannick Gingras – 508.5; 3. David Miller – 334; 4. Tim Tetrick – 282; 5. Scott Zeron – 270.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 528; 2. Ake Svanstedt – 344; 3. Nancy Takter – 273; 4. Travis Alexander – 194; 5. Anthony Beaton – 179.

Owners: 1. Burke Racing Stable – 121.4; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 101.4; 3. Caviart Farms – 75.4; 4. Ryan Smith – 60; 5. West Wins Stable – 59.9.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, Woodbine Mohawk Park and Hippodrome 3R. Pocono will host four events for 3-year-olds — the Earl Beal Memorial (colt and gelding trot), the Max C. Hempt Memorial (colt and gelding pace), the James Lynch Memorial (filly pace) and the Delmonica Hanover (filly trot). Red Shores has the Gold Cup and Saucer final for older pacers. Woodbine Mohawk Park has eliminations for the William Wellwood (2-year-old open trot) and Peaceful Way (2-year-old filly trot). Hippodrome 3R has the Prix d’Ete for 4-year-old open pacers.

by Paul Ramlow, for the Grand Circuit