Adios leads busy Grand Circuit weekend

Harness Racing This Week: Grand Circuit action, Delvin Miller Adios final, Adioo Volo and Arden Downs, The Meadows, Washington, Pa.; Hambletonian Oaks, Peter Haughton Memorial and Jim Doherty Memorial eliminations and Reynolds Memorial, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.

Schedule of events: Grand Circuit actions kicks off this Friday (July 29) at The Meadows with three divisions in the $53,048 Arden Downs for 2-year-old colt trotters and three divisions in the $49,850 Arden Downs for 2-year-old filly trotters. The Saturday (July 30) card at The Meadows features the $400,000 Delvin Miller Adios final for 3-year-old colt pacers, the $110,950 Adioo Volo for 3-year-old filly pacers, four divisions in the $76,724 Arden Downs for 2-year-old colt pacers, three divisions in the $62,965 Arden Downs for 2-year-old filly pacers, two divisions in the $58,466 Arden Downs for 3-year-old colt trotters and two divisions in the $56,818 Arden Downs for 3-year-old filly trotters.

Meadowlands Racetrack will offer three sets of elimination races this week, with all the finals slated for the Hambletonian card of Saturday (Aug. 6). On Friday, the Meadowlands will host two $20,000 eliminations in the Jim Doherty Memorial for 2-year-old filly trotters and a pair of $20,000 eliminations in the Peter Haughton Memorial for 2-year-old colt trotters. On Saturday the program will feature two $50,000 eliminations in the Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old filly trotters as well as the $53,488 W.N. Reynolds Memorial for 3-year-old male trotters.

Complete entries for the races are available at this link.

Last time: It was no pace through the park for reigning Horse of the Year Wiggle It Jiggleit, but the 4-year-old world champion prevailed in his first sojourn to Saratoga Casino Hotel on Saturday (July 23) in the eighth annual $260,000 Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace.

Driver Montrell Teague blasted the superstar pacer and 1-9 favorite out early, but the rest of field had other ideas when it came to allowing the gelding to assume early control. In fact, Bit Of A Legend N and All Bets Off were intent upon denying Wiggle It Jiggleit to have things his own way and parked him out three-wide through a stiff first quarter-mile in :26.3. Teague then decided to send the gelding alongside leader All Bets Off (Matt Kakaley) and cleared for the lead in a half of :54.4.

After stealing a third quarter breather, Wiggle It Jiggleit sprinted away in a :27.1 final panel to win by two lengths in 1:51. Bit Of A Legend N (Jordan Stratton) closed quickly up the rail and won the photo for place with All Bets Off earning the show spot.

It was victory number 10 in 15 starts this year for Wiggle It Jiggleit who is owned by George Teague Jr. Inc. and Teague Racing Partnership and trained by Clyde Francis.

Bar Hopping and Flowers N Songs proved victorious in their respective main events of the Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial for 3-year-old trotters on Sunday (July 24) at Vernon Downs.

Bar Hopping used an aggressive middle move to seize command in the $300,000 Zweig main event for colts and geldings, brushing from fifth and clearing just after a :57 half-mile. The son of Muscle Hill would go on to face pressure from Hititoutofthepark (Corey Callahan) on the far turn, but edged clear upon straightening for home.

Bar Hopping subsequently held sway of a late bid from pocket rival Milligan's School (Andy Miller) to prevail by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:53.1. Milligan's School narrowly held second from Love Matters (Brett Miller) and the leveled-off Hititoutofthepark, who shared third in a dead heat.

Tim Tetrick drove Bar Hopping, now a three-time winner, for trainer Jimmy Takter and owners Christina Takter, Hatfield Stables, Marvin Katz, and Al Libfeld.

In the $140,000 Zweig event for fillies, Flowers N Songs vaulted off third-over cover to eclipse 6-5 favorite Womans Will for a 1:53.4 victory.

Yannick Gingras settled well off the pace with the Deweycheatumnhowe filly, floating off the pegs at race's midpoint to stalk cover provided by Womans Will (Andy Miller) and Fad Finance (Jim Morrill Jr.). In upper stretch, Flowers N Songs circled four-wide, finding her best stride at the eighth pole and sling-shotting clear to a 1-3/4 length victory over the aforementioned pair. Womans Will narrowly held second, while Fad Finance stayed on for third.

Paul Reid trains seven-time winner Flowers N Songs for Robert Key.

Complete recaps of all the weekend races are available at the Grand Circuit website.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2016, 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 Farm is the sponsor for the 2016 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the current leaders:

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 321; 2. David Miller – 277; 3. Tim Tetrick – 268; 4. Jordan Stratton – 236.5; 5. Brett Miller – 197.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 415; 2. Jimmy Takter – 285; 3. Jeff Bamond Jr. – 175; 4. Clyde Francis – 152.5; 5. Peter Tritton – 149.5.

Owners: 1. Harry von Knoblauch – 149.5; 2. Bamond Racing – 117; 3. Burke Racing Stable – 100.1; 4. Weaver Bruscemi – 84.1; 5t. George Teague Jr. Inc. – 76.25; 5t. Teague Racing Partnership – 76.25.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next weekend at Meadowlands Racetrack. The track will host ten Grand Circuit events, led by the $1 million Hambletonian, the first leg of Trotting's Triple Crown for 3-year-olds, and the $320,000 Cane Pace, the first leg of Pacing's Triple Crown for 3-year-olds.

Paul Ramlow