Meadows, Mohawk and Northfield Grand Circuit action

Harness Racing This Week: Currier & Ives filly trot, Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, Washington, Pa.; Battle of Lake Erie and MGM Buckeye Distaff, MGM Northfield Park, Northfield, Ohio; and North America Cup. Fan Hanover, Armbro Flight, Goodtimes, and Roses Are Red eliminations, Woodbine Mohawk Park, Milton, Ontario.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit weekend opens on Friday (June 7) with the $52,355 Currier & Ives for 3-year-old filly trotters at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.

The $200,000 Battle of Lake Erie for older open pacers and $75,000 MGM Buckeye Distaff for top veteran Ohio-sired pacing mares will take place at MGM Northfield Park on Saturday (June 8).

Grand Circuit action will also take place on both Friday (June 7) and Saturday (June 8) at Woodbine Mohawk Park. On Friday, Mohawk will host a pair of C$35,000 Roses Are Red eliminations for older pacing mares and two C$30,000 Goodtimes eliminations for 3-year-old open trotters. Then on Saturday, a big card of Grand Circuit racing will be led by three C$50,000 eliminations in the North America Cup for 3-year-old pacing colts, along with two C$35,000 eliminations in the Fan Hanover for 3-year-old pacing fillies and two C$35,000 eliminations in the Armbro Flight for older trotting mares.

Entries for the Meadows and Northfield races can be found by clicking on this link. Entries for the Mohawk Park races can be found by clicking on this link.

Last Time: Hellabalou turned in a brilliant wire-to-wire victory in Friday night’s (May 31) C$150,000 Camluck Classic Invitational Pace, presented by Seelster Farms, giving trainer Ron Burke a record fifth win in London’s signature race. His previous wins had come with Won The West, Foiled Again (twice) and Rockin Ron. It was the third victory in the event for driver Louis Phillippe Roy.

The 6-year-old son of Sweet Lou–Magestic Blue Chip took full advantage of his post one starting spot and jetted to command quickly as Blue Hunt also left sharply, leaving Linedrive Hanover parked three-wide from post six. In the meantime, Poseidon Seelster had protected his position behind Hellabalou and got away in the pocket after the dust had settled in the opening eighth.

Blue Hunt was the first to move out of third following a sharp first quarter of :26.4 with Linedrive Hanover moving out to follow his cover. Hellabalou was able to grab a second-quarter breather, putting up the half in :56. Roy then let his pacer roll in a :27.3 third quarter, stopping the timer at that post in 1:23.3. As Blue Hunt began to tire, Linedrive Hanover shot up three-wide, setting the stage for a final quarter showdown.

In the stretch, the late challenger could only get to the wheel of the winner who remained strong to the wire, winning by almost a full length in 1:51.1. Linedrive Hanover fell just short in second while Poseidon Seelster held on for the show spot.

Sent off as the bettor’s choice in the wagering, Hellabalou returned $3.80 to win.

The victory was the just the second of the season for the pacer who had captured the Borgata Series final earlier this Spring at Yonkers Raceway. It vaulted his career bankroll to more than $1.4 million for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Eric Good and Lawrence Karr.

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 6-1-24):

Drivers: 1. Matt Kakaley – 137; 2. Yannick Gingras – 134.5; 3. Jason Bartlett – 101.5; 4. Dexter Dunn – 89; 5. Scott Zeron – 72.

Trainers: 1. Travis Alexander – 112; 2. Per Engblom – 70.5; 3. Ron Burke – 60; 4. Ricky Bucci – 57; 5. Cory Stratton – 50.

Owners: 1. Guy Corbeil – 57; 2. Kathy Cecchin – 45; 3. Mark Ford – 42; 4. Flatland Racing – 35; 5. Symmetry Stables – 30.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place next week at Woodbine Mohawk Park, The Meadowlands and The Meadows. Mohawk will have the finals of the North America Cup (3-year-old male pacers), Fan Hanover (3-year-old filly pacers), Goodtimes (3-year-old male trotters), Armbro Flight (older trotting mares) and Roses Are Red (older pacing mares); The Meadowlands will host the second leg of the Graduate Series for 4-year-old pacers and trotters; and The Meadows will feature the Currier & Ives for 3-year-old open trotters.

by Paul Ramlow, for the Grand Circuit