Trio of tracks have big Grand Circuit weekend

Harness Racing This Week: North America Cup, Fan Hanover, Goodtimes, Roses Are Red and Armbro Flight finals, Woodbine Mohawk Park, Milton, Ontario; Currier & Ives, The Meadows, Washington, Pa.; and Graduate Series leg, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, N.J.

Schedule of events: A top-flight card of Grand Circuit racing will take place on Saturday (June 15) at Woodbine Mohawk Park and will be led by the C$1 million North America Cup for 3-year-old pacing colts. Also on tap are the C$425,000 Fan Hanover for 3-year-old pacing fillies, the C$305,000 Roses Are Red for older pacing mares, the C$233,000 Armbro Flight for older trotting mares and the C$225,000 Goodtimes for 3-year-old male trotters.

Also on Saturday, The Meadows will offer two divisions in the $97,854 Currier & Ives for 3-year-old male trotters.

On Friday (June 14), The Meadowlands will host two $50,000 divisions each of the second leg of the Graduate Series for 4-year-old pacers and 4-year-old trotters.

Entries for the Meadows and Meadowlands 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: The old saying goes, “third time’s the charm,” and for Little Rocket Man (Rockin Image), the third trip to the $200,000 Battle of Lake Erie was a winning one, as he scored an impressive upset victory on Saturday (June 8) at MGM Northfield Park.

Carbine (Austin Hanners) was hustled off the wings, clearing rivals entering the first turn with Bythemissal (Chris Page) left parked by Linedrive Hanover (Aaron Merriman). As the field entered the clubhouse turn Desperate Man (Matt Kakaley) jumped off stride, completely changing the dynamic of the race.

Entering the backstretch, Bythemissal powered past Carbine to take over before a soft :27 first quarter. As the field entered the stretch the first time, Little Rocket Man (Jeremy Smith) looked like he wanted to come to the outside, but bided his time, waiting on Coaches Corner (Jason Bartlett) to step off the pylons to do some of the heavy lifting.

With the outer flow developing, Merriman tipped Linedrive Hanover to the outside first over to take a shot at the two-time Ohio Horse of the Year Bythemissal, who continued to cruise on the front end past the half in :55.2.

Entering the backstretch, Bythemissal continued to fend off all challengers, but at three-quarters in 1:23, the race was on, with Page looking over his shoulder to a host of pursuers.

As they entered the far turn, Coaches Corner tipped off cover three-wide, bringing Little Rocket Man, who got the perfect trip. Pocket sitting Carbine was stacked up around the far turn behind a tiring Bythemissal, with Little Rocket Man roaring four-wide turning for home.

“That four-wide move around the last turn is very difficult,” said jubilant winning trainer Ken Rucker. “He’s got a heart of gold; he wants to win every race he is in.”

Through the stretch, Bythemissal gave way, with Little Rocket Man, dismissed at 20-1, storming down the center of the racetrack to win in upset fashion by a half-length in 1:52.4. Coaches Corner was second and Desperate Man third.

Owned by Russell Beeman and Jack Freeman, the 8-year-old son is trained by Ken Rucker. It was the 59th victory for the gelding and brought his earnings to $1,272,799.

“Everything I anticipated to happen in the race didn’t happen,” said winning driver Jeremy Smith. “My horse just overcame it; at the half, I thought if I could be third or fourth, it would be great, but going into the last turn, my confidence swelled. He never lets me down.”

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 6-8-24):

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 145.5; 2. Matt Kakaley – 142; 3. Jason Bartlett – 121.5; 4. Dexter Dunn – 121; 5. Louis Roy – 77.

Trainers: 1. Travis Alexander – 117; 2. Ron Burke – 90; 3. Per Engblom – 87.5. 4t. Ricky Bucci – 57; 4t. Anthony Beaton – 57.

Owners: 1. Guy Corbeil – 57; 2. Kathy Cecchin – 50; 3. Mark Ford – 42; 4. Flatland Racing – 35; 5t. Jeff Fought Racing – 31.8; 5t. Brian Carsey – 31.8.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place next week at Yonkers Raceway and The Meadowlands. Yonkers will have eliminations for a pair of Triple Crown races, the MGM Yonkers Trot for 3-year-old open trotters and the MGM Grand Messenger for 3-year-old open pacers. The Meadowlands will feature the third leg of the Graduate Series for 4-year-old pacers and trotters and the Miss Versatility for older trotting mares.

by Paul Ramlow, for the Grand Circuit