Kentucky Futurity highlights the Grand Circuit

Harness Racing This Week: Red Mile Grand Circuit, The Red Mile, Lexington, Ky.

Schedule of events: The second week of Grand Circuit action at The Red Mile kicks off on Friday (Oct. 7) with three divisions in the $290,400 International Stallion Stake for 2-year-old colt trotters and two divisions in the $253,000 International Stallion Stake for 2-year-old filly pacers.

On Saturday (Oct. 8), The Red Mile will host three divisions in the $317,700 International Stallion Stake for 2-year-old filly trotters and three divisions in the $299,100 International Stallion Stake for 2-year-old colt pacers.

On Sunday (Oct. 9), The Red Mile will offer the $430,000 Kentucky Futurity for 3-year-old trotters, the companion $276,000 Kentucky Filly Futurity for 3-year-old filly trotters, the $363,500 Tattersalls Pace for 3-year-old colt pacers, the $205,000 Glen Garnsey Memorial for 3-year-old filly pacers, the $153,000 Allerage for open pacers, the $149,000 Allerage for open trotters, the $73,000 Allerage for older pacing mares and the $57,000 Allerage for older trotting mares.

Complete entries for the races are available at this link.

Last time: Last season’s Dan Patch champ in her division, Niki Hill returned to her stakes-winning form off a late-spring racing injury to best her sophomore pacing filly peers in the $150,000 Papi Rob Hanover Bluegrass Stakes on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 1) at The Red Mile.

Boudoir Hanover (Todd McCarthy) bounded for the lead with Niki Hill (Dexter Dunn) floating off the wings from post seven with nowhere at the pylons to sit by a :28 first quarter. Dunn ventured forward with the Chris Ryder trainee and forged to the lead approaching a :54.2 half with no one gaining ground on her to the turn. She maintained her speed to three-quarters in 1:22 and braced for the two-pronged challenge from Boudoir Hanover and Max Contract in the stretch.

Dunn kept Niki Hill to task through the lane and the daughter of Always B Miki held firm on the lead to the finish of a 1:49 mile. Boudoir Hanover settled for second, beaten less than a length, with Max Contract (Andy Miller) third.

“It’s been a shame she’s missed the whole season so far, but it’s also great to have her back and get a few races at the end of the year,” Dexter Dunn said after the race. “We were real happy with her (race) at The Meadowlands last start. She’s a great horse; she’s got a great will to win. I was confident in her.”

A winner in 10 of 13 starts, Niki Hill has accrued $984,057 in earnings for owner Tom Hill.

Complete recaps of all the races are available at the Grand Circuit website by clicking here. For a list of 2022 race winners on the Grand Circuit, click here.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2022, 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 2022 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders (through the races on 10-1-22):

Drivers: 1. Dexter Dunn – 1,178; 2. Tim Tetrick – 843; 3. Yannick Gingras – 831; 4. Todd McCarthy – 598; 5. David Miller – 587.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 692; 2. Tony Alagna – 602; 3. Ake Svanstedt – 554; 4. Brett Pelling – 369; 5. Marcus Melander – 366.

Owners: 1. David McDuffee – 180.9; 2. Brad Grant – 144.8; 3. Courant Inc. – 144; 4. Caviart Farms – 142.7; 5. Schooner II Stable – 140.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place next week at MGM Northfield Park as the half-mile oval will host the Courageous Lady for 3-year-old filly pacers.

by Paul Ramlow, for the Grand Circuit