Meadows and Meadowlands in Grand Circuit spotlight

Harness Racing This Week: Delvin Miller Adios, Adioo Volo, and Arden Downs, The Meadows, Washington, Pa. and Hambletonian, Hambletonian Oaks, Peter Haughton and Jim Doherty eliminations, Tompkins-Geers and Miss Versatility, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, N.J.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit week kicks off on Thursday (July 29) at The Meadows with three $18,000 divisions of the Arden Downs for 2-year-old filly trotters.

The Friday (July 30) card at The Meadows features two $18,061 divisions of the Arden Downs for 2-year-old colt trotters.

The big Saturday (July 31) card at The Meadows features the $375,000 Delvin Miller Adios for 3-year-old male pacers. Also on the card will be the $106,745 Adioo Volo for 3-year-old filly pacers, two $21,035 divisions of the Arden Downs for 2-year-old male pacers and a pair of $20,000-plus divisions in the Arden Downs for 2-year-old filly pacers.

Grand Circuit action at The Meadowlands begins on Friday with two $20,000 eliminations in the Peter Haughton Memorial for 2-year-old male trotters and a single $20,000 elimination in the Jim Doherty Memorial for 2-year-old filly trotters.

On Saturday, The Meadowlands has a pair of $50,000 Hambletonian eliminations for 3-year-old open trotters, two $35,000 Hambletonian Oaks elimination for 3-year-old filly trotters, the $78,700 Tompkins-Geers for 3-year-old male trotters, the $62,800 Tompkins-Geers for 3-year-old filly pacers and a $40,000 leg of the Miss Versatility for older trotting mares.

Complete entries for the races can be found by clicking here.

Last Time: Plainridge Park presented their two marquee stakes of the year on Sunday (July 25) and the $250,000 Spirit Of Massachusetts Trot and the $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace both delivered as advertised.

Manchego delivered in the Spirit Of Massachusetts Trot for Dexter Dunn. Tom Melanson photo.

The Spirit trot saw the return of Manchego, who set a world record time of 1:49.3 at Plainridge Park last year in the same event. The Nancy Takter-trained champion trotting mare won the stake again on Sunday, but not without a serious challenge from Lindy The Great.

Dexter Dunn floated Manchego off the gate and battled Lindy The Great (Andy Miller) for the lead, gaining control in a solid :26.4 quarter. The six-horse field continued in single file around the clubhouse turn and up the backstretch where Forbidden Trade (Daniel Dube) pulled from third and tried to mount a challenge, but

Manchego was trotting hard and opened up a two-length lead at the top of the stretch.

It was there that Miller tipped Lindy The Great and he came full of trot and conviction. Lindy The Great was in full flight and gaining with every stride while Dunn kept Manchego on task. The gap was closing in deep stretch but as they hit the line, Manchego finished what she started and won by a half-length ahead of Lindy The Great in 1:50.

“It took a while to get to the front but I didn’t push her too hard. But once she got there she went about her business and raced real well,” said Dunn. “It’s a pleasure to come here to Plainridge Park and see all the fans at the track. And the track put on a great show.”

Manchego now has five wins in her six starts this year and has bankrolled $292,971 for owner Black Horse Racing.

With the now retired champion Shartin N having won the first two editions of the $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace, the team of trainer Jim King Jr. and driver Tim Tetrick returned with a new star and remained undefeated in that stake after Lyons Sentinel brushed to an impressive 1:48.1 victory, tying Shartin N’s all-time track pacing record set in the Barton last year.

Scott Zeron fired Rocknificent off the truck and flew to the quarter in :25.3. Almost immediately at that station, JK

First Lady (Dunn) pulled from second, took the lead and continued to the half in a very fast :53.2 with Lyons Sentinel tracking from third.

The pace continued to be stiff with a :26.4 quarter up the backstretch, hitting the three-quarters in 1:20.1. That’s where Lyons Sentinel pulled from third and just took off. She motored alongside JK First Lady at the top of the turn and pulled away by two lengths heading into the stretch. She was in full flight down the lane where she opened up 2-1/4 lengths over Rocknificent and won in 1:48.1.

Her driver Tim Tetrick was all smiles after the race and was very complimentary of his winner.

“My mare was super today. She was on her toes and just dragged me around the track there and just went on her own.”

Lyons Sentinel is owned by Threelyons Racing.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2021, 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 2021 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders:

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 413; 2. Dexter Dunn – 368; 3. Andrew McCarthy – 315.5; 4. Tim Tetrick – 292; 5. David Miller – 258.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 534; 2. Tony Alagna – 266.5; 3. Nancy Takter – 261; 4. Marcus Melander – 209; 5. Ake Svanstedt – 160.
Owners: 1. Burke Racing Stable – 106.9; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 100; 3. Courant Inc. – 92; 4. Brad Grant – 84.3; 5. Fiddler’s Creek Stables – 80.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place next week at The Meadowlands, led by the finals in the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks for sophomores and the Peter Haughton and Jim Doherty for freshmen.

Also on the card will be the Cane Pace, the second leg of Pacing’s Triple Crown for 3-year-olds. A total of 10 Grand Circuit stakes will be on the Aug. 7 card at The Big M.

by Paul Ramlow, for the Grand Circuit