Trio of tracks in Grand Circuit spotlight

Harness Racing This Week: Earl Beal Memorial, Max C. Hempt Memorial, James Lynch Memorial and Delmonica Hanover, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; Gold Cup and Saucer final, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino, Charlottetown, PEI; and William Wellwood and Peaceful Way eliminations, Woodbine Mohawk Park, Milton, Ont.

Schedule of events: A busy Saturday afternoon (Aug. 20) of Grand Circuit racing will take place at Pocono with main events and consolations for the Earl Beal Memorial (colt and gelding trot), Max C. Hempt Memorial (colt and gelding pace), James Lynch Memorial (filly pace) and the Delmonica Hanover (filly trot).

The Beal has a $300,000 main event and $200,000 and $100,000 consolations; the Hempt also has a $300,000 main event and $200,000 and $100,000 consolations. The Lynch features a $250,000 main event and $125,000 and $75,000 consolations, while the Delmonica Hanover has a $250,000 main event and $125,000 consolation.

Also on Saturday, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino will host the C$100,000 Gold Cup and Saucer final for older pacers.

Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday features three C$30,000 William Wellwood Memorial eliminations for 2-year-old male trotters and two C$30,000 Peaceful Way eliminations for 2-year-old filly trotters.

Complete entries for the Pocono races are available at this link. Entries for the Red Shores Racetrack & Casino and Woodbine Mohawk Park races are available at this link.

Last Time: Historically, the $300,000 Carl Milstein Memorial, MGM Northfield Park’s signature event, has featured some of harness racing’s greatest 3-year-olds; the 2022 edition was no different on Saturday (Aug.13).

Sired by 2017 Carl Milstein Memorial champion Downbytheseaside, Adios champion Bythemissal stamped himself as the top 3-year-old in North America with a dominant stakes, track-record tying, and world-record tying 1:48.4 victory.

There were several leavers off the gate, but Night Hawk (David Miller) was able to clear rivals through the opening turn forcing JK Victory (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) into the pocket. Parked through the initial turn, Bythemissal (Chris Page) forged forward to the first quarter in a contested :26.2.

Once making the lead, Page would never look back, getting to the half in :54.1. Ponda Warrior (Jimmy Whitttemore), who had yet to see a pylon, attempted to challenge the leader but could never get around pocket-sitting Night Hawk through the clubhouse turn for the final time.

Heading to three-quarters, Page stepped on the gas, opening up by two lengths on his closest rival Night Hawk, arriving at three-quarters in 1:21.4. Page would only be a passenger, never really asking Bythemissal through the stretch to win by a confident 5-3/4 lengths in 1:48.4 over JK Victory and Soaring Now (Joey Putnam).

Page was never concerned about his gelding’s ability to get over a half-mile track:

“He got around the half well and felt good to me,” said Page. “He’s very good and was having fun out there.”

The sport’s leading trainer Ron Burke echoed his driver’s comments:

“He’s a very special horse; Ohio-sired horses are going to do very well going forward.”

The victory pushed Bythemissal to $435,250 in career earnings with eight wins in nine career starts. He is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Eric Good, Rich Lombardo Racing, and Weaver Bruscemi.

Complete recaps of all the races are available at the Grand Circuit website. 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 8-13-22):

Drivers: 1. Dexter Dunn – 676; 2. Tim Tetrick – 549; 3. Yannick Gingras – 429; 4. Todd McCarthy – 423; 5. David Miller – 350.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 411; 2. Tony Alagna – 376; 3. Ake Svanstedt – 342; 4. Nifty Norman – 261; 5. Brett Pelling – 212.

Owners: 1. David McDuffee – 135.9; 2. Schooner II Stable – 100; 3. Courant Inc. – 94; 4. Brad Grant – 86.3; 5. M3 Racing Stable – 79.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next week at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Mohawk will contest several stakes including the William Wellwood and Peaceful Way finals for 2-year-old trotters, the Nassagaweya for 2-year-old male pacers, the Eternal Camnation for 2-year-old filly pacers, the Casual Breeze for 3-year-old filly trotters, and eliminations in the Maple Leaf Trot for older trotters and the Canadian Pacing Derby for older pacers.

by Paul Ramlow, for the Grand Circuit