The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent its weekly recap and preview of racing on the Grand Circuit.
This Week: Maxie Lee, Commodore Barry and Betsy Ross, Harrah’s Philadelphia, Chester, Pa., and Miss Versatility series leg, The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, N.J.
Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit heads to The Meadowlands on Saturday (May 29) with two $30,000 divisions in the second leg of the Miss Versatility series for older mare trotters. Then on Sunday (May 30), the Harrah’s Philadelphia program is topped by three $100,000 Invitationals the Maxie Lee for open trotters, the Commodore Barry for open pacers, and the Betsy Ross for pacing mares.
Macadoodledoo exploited fast early fractions and roared from worst to first to capture Saturday’s $16,000 Open Handicap Pace at The Meadows in a sparkling 1:49.4.
When Wild Wild Western threw down a swift 1:22.1 three-quarters, it set the stage for Macadoodledoo’s exploits. Under Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.’s urging, the six-year-old Somebeachsomewhere-Pirouette Hanover gelding rallied in the four path and defeated Lyons Skipper by 1-1/4 lengths. Whos Better shot the Lightning Lane for show.
Ron Burke trains the winner, who extended his lifetime bankroll to $264,399, for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Tony Hall collected four wins and Wrenn three on the 13-race card.
Per Engblom’s trotting enigma Beads, whose frequent breaks in stride shadowed his speed, put the pieces together on Saturday (May 22) at The Meadowlands to win the second of two $50,000 opening-preliminary divisions of the Graduate Series Trot.
Away from post 6, driver David Miller floated Beads to the top as 8-5 favourite Lovedbythemasses broke stride moving to the first turn. Beads cleared command through a :26.4 opening quarter while pocketing Sorella into the backstretch, and slowed the tempo to a :55 half before the backfield began to move.
Sorella crept out of the pocket with Amigo Volo in tow as Beads cruised by three-quarters in 1:23.4. Off the turn, Beads started to step away from the competition and continued to widen his margin to the finish of a 1:50.2 mile. Amigo Volo rallied for second with Moon Bridge and Gangster Hanover sliding into contention for third and fourth, respectively.
World record holder Cattlewash made his four-year-old debut with authority during the Saturday (May 22) afternoon session of qualifiers at Meadowlands Racetrack.
In the fifth and final qualifier of the day, Cattlewash cruised to command for driver David Miller after a :28.2 opening quarter posted by Stonebridge Soul (Patrick Ryder). From there, Cattlewash confidently carved out panels of :55.2 and 1:22.4 before an unstressed :27.4 closer to trip the timer in 1:50.3.
Trained by Ron Burke for owner Bill Donovan, Cattlewash (Somebeachsomewhere - Road Bet) sports a summary of 10-7-7 from 30 lifetime starts. He co-holds the world record for three-year-old pacers on a mile track with a time of 1:46.4, and has earnings in excess of $846,000. He performed double duty to start the season, standing stud at Walnridge Farm in New Jersey.
Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to a stakes filled card on Friday, May 21 and with it officially kicked off the 2021 Indiana Sires Stakes season.
The Hoosier State’s top sophomore trotters and pacers were on display and served notice that the 2021 stakes season would deliver plenty of excitement. The 2021 Indiana Sires Stakes program will feature eight legs throughout the season and culminate with the $250,000 Super Finals on October 15.
It was a big night on the track for trainer Erv Miller who scored three stakes victories on the evening’s 13-race card. The most notable score of the evening for Team Miller was produced by the rookie three-year-old trotting colt Mallard Hanover who turned in a 1:52.4 effort to romp in the opening division of the Indiana Sires Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings.