(September 24, 2017) – With seven straight days of Grand Circuit harness racing, the potential for a handicapper getting hot and making a move came to fruition as Gordon Waterstone and Matt Rose surged into contention in the Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge as Waterstone won top honors for the week while Rusty Nash continued in the lead for the overall championship for the second week in a row.

While Nash remained in the top spot with 1,038.2 points for the season, when the dust settled, Rose earned 187.5 points good for second place for the week, allowing him to move from fourth to second with 1,025.88 points. The weekly leader Waterstone earned 224.5 points, giving him 1,001.5 points overall, allowing him to jump from seventh to third place in the overall contest. Steve Horoky earned the show spot for the week with 158.5 points.

With twenty contest dates remaining, any handicapper has a chance to move into a cashing position with a hot streak.  With six handicappers within a hundred points of the lead, the battle for number one has the potential of being fought for till the end. 

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Next Up: Grand Circuit action moves to The Red Mile for their eight-day Grand Circuit meet with racing this week Thursday through Sunday September 28 thru October 1) with the Bluegrass Stakes being contested for two and three year olds of both gaits and sexes.  In addition to Red Mile racing, Friday has the Dayton Pacing and Trotting Derbies for aged horses on the slate along with the Simpson stakes for 2yo filly trotters and pacers at Harrah’s Philadelphia.  Saturday is the last date with special non-Grand Circuit races on the schedule with the Northlands Filly Stake and Western Canada Pacing Derby for 3yo pacers at Northlands Park being contested.  Sunday’s Simpson stakes for 2yo colt pacers and trotters at Harrah’s supplements The Red Mile stakes.

The following week features week two of The Red Mile meet with stakes such as the International Stallion, Allerage Farms TVG, Glen Garnsey Memorial, Tattersalls, Kentucky Futurity and Kentucky Filly Futurity to be contested.

The 2017 Hambletonian Society Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge is sponsored by Adam Friedland, DRF Harness, Green Acquisition Corporation, The Hambletonian Society, Hoosier Park Racing and Casino, Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment, Northfield Park, Ontario Harness Horse Association, Red Shores Charlottetown/Summerside, Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs, Wellbourne Farms, and WEG Entertainment.  The contest is administered by HANA Harness, the harness racing division of HANA, the Horseplayers Association of North America.  Fans may follow the challenge by visiting the contest site at http;//hanaharnesscontest.blogspot.com.

Allan Schott

HANA Harness Racing Coordinator

allan@hanaweb.org

Check out the HANA Grand Circuit Handicapping Challenge