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Grand Circuit

{{Short description|Group of harness racing stakes races}}

File:Goldsmith Maid.jpeg

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}

The Grand Circuit, also known as the "Big Wheel",{{cite news |last1=Hinkle |first1=Charlie |title=Racing's Grand Circuit Opens Colorful Season |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112377648/racings-grand-circuit-opens-colorful/ |access-date=2022-11-01 |newspaper=Dayton Daily News |page=12 |date=23 May 1954 |via=Newspapers.com}} is a group of harness racing stakes races run at various race tracks around the United States.{{cite book |last1=Siegel |first1=Paul D. |title=How to Own Winning Standardbred Racehorses |date=2002 |publisher=The Russell Meerdink Company Ltd. |location=Neehah, Wisconsin |isbn=0-929346-72-6 |page=20 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wNcgR9DSoKgC&pg=PA20 |access-date=Jul 1, 2020}} Run on one-mile tracks,{{cite book |last1=Hoffman |first1=Dean |title=Harness Racing in New York State |date=2012 |publisher=The History Press |location=Charleston, SC |isbn=978-1-61423-629-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sHjRCAAAQBAJ&pg=PT21 |access-date=July 2, 2020}} it is "the oldest continuing horse-racing series in the United States."

The series was started in 1871 by Colonel Billy Edwards, of Cleveland, Ohio, L.J. Powers of Springfield, Massachusetts, E.A. Buck of Buffalo, New York, and later C.W. Hutchinson of Utica, New York.{{cite encyclopedia |title=Grand Circuit |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/sports/Grand-Circuit |date=March 4, 2004 |access-date=July 1, 2020}} The first meeting of the Circuit was held in 1873 in Cleveland, followed by races in Springfield, Buffalo, and Utica. The original four-location competition was named "The Quadrilateral Trotting Combination," but was renamed when additional legs were added.{{cite book |last1=Fasig |first1=William Benjamin |last2=Gocher |first2=William Henry |title=Fasig's Tales of the Turf |date=1903 |publisher=W.H. Gocher |location=Hartford, CT |page=25 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I8lEAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA25 |access-date=July 2, 2020}}

In 1914 the Grand Circuit consisted of six tracks, located in: Cleveland, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; The Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky; Detroit, Michigan; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Kalamazoo, Michigan. Prior to this there were more, including Narragansett Park in Providence, Rhode Island; Charter Oak Park in Hartford, Connecticut; Readville Race Track in Boston, Massachusetts; Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire; Fleetwood Park Racetrack in New York, New York; and Poughkeepsie, New York, but anti-gambling laws during the early part of the 20th century caused them to drop out.{{cite journal |last1=Kline |first1=Tedd H. |title=The Handwriting on the Wall |journal=The Breeder's Journal |date=Nov 28, 1914 |volume=3 |issue=11 |pages=6–9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RVEdAQAAIAAJ&pg=RA23 |access-date=Jul 1, 2020}}

As of 2023, the circuit was run at 22 tracks.

Tracks as of 2023

As listed by the United States Trotting Association, in 2023 the Grand Circuit Races were held at the following 22 venues:{{cite web |title=All Age 2023 Grand Circuit Races |date=2023-11-25 |publisher=United States Trotting Association |url=https://www.ustrotting.com/assets/pdf/AllAgeGC.pdf |access-date=2024-01-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114095222/https://www.ustrotting.com/assets/pdf/AllAgeGC.pdf |archive-date=2024-01-14 |url-status=live}}

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Former tracks

{{Incomplete list|date=October 2022}}

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|

  • Cleveland Driving Park (1871–1904)
  • Buffalo Driving Park (1871–1878, 1880–1884, 1886–1894, 1898–1902)
  • Hampden Park (1871–1877, 1880–1881, 1883–1893)
  • Utica Driving Park (1871–1879, 1881–1884, 1886–1888)
  • Rochester Driving Park (1875–1895)
  • Poughkeepsie Driving Park (1875–1877, 1882, 1889–1890, 1894, 1906–1909, 1916, 1918–1922)
  • Homewood Park (1881–1882, 1884, 1890–1893)
  • Narragansett Park (1883–1885, 1899–1905, 1907)
  • Charter Oak Park (1876–1892, 1894, 1897–1925, 1929–1932)
  • Island Park (1884–1889)
  • Detroit Driving Club (1886)
  • Fleetwood Park Racetrack (1888–1890, 1893–1897)
  • Point Breeze Park (1890–1894)
  • Hamtramck Park (1893)
  • Union Park (1894–1896)
  • Grosse Pointe Track (1894–1917){{cite news |title=On The Grand Circuit |work=The Boston Globe |date=July 17, 1894}}
  • Columbus Driving Park (1896–1925){{cite news |title=Columbus is Out of Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=December 19, 1925}}
  • Indianapolis (1896)
  • Fort Wayne Driving Park (1896–1898)
  • Glens Falls Mile Track (1897–1901){{cite book |last1=Gocher |first1=William Henry |title=Fasig's Tales of the Turf |date=1903 |publisher=W. H. Gocher |location=Hartford |page=21 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I8lEAQAAMAAJ |access-date=4 October 2022}}
  • Readville Race Track (1897–1908, 1910–1912, 1918–1925){{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Dates |work=The New York Times |date=January 13, 1909}}{{cite news |title=New York in Grand Circuit |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 12, 1910}}{{cite news |title=Readville is Out of Grand Circuit |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 15, 1913}}
  • Rigby Park (1898)
  • Vigo County Fairgrounds (1900–1902){{cite news |title=An Ideal Chain |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 28, 1903}}
  • New York State Fairgrounds Racetrack (1901–1930, 1933–1941){{cite news |title=Dates for 1933 Set for Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=November 22, 1932}}
  • Chester Park (1901–1906)
  • Brighton Beach Race Course (1902–1904){{cite news |title=Brighton Beach Out Of The Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=December 16, 1904}}
  • Kenilworth Park Race Track (1903–1908)
  • North Memphis Driving Park (1904–1905){{cite news |title=Will Open July 23 |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 10, 1906}}
  • Elkwood Park (1908–1909)
  • Kalamazoo Recreation Park/Exposition Park (1908–1931){{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Meet for Elkwood Park |work=The New York Times |date=May 3, 1908}}
  • Fort Erie Race Track (1909–1914, 1932–1934)
  • Forest City Fairgrounds (1909–1939, 1945){{cite news |title=Phellis Trotting Head |work=The New York Times |date=December 21, 1944}}
  • Indiana State Fairgrounds (1911){{cite news |title=Large Fields for Grand Circuit Races |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nf9QAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA9 |access-date=21 October 2024 |work=The Gazette Times |date=July 10, 1911}}
  • Comstock Park (1911–1915, 1927, 1929–1930)
  • Pittsburgh Driving Club (1912–1914, 1916)
  • Rockingham Park (1912–1913, 1932–1934){{cite news |last=Trott |first=Frank |title=Rockingham Gets Date |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 22, 1912}}{{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Dates |work=The New York Times |date=January 14, 1914}}{{cite news |last=Trott |first=Frank |title=East Again Strong in Grand Circuit |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 18, 1932}}
  • Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway (1912–1914, 1927, 1929)
  • Windsor Fair Grounds (1913){{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Sets Dates for Season |work=The New York Times |date=January 5, 1927}}
  • Montreal Exposition Grounds (1915){{cite news |title=Changes in Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=January 13, 1915}}
  • Piedmont Driving Club (1916–1922, 1925–1928){{cite news |title=Grand Circuit 14 Weeks' Show |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 12, 1916}}
  • Belmont Driving Park (1917–1922){{cite news |last=Trott |first=Frank |title=Fourteen Weeks of Great Racing Assured |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 29, 1917}}
  • Maumee Downs (1918–1930, 1932–1941, 1947–1951){{cite news |title=Readville Meeting Will Open Aug 26 |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 9, 1918}}{{cite news |title=Famous Fort Miami Track at Toledo Out of Grand Circuit-Syracuse Abandons Harness Racing For Runners |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 6, 1931}}
  • Devonshire Raceway (1923–1924){{cite news |title=Devereaux Again to Head Stewards |work=The New York Times |date=January 10, 1923}}
  • Aurora Downs (1925, 1929–1930, 1947–1950){{cite news |last=Trott |first=Frank |title=Readville Has Its Usual Dates |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 12, 1925}}
  • Ideal Park (1926)
  • Monroe Driving Park (1926)
  • Orange County Fair Speedway (1926)
  • Coney Island Race Track (1929){{cite news |last=Trott |first=Frank |title=Fifteen Weeks of Mile Track Racing |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 28, 1929}}
  • Thorncliffe Park Raceway (1931){{cite news |title=13 Dates Are Set in Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=January 6, 1931}}
  • London Fairgrounds (1931)
  • Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack (1931–1941, 1946–2015){{cite news |last1=Martinez |first1=Marcia |title=Harness horse owners skeptical about Department of Ag's pledge on state fair purses |url=https://www.sj-r.com/story/sports/2016/04/15/harness-horse-owners-skeptical-about/31811807007/ |access-date=18 October 2022 |work=The State Journal-Register |date=April 14, 2016}}
  • Good Time Park (1935–1956)
  • Ohio State Fairgrounds (1936–1937){{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Gives West Three Meets Late in Fall |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 28, 1936}}
  • Milwaukee Fairgrounds (1936, 1941–1948)
  • Kite Track (1936–1939, 1942–1946, 1949){{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112377543/old-orchard-back-on-grand-circuit/ |title=Old Orchard Back on Grand Circuit Program in '49 |work=The Boston Globe |page=27 |location=Columbus, Ohio |agency=AP |date=December 15, 1948 |access-date=2022-11-01 |via=Newspapers.com}}
  • Reading Fairgrounds (1937–1943, 1946–1955)
  • Agawam Park (1937–1938){{cite news |title=13 Weeks of Racing for Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=May 22, 1937}}
  • Mineola Race Track (1940){{cite news |last=Trott |first=Frank |title=American and National Trots Set for Gansett |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 28, 1940}}
  • Narragansett Park (1940)
  • Kentucky State Fairgrounds (1940–1941)
  • Roosevelt Raceway (1941–1987){{cite news |last=Trott |first=Frank |title=Hambletonian Stake Date Set by Grand Circuit for August 6 |work=The Boston Globe |date=February 2, 1941}}
  • Buffalo Raceway (1941, 1966–????)
  • New Jersey State Fairgrounds (1944–1945){{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Schedule to Open at Old Orchard |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 23, 1944}}
  • DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack (1944–2009){{cite news |last=Milbert |first=Neil |title=World Trotting Derby a victim of budget cuts |work=The Chicago Tribune |date=March 26, 2010}}
  • Santa Anita Park (1946, 1948, 1950, 1952){{cite news |title=Hambletonian Set Aug. 7 |work=The New York Times |date=December 13, 1945}}
  • Maywood Park (1947–1950)
  • Hollywood Park (1947, 1949, 1951, 1953–????){{cite news |title=Blake New Chief of Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=December 12, 1946}}
  • Fairmount Park Racetrack (1949–1950)
  • Missouri State Fair Speedway (1949–????)
  • Wolverine Raceway (1951–????)
  • Hazel Park Raceway (1954–????)
  • Bay State Raceway (1956–????){{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Racing at Foxboro This Year |work=The Boston Globe |date=June 10, 1956}}
  • Sportsman's Park (1956–1997){{cite news |title=Chicago Downs Meet Sets Pace |work=Daily Defender |date=September 5, 1956}}
  • Arden Downs (1957–1962){{cite news |title=Arden Downs Pace to Thorpe Hanover |work=The New York Times|date=October 13, 1957}}
  • Suffolk Downs (1960){{cite news |title=Suffolk Downs Harness Racing Opens Monday |work=The Boston Globe |date=October 23, 1960}}
  • Rosecroft Raceway (1961–????){{cite book |title=Records & Briefs New York State Appellate Division |pages=49–50 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OwvnITdxeFoC |access-date=18 October 2022}}
  • Baltimore Raceway (1961–????)
  • Monticello Raceway (1961–????)
  • Grandview Raceway (1961–????)
  • Liberty Bell Park (1963–1983){{cite news |title=Blake Named Head of Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=December 12, 1965}}
  • Phoenix Trotting Park (1966)
  • Pompano Park (1966–2021)
  • Atlantic City Race Course
  • Brandywine Raceway (1971–1985){{cite news |last=Kiser |first=Jack |title=Brandywine Opens Meet, Might Be Its Last Season |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=March 24, 1984}}
  • Garden State Park Racetrack{{cite news |last=Jerardi |first=Dick |title=Harness Racing Goes on Trial at Garden State |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=August 21, 1985}}
  • Los Alamitos Race Course
  • Freestate Raceway
  • Batavia Downs
  • Hippodrome de Trois-Rivières
  • Miami Valley Gaming

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See also

  • {{section link|Harness racing|Important races}}

References

{{Reflist}}

Category:Horse racing