The multi-million dollar Grand Circuit season in North America is now in full swing.

Last weekend the two leading New Jersey tracks, The Meadowlands and Freehold Raceway, and the New York’s Yonkers Raceway played host to a swag of Grand Circuit races.

Freehold conducted the $150,505 Dexter Cup and the $58,025 Lady Suffolk, the first three-year-old trotting features of the season, with Brave By Design (by Walner) winning the Dexter Cup and Little Pink Lies (by Chapter Seven) taking out the Lady Suffolk.

The Meadowlands staged a pair of $30,000 first leg divisions of the Miss Versatility for open trotting mares with Herculisa (by MVP) and Next Level Stuff (by Sebastian K) prevailing in 1:52.2 and 1:52.8 respectively.

The New Jersey one mile oval also held a $75,000 Graduate Series leg for four-year-old trotters and two $50,000 divisions of the Graduate for four-year-old pacers. Sonofamistery (by Muscle Hill), who was co-bred by Duncan McPherson’s Aldebaran Park, won the trotting feature in 1:52.2, while Carbine 1:49.6 (by Somebeachsomewhere) and Abuckett Hanover 1:50 (by Betting Line) took out the pacing divisions.

On the same weekend Yonkers Raceway staged divisions of the W. N. Reynolds Memorial for three-year-olds with JD (by So Surreal) capturing the $41,100 colts’ section and American Ticket (by American Ideal) winning the $34,400 event for fillies.

‘Down under’ pacers stole the show in the opening leg of the Grand Circuit, the $549,000 MGM Borgata Pacing Series Final at Yonkers Raceway with Funatthebeach NZ (by Somebeachsomewhere) beating the former NSW pacer Leonidas in 1:50.2.

In the $100,000 Borgata Consolation victory fell the way of the ex-Victorian gelding Im Sir Blake (pictured and by Alta Christiano), who stopped the teletimer in 1:51.4.

The $381,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker Series Final for mares, held on the same night as the Borgata, was won by the all-conquering Well Said mare Drama Act in 1:51.4, while the $75,000 Consolation went to Gia’s Surreal (by So Surreal).

The inaugural $100,000 Paul Revere Pace, the first Grand Circuit for three-year-old pacers this season, and held at Plainridge Park, Massachusetts, was won from the front end by the Huntsville gelding Groovy Man, who was having only his third start.

The Grand Circuit continues this weekend with second round legs of the Graduate Series for four-year-old pacing and trotting mares at The Meadowlands.