{{Short description|Group of harness racing stakes races}} thumb|right|''Goldsmith Maid'', perennial fan favorite trotter {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}} The '''Grand Circuit''', also known as the "Big Wheel",<ref name="Dayton">{{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}}</ref> is a group of harness racing stakes races run at various race tracks around the United States.<ref>{{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}}</ref> Run on one-mile tracks,<ref>{{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}}</ref> it is "the oldest continuing horse-racing series in the United States."<ref name="Britannica" />
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.<ref name=Britannica>{{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}}</ref> The first meeting of the Circuit was held in 1873 in Cleveland, followed by races in Springfield, Buffalo, and Utica.<ref name=Dayton /> The original four-location competition was named "The Quadrilateral Trotting Combination," but was renamed when additional legs were added.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
As of 2023, the circuit was run at 22 tracks.<ref name=USTAList/>
==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:<ref name=USTAList>{{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}}</ref> {{columns-list|colwidth=30em| *Charlottetown Driving Park *Delaware County Fairgrounds racetrack (1940–present)<ref name="1940 Schedule"/> *Dover Downs *Freehold Raceway *Goshen Historic Track<!--- official name ---> (1911, 1927–1942, 1946–present)<ref name="1911 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Goshen in Grand Circuit Racing |work=The New York Times |date=January 11, 1911}}</ref><ref name="1927 Schedule"/><ref name="1946 Schedule"/> *Harrah's Philadelphia *Hoosier Park *Dayton Raceway<!--- Dayton Raceway is a component of the larger complex ---> (1989–present)<ref>{{cite news |last=Baumgartner |first=Paul |title=Financial success attracts horsemen |work=The Plain Dealer |date=June 18, 1989}}</ref> *Indiana State Fairgrounds (1926–1941, 1946–present)<ref name="1926 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Dates Announced for Grand Circuit Meet |work=The New York Times |date=January 6, 1926}}</ref><ref name="1941 Schedule"/><ref name="1946 Schedule"/> *Meadowlands Racetrack (1977–present)<ref>{{cite news |title=Meadowlands Joins Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=February 24, 1977}}</ref> *The Meadows (1966–present)<ref name="1966 Schedule"/> *Woodbine Mohawk Park (1978–present)<ref>{{cite news |title=Speed starts to show as Mohawk's horses await Grand Circuit |work=The Globe and Mail |date=June 19, 1978}}</ref> *Pocono Downs *Northfield Park *Plainridge Racecourse *The Red Mile (1904, 1912–present)<ref name="Campaign">{{cite news |title=Great Campaign Planned by The Grand Circuit |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 25, 1904}}</ref><ref name="1905 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Grand Circuit |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 13, 1905}}</ref> *Saratoga Race Course (1942–present)<ref name="1942 Schedule">{{cite news |title=10 Grand Circuit Tracks |work=The New York Times |date=April 11, 1942}}</ref> *Scioto Downs *Tioga Downs (2006–present)<ref>{{cite news |title=Tioga Downs to host stakes series |work=Press & Sun-Bulletin|date=July 22, 2006}}</ref> *Vernon Downs (1954–present)<ref name="1954 Schedule">{{cite news |title=2 Courses Added to Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=December 13, 1953}}</ref> *Western Fair Raceway *Yonkers Raceway (1899–1890, 1903–1905, 1910, 1913, 1951–present)<ref name="Fasig"/><ref name="Chain"/><ref name="1906 Schedule"/><ref name="1910 Schedule"/><ref name="1911 Schedule"/><ref name="1913 Schedule"/><ref name="1914 Schedule"/><ref name="1951 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Yonkers is Invited Into Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=December 13, 1950}}</ref> }}
==Former tracks== {{Incomplete list|date=October 2022}} {{columns-list|colwidth=30em| *Cleveland Driving Park (1871–1904)<ref name="Fasig"/><ref name="1905 Schedule"/> *Buffalo Driving Park (1871–1878, 1880–1884, 1886–1894, 1898–1902)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Hampden Park (1871–1877, 1880–1881, 1883–1893)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Utica Driving Park (1871–1879, 1881–1884, 1886–1888)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Rochester Driving Park (1875–1895)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Poughkeepsie Driving Park (1875–1877, 1882, 1889–1890, 1894, 1906–1909, 1916, 1918–1922)<ref name="Fasig"/><ref name="1906 Schedule"/><ref name="1910 Schedule"/><ref name="1917 Schedule"/> *Homewood Park (1881–1882, 1884, 1890–1893)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Narragansett Park (1883–1885, 1899–1905, 1907)<ref name="Fasig"/><ref name="1908 Changes"/> *Charter Oak Park (1876–1892, 1894, 1897–1925, 1929–1932)<ref name="Fasig"/><ref name="1929 Schedule"/><ref name="1933 Schedule"/> *Island Park (1884–1889)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Detroit Driving Club (1886)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Fleetwood Park Racetrack (1888–1890, 1893–1897)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Point Breeze Park (1890–1894)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Hamtramck Park (1893)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Union Park (1894–1896)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Grosse Pointe Track (1894–1917)<ref>{{cite news |title=On The Grand Circuit |work=The Boston Globe |date=July 17, 1894}}</ref><ref name="1918 Schedule"/> *Columbus Driving Park (1896–1925)<ref name="Fasig"/><ref name="Columbus">{{cite news |title=Columbus is Out of Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=December 19, 1925}}</ref> *Indianapolis (1896)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Fort Wayne Driving Park (1896–1898)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Glens Falls Mile Track (1897–1901)<ref name="Fasig">{{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}}</ref> *Readville Race Track (1897–1908, 1910–1912, 1918–1925)<ref name="Fasig"/><ref name="1909 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Dates |work=The New York Times |date=January 13, 1909}}</ref><ref name="1910 Schedule">{{cite news |title=New York in Grand Circuit |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 12, 1910}}</ref><ref name="1913 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Readville is Out of Grand Circuit |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 15, 1913}}</ref><ref name="1918 Schedule"/> *Rigby Park (1898)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Vigo County Fairgrounds (1900–1902)<ref name="Fasig"/><ref name="Chain">{{cite news |title=An Ideal Chain |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 28, 1903}}</ref> *New York State Fairgrounds Racetrack (1901–1930, 1933–1941)<ref name="Fasig"/><ref name="Fort Miami"/><ref name="1933 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Dates for 1933 Set for Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=November 22, 1932}}</ref> *Chester Park (1901–1906)<ref name="Fasig"/> *Brighton Beach Race Course (1902–1904)<ref name="Fasig"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Brighton Beach Out Of The Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=December 16, 1904}}</ref> *Kenilworth Park Race Track (1903–1908) *North Memphis Driving Park (1904–1905)<ref name="Campaign"/><ref name="1906 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Will Open July 23 |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 10, 1906}}</ref> *Elkwood Park (1908–1909)<ref name="1908 Changes"/><ref name="1910 Schedule"/> *Kalamazoo Recreation Park/Exposition Park (1908–1931)<ref name="1908 Changes">{{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Meet for Elkwood Park |work=The New York Times |date=May 3, 1908}}</ref> *Fort Erie Race Track (1909–1914, 1932–1934)<ref name="1909 Schedule"/><ref name="1914 Schedule"/><ref name="1932 Schedule"/> *Forest City Fairgrounds (1909–1939, 1945)<ref name="1909 Schedule"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Phellis Trotting Head |work=The New York Times |date=December 21, 1944}}</ref> *Indiana State Fairgrounds (1911)<ref>{{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}}</ref> *Comstock Park (1911–1915, 1927, 1929–1930)<ref name="1911 Schedule"/><ref name="1917 Schedule"/><ref name="1927 Schedule"/><ref name="1929 Schedule"/> *Pittsburgh Driving Club (1912–1914, 1916)<ref name="1912 Schedule"/><ref name="1914 Schedule"/> *Rockingham Park (1912–1913, 1932–1934)<ref name="1912 Schedule">{{cite news |last=Trott |first=Frank |title=Rockingham Gets Date |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 22, 1912}}</ref><ref name="1914 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Dates |work=The New York Times |date=January 14, 1914}}</ref><ref name="1932 Schedule">{{cite news |last=Trott |first=Frank |title=East Again Strong in Grand Circuit |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 18, 1932}}</ref> *Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway (1912–1914, 1927, 1929)<ref name="1912 Schedule"/><ref name="1914 Schedule"/><ref name="1917 Schedule"/> *Windsor Fair Grounds (1913)<ref name="1913 Schedule"/><ref name="1914 Schedule"/><ref name="1927 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Sets Dates for Season |work=The New York Times |date=January 5, 1927}}</ref><ref name="1929 Schedule"/> *Montreal Exposition Grounds (1915)<ref name="1915 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Changes in Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=January 13, 1915}}</ref> *Piedmont Driving Club (1916–1922, 1925–1928)<ref>{{cite news |title=Grand Circuit 14 Weeks' Show |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 12, 1916}}</ref><ref name="1925 Schedule"/> *Belmont Driving Park (1917–1922)<ref name="1917 Schedule">{{cite news |last=Trott |first=Frank |title=Fourteen Weeks of Great Racing Assured |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 29, 1917}}</ref> *Maumee Downs (1918–1930, 1932–1941, 1947–1951)<ref name="1918 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Readville Meeting Will Open Aug 26 |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 9, 1918}}</ref><ref name="Fort Miami">{{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}}</ref><ref name="1932 Schedule"/><ref name="1947 Schedule"/> *Devonshire Raceway (1923–1924)<ref>{{cite news |title=Devereaux Again to Head Stewards |work=The New York Times |date=January 10, 1923}}</ref> *Aurora Downs (1925, 1929–1930, 1947–1950)<ref name="1925 Schedule">{{cite news |last=Trott |first=Frank |title=Readville Has Its Usual Dates |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 12, 1925}}</ref><ref name="Columbus"/><ref name="1929 Schedule"/><ref name="1947 Schedule"/> *Ideal Park (1926)<ref name="1926 Schedule"/> *Monroe Driving Park (1926)<ref name="1926 Schedule"/> *Orange County Fair Speedway (1926)<ref name="1926 Schedule"/> *Coney Island Race Track (1929)<ref name="1929 Schedule">{{cite news |last=Trott |first=Frank |title=Fifteen Weeks of Mile Track Racing |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 28, 1929}}</ref> *Thorncliffe Park Raceway (1931)<ref name="1931 Schedule">{{cite news |title=13 Dates Are Set in Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=January 6, 1931}}</ref> *London Fairgrounds (1931)<ref name="1931 Schedule"/> *Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack (1931–1941, 1946–2015)<ref name="1931 Schedule"/><ref name="1941 Schedule"/><ref name="1946 Schedule"/><ref>{{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}}</ref> *Good Time Park (1935–1956)<ref name="1936 Schedule"/> *Ohio State Fairgrounds (1936–1937)<ref name="1936 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Gives West Three Meets Late in Fall |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 28, 1936}}</ref> *Milwaukee Fairgrounds (1936, 1941–1948)<ref name="1936 Schedule"/><ref name="1949 Schedule"/> *Kite Track (1936–1939, 1942–1946, 1949)<ref name="1942 Schedule"/><ref name="1947 Schedule"/><ref name="1949 Schedule">{{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}}</ref> *Reading Fairgrounds (1937–1943, 1946–1955)<ref name="1946 Schedule"/> *Agawam Park (1937–1938)<ref>{{cite news |title=13 Weeks of Racing for Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=May 22, 1937}}</ref> *Mineola Race Track (1940)<ref name="1940 Schedule">{{cite news |last=Trott |first=Frank |title=American and National Trots Set for Gansett |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 28, 1940}}</ref> *Narragansett Park (1940)<ref name="1940 Schedule"/> *Kentucky State Fairgrounds (1940–1941)<ref name="1940 Schedule"/> *Roosevelt Raceway (1941–1987)<ref name="1941 Schedule">{{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}}</ref> *Buffalo Raceway (1941, 1966–????)<ref name="1941 Schedule"/> *New Jersey State Fairgrounds (1944–1945)<ref name="1944 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Schedule to Open at Old Orchard |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 23, 1944}}</ref> *DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack (1944–2009)<ref name="1944 Schedule"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Milbert |first=Neil |title=World Trotting Derby a victim of budget cuts |work=The Chicago Tribune |date=March 26, 2010}}</ref> *Santa Anita Park (1946, 1948, 1950, 1952)<ref name="1946 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Hambletonian Set Aug. 7 |work=The New York Times |date=December 13, 1945}}</ref> *Maywood Park (1947–1950)<ref name="1947 Schedule"/> *Hollywood Park (1947, 1949, 1951, 1953–????)<ref name="1947 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Blake New Chief of Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=December 12, 1946}}</ref><ref name="1949 Schedule"/> *Fairmount Park Racetrack (1949–1950)<ref name="1949 Schedule"/> *Missouri State Fair Speedway (1949–????)<ref name="1949 Schedule"/> *Wolverine Raceway (1951–????)<ref name="1951 Schedule"/> *Hazel Park Raceway (1954–????)<ref name="1954 Schedule"/> *Bay State Raceway (1956–????)<ref>{{cite news |title=Grand Circuit Racing at Foxboro This Year |work=The Boston Globe |date=June 10, 1956}}</ref> *Sportsman's Park (1956–1997)<ref>{{cite news |title=Chicago Downs Meet Sets Pace |work=Daily Defender |date=September 5, 1956}}</ref> *Arden Downs (1957–1962)<ref>{{cite news |title=Arden Downs Pace to Thorpe Hanover |work=The New York Times|date=October 13, 1957}}</ref> *Suffolk Downs (1960)<ref>{{cite news |title=Suffolk Downs Harness Racing Opens Monday |work=The Boston Globe |date=October 23, 1960}}</ref> *Rosecroft Raceway (1961–????)<ref name="Court">{{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}}</ref> *Baltimore Raceway (1961–????)<ref name="Court"/> *Monticello Raceway (1961–????)<ref name="Court"/> *Grandview Raceway (1961–????)<ref name="Court"/> *Liberty Bell Park (1963–1983)<ref name="1966 Schedule">{{cite news |title=Blake Named Head of Grand Circuit |work=The New York Times |date=December 12, 1965}}</ref><ref name="Brandywine"/> *Phoenix Trotting Park (1966)<ref name="1966 Schedule"/> *Pompano Park (1966–2021)<ref name="1966 Schedule"/> *Atlantic City Race Course *Brandywine Raceway (1971–1985)<ref name="Brandywine">{{cite news |last=Kiser |first=Jack |title=Brandywine Opens Meet, Might Be Its Last Season |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=March 24, 1984}}</ref> *Garden State Park Racetrack<ref>{{cite news |last=Jerardi |first=Dick |title=Harness Racing Goes on Trial at Garden State |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=August 21, 1985}}</ref> *Los Alamitos Race Course *Freestate Raceway *Batavia Downs *Hippodrome de Trois-Rivières *Miami Valley Gaming }}
==See also== * {{section link|Harness racing|Important races}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Harness racing