The Grand Circuit , also known as the "Big Wheel", is a group of harness racing stakes races run at various race tracks around the United States. Run on one-mile tracks, it is "the oldest continuing horse-racing series in the United States."
6-576: 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. 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
12-406: Is noted as being one of the founders of harness racing 's Grand Circuit . Edwards was born in Springfield, the son of Elisha Edwards and Eunice Lombard, who ran a drug store there. He moved to Cleveland in 1852 where he went to work for a wholesale grocer. After a year he went into partnership in a jobbing grocery business that eventually became William Edwards & Company until his death. He
18-638: The early part of the 20th century caused them to drop out. As of 2023, the circuit was run at 22 tracks. As listed by the United States Trotting Association , in 2023 the Grand Circuit Races were held at the following 22 venues: William Edwards (1831%E2%80%931898) William ("Col. Billy") Edwards (Springfield, Massachusetts, June 6, 1831 – September 21, 1898) was an American businessman in Cleveland , Ohio and horseman. He
24-661: Was "ranked among the foremost wholesale merchants of the middle west." During the American Civil War he was a strong Union supporter, and was given the honorary title of "colonel" for his activities in organizing military units. He was a member of the Loyal Legion . Edwards was active in civic and political affairs in Cleveland, and was one of the commissioners of the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois in 1893. Edwards
30-720: Was avid horseman. He was president and organizer of the Cleveland Driving Park Association. As president of the Glenville Race Track "a horse has never started but Edwards gave the word." He was "an active member of the Board of Review of the National Trotting Association," and a steward of the Grand Circuit races. "He is credited with introducing the pacer to Grand Circuit racing in 1878." He
36-902: Was renamed when additional legs were added. 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
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