Cotolo’s Harness-Weekend Review, 7-25-11

The Adios Pace produced a few surprises in the first two elims. The third, however, was a slam-dunk exacta combo with our choice Custard The Dragon (left) first in a world-record mile at $5.60 and Powerful Mist (the actual race favorite) second. The exacta was a generous $14.20.   

Wink N Atcha (fifth) raced a disappointing mile in the first leg. In our analysis of that race we mentioned the only other possibility for contention was Rollwithitharry. That one took the victory and paid $23.20. Considering “Wink” was 70 cents to the dollar, you should have had “Rollwith” for the price. We were totally wrong in the third elim.   

Then, a surprise for many of us came with the result of the Maple Leaf Trot at Mohawk. We had it backwards, as San Pail defeated dead-on favorite and current king-of-the-older-trotters Arch Madness. If you played it with “Pail” on top you got back $18.30, as “Arch” finished second.  

We have no explanation for the result of the Armbro Flight, where Southwind Wasabi put in a very poor mile. How she was 25-1 also confused us. Our second choice, Autumn Escapade, also came up empty. We were not surprised Buck I St Pat lost, as she led the outer flow and dueled to death by three-quarters. What irked us is that Action Broadway, the mare we caught at a big price late last year at The Red Mile and early on this season as she began her older campaign, won and paid over $57. 

Follow me on Twitter for racing news, updates and last-minute picks on the weekends.  

The high-stakes classic trotting activity continues as the Hambletonian-eligibles prepare for their eliminations on July 30. Stay in touch with our exclusive Hambletonian Trail blog. Follow the analysis’s there and the reviews, results and archives at the Hambletonian Society home page.

Harness News

Tioga Downs announced that this year’s $450,000 (est.) Cane Pace—the first leg of the Pacing Triple Crown will take place at the New York facility, leaving Freehold Raceway for 2011 and 2012, according to Tioga VP of Racing and Simulcast, Jason M. Settlemoir.   

Freehold has been the site for the “Cane” since 1998 but Freehold has been placed in a serious purse-funding situation due to casino-shared funds not being released to the track. Tioga—a product of Meadowlands-savior Jeff Gural—stepped quickly to keep the Cane going for the next two years.   

The eliminations (if necessary) for the Cane will take place on Saturday, Sept. 3 with the final on closing night at Tioga, Saturday, Sept. 10, with a post time of 6:50 p.m. Horses not eligible to the Cane can supplement to the race with a $35,000 fee due at time of declaration. As part of the Pacing Triple Crown special supplemental declaration, a horse not eligible to the Little Brown Jug (second jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown) can still get in by one way only. The horse must win the Cane and then pay a supplemental payment of $45,000 to be eligible.   

The sister event, for soph-filly pacers, the $150,000 (est.) Shady Daisy, will also be hosted by Tioga. The final will be on the same evening as the Cane. Supplemental entries can be made to the event with a $7,500 fee.

Cartoon by Thom Pye