Super Stakes Ensue
On Friday, Aug. 17, the New Meadowlands closes its first season while still in transition over the next few years, with over $1.4-million in purses. The New Jersey Sires Stakes finals for freshmen, the William Haughton Memorial, the Golden Girls, the Moni Maker and the Miss Versatility make up the closing card.
We’ll cover Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) from the
Meadows and New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) from Tioga Downs, both on Friday, then
head to Canada for Saturday’s Grand Circuit action, as well as the
Charlotttetown Cup & Saucer (along with its special-event miles) and Super
Stakes Sunday at Harrah’s Philadelphia, where Hambletonian-winner Market Share
faces Little Brown Fox and Googoo Gaagaa for the first time since fighting to get
to the August classic.
The Hambletonian
Society again works with us and TwinSpires to launch the Breeders Crown Countdown,
following main events from prospective entries from all eight divisions as they
head for the series of classic events, scheduled to be presented again this
year on a single card at Woodbine. Check the blog often for updates on great
betting opportunities that don’t appear in the regular TwinSpires blog.
Philly Features
Super Stakes Sunday at Harrah’s Philadelphia presents
sophomores of the first order, starting with the filly pacers in the $350,000
Valley Forge. Season-leader American Jewel, who has recently given in to Major
Look to tighten the division’s competition, is here and has to deal with that
one as well as six others that threaten to make this race a big deal, including
a filly named Big McDeal. Danger from the outside looms in the form of
Handsoffmycookie, who has been a scourge in New York-bred affairs and returns
to face the big gals. Major Look is the hot one, though, and she will get
plenty of action.
The Takter gals, “Jewel” and Romantic Moment, should take
second choice status, while the outsiders are worth a look. They are Economy
Terror and Destiny’s Chance. Both, on their best days, could defeat the chalk,
and should be overlays here. Watch for “Terror” to put in a big mile at a
larger-than-usual-for-her price. This may set up for the kind of late kick that
she uses with style.
In the $500,000 Colonial, some of the Hambletonian group
meets again, this time with Little Brown Fox and Googoo Gaagaa. The former
broke in his elim and missed the big dance and the latter was not eligible,
having a sire that is a pacer. So where does that leave Hambo-champ Market
Share, no less Hambo favorite Uncle Peter? In our opinion it leaves them all at
the mercy of Little Brown Fox, arguably the best in this division when trotting
straight. A price? You be the judge.
Lastly, the $500,000 Battle of the Brandywine tests
glamour-boy pacers, who have been steaming up the track with fractions that
have handed opportunities to those following closely behind them (Bolt The Duer
in the Adios, for instance) . Here, though, A Rocknroll Dance may grind it out
and be rated enough to win once he takes control. He should have a fast pace to
allow him a catapult move that out-speeds the speed (Sweet Lou on the outside
should be gunning early and Hurrikane Kingcole is showing signs of being out of
control when it comes to his quick feet).
Closing Acts
On the final Meadowlands program, the $191,500 Moni Maker
attracts top soph-filly trotters like Personal Style and Maven. After being
contested at The Red Mile, then the Meadows, the Meadowlands now hosts this
race where fillies fight to rebound from the Hambletonian Oaks.
Maven is practically unbeatable against this bunch. Unless
she falls into the same situation as she did in the “Oaks,” where she galloped
behind Check Me Out in a bizarre trip twist, she should get a perfect trip.
Since she is the best, we will key her and aim for exotics. There are two
elements are Personal Style and Delicious.
Before her Oaks stunner, Personal Style seemed to be
improving. Against this bunch she should get a second-over trip and pull off
the same move she did in the Oaks and without Check Me Out to chase, she is
Maven’s worst enemy.
Delicious has been an underdog in this division. Slowly
improving by competing against the second tier of filly trotters, she may have
hit her peak. She finished second to Check Me Out in a recent effort in the
PASS. Here, she should get a good pocket trip instead of taking the lead and
have enough left to make an exacta and triple appearance.
Put On A Show returns to the Big M after her stunning
performance in the Lady Liberty and looks to put on another stunning
performance in the $218,850 Golden Girls.
But we’ll take our chances with Rebeka Bayama. She seemed
like a one-time threat in the Lady Liberty, where she had a good showing but
she proved that was not a fluke by beating most of this field in an
Invitational last week. She should get the right trip from the outside and
defeat these.
Next, the older pacing guys go in the $431,400 William
Haughton Memorial. Golden Receiver certainly made a name for himself in this
division as he defeated most of this bunch consistently throughout the year.
This week, he competes against most of the horses he beat in the U.S. Pacing
Championship two weeks ago.
With the speed in this race, however, Meirs Hanover may get
an advantage. He is generally a pocket-sitting horse, which he displayed in the
U.S. Pacing Championship, finishing a good third. After a few failed attempts
against the top of his class, he should finally get the trip he needs to
unleash the beast within him.
The third leg of the Miss Versatility makes its stop at the
Big M and Cedar Dove is there, coming off of a win in the Ima Lula. Also coming
out of that race with a great performance is Panthalops. She went up against
this grpin before and broke in leg two. This week, she should get a pocket trip
and have the capability to defeat Cedar Dove.
NJSS finals are also on the closing program. These are for
the froshes of both sexes on both gaits and are each labeled with $150,000.
The trotting colts are first, with Corky the huge favorite.
In the elim we liked the one who followed him, Deadliest Catch, and vote for
him as the upset candidate here, though he will offer less money than his
second-place finish.
Filly trotters line up next and we are all over Miss Steele,
though we don’t expect her to be overlooked by the public. She comes out of the
Merrie Annabelle suffering from a tough trip and appears in a powerful spot to
win.
Filly pacers follow and Sweetheart-winner Jerseylicious
could offer a decent price here, as post 8 could turn some bettors off, as well
as they may favor Authorize from the rail.
The colt pacers knock heads for top state honors and it
appears that Troon may escape favorite status, offering a good price,
especially since he has been made 12-1 in the morning line.
Young Turks And Trotters
The Empire State features several divisions of the New York Sires Stakes at Tioga Downs for two-year-old colt pacers
on Friday.
Deny Deny Deny is the likely favorite in the first division.
With all the speed in this race, Artist Night can close on them late. From post
7 at Yonkers last time he was second over, then was hung into the stretch and
finished third. He gets post relief this week and should get a perfect trip and
close to win.
From the outside, Swift As A Shadow is the likely favorite
in another split but Track Master D should improve tremendously this week. He
closed well last time from post 6 at Yonkers. He also gets post relief this
week and should get his first victory in his third start.
Two horses have a great chance in the final division,
Tijuana Party and Sir Cary’s Z Tam. Tijuana Party can sit in the pocket or take
the lead. He goes up against similar this week and will either steal it or come
up the passing lane late.
Sir Cary’s Z Tam is also a pocket-sitter but this week he
did not get the luck of the draw. He should get away mid-pack and get a
second-over trip to close late.
At The Meadows on Friday there is PASS action for big money
offered to frosh-filly trotters.
In the first division, Coffeecake Hanover is the likely
betting choice. But Sina got the luck of draw and should race well this week.
She drew post 8 last time against this division and gets post 1 this week. She
should get a better trip this week and pull of the upset.
True Valentine headlines the second division looking for
four wins in a row. Ruffleshaveridges will be hugely overlooked in this
division. Back on July 18, she beat Coffeecake Hanover at the Meadows in a PASS
outing. As long as she doesn’t break, which was very odd when she did on the
third of August, she should win at a great price.
Our choice is Classic Martine in the third division. She is
a big speed horse but is not faster than Royal Assets. So, we see Classic
Martine getting a pocket trip and perhaps getting by Royal Assets to win.
We have two strong contenders in the final division,
Morningstar and Money And Me. Morningstar raced against the best in the Merrie
Annabelle two weeks ago but did not fair well, although, she has done fairly
well on the PASS circuit and should be able to rebound this week.
Money And Me can race from either mid-pack or from the top.
Either way, she should come home in the top three.
Grand Circuit Canada
Freshmen season is well in hand and as the Grand Circuit
settles at Mohawk for a bit, beginning Aug. 18, offering Nassagaweya Stakes, a
staple for the colt-pacer division this time of year, and divisions of the
Eternal Camnation for fillies.
In the first split, worth $108,125, Slight Touch may show
the speed of his sire, Badlands Hanover, and go from gate to wire. He may be
the lone speed, so to speak, in this field and be able to command the fractions
early to make him impossible to catch.
The second split, worth as much as the first, features the awesome Captaintreacherous, the son of Somebeachsomewhere that has raised eyebrows
since he debuted. This could be a key for exotics because it is near impossible
to try to beat him here. Lock into the other speed, Cool Like That, who may be
able to sit behind the beast and take the place.
The closing Nassagaweya could go a few ways but Mach Me Bad may take
advantage of some dueling, expected from the three outside post starters, and
close the gap late.
Charlottetown Carnival
Charlottetown Driving Park’s biggest program takes place on
Saturday, Aug. 18, with the $60,000 Sobey’s Gold Cup & Saucer Final. We
suggest strong contenders in the host of special events from that program.
The Erwin Andrew Memorial Mares Trot could go to longshot
Berto Coquette. She is in a good spot to start and find a spot for a
perfect-trip win.
In the Alpine Claiming Series Final, watch for a big
wire-to-wire attempt from Hey Jean at the rail; she may leave to lead and
command the fractions.
The Normal MacPhail Pace may belong to Md Hardlys Success as
an overlay third choice. With the probable favorite on the outside, a fair
price for this one from post 3 should be expected.
The Pacemaker Pace may not offer a big price on Aled Hanover
but it is hard to look beyond this one, who is geared and aimed at this event
and may dominate it.
The Joe O’Brien Memorial for soph colt pacers demands a
chance be taken with Astronomical Union. This is a competitive field and the
money won’t be spread as it should, giving this one a shot at a good price.
In the main event, the Sobey’s Gold Cup & Saucer, it is
hard to believe that Mystician will only be a second choice. He has experience
that is beyond most of that handled by these and from post 5 he is in better
shape than main foes Eighteen and Stonebridge Terror. He is the choice.
Ray Cotolo
contributed to this edition.
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