Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

Last week we released our TwinSpires Harness Players’ Horses of the Year, along with all the other winners we posted this year up until that blog. With a weekend left in 2012, we had no chance to add any winners afterwards. Below you will find some additions to the 2012 list, including a bomb at Cal Expo, all extracted from our horses-to-watch list (H2W) that dominates this time of year. 

H2W

Here they are from the highest paying to the lowest paying winners from the list on our blog last Thursday: 

$49.80, Comeshomeearly, Cal Expo
$12.20, WH Scooter, Cal Expo
$11.40, Stormin Rustler, Meadowlands
$8.60, Boo Coo Blush, Cal Expo
$5.40, Georges Ztam, Maywood

Here are the horses that finished second and third that will return to the H2W list next week and how they finished, along with their post-time odds. Special notes on their affects in those positions follow.

Seconds:
Three New Dawns (7-1), Meadowlands; Cien (2-1), Northfield; Harmony Oaks Rebel (8-5), Northfield; Red Star Brooklyn (6-1), Fraser; Lucky Sniper (5-1), Pompano; Whirlwinddiplomacy (3-1), Balmoral; She Sell Cruise (8-5), Northfield

Thirds
Arctic Fire (49-1), Meadowlands; Custers Last Stand (11-1), Northfield; Perfekjehlmnkalfas (6-5), Northfield; Cams Princess Wave (4-1), Maywood; Rd Lou (4-5), Cal Expo; Cherry Tree Nicole (9-5), Cal Expo; Succulent (1-1), Fraser; Milbanks Ariel (14-1), Fraser; Another Opinion (5-2), Fraser; Cam On Mink (3-1), Fraser, Major Najor (-), Pompano; Gilly Ho (4-1), Balmoral; Sporty Gypsy (6-1), Balmoral

All adjustments for returnees to the list and additions will be in the Thursday blog.

News And Notes

Tim Tetrick (photo) won the Harness Driver of the Year award as the favorite to do so based on a productive year. Aside from being the exclusive guide for the Horse of the Year, Chapter Seven, Tim pulled off a minor upset in the Hambletonian with Market Share and continued to keep that colt at the top of the soph-colt trotting ranks through the second half of the season. Linda Toscano trained Market Share and the Horse of the Year, so it was no surprise she was voted Trainer of the Year.

The Meadowlands began its “new era” with classified racing, some new faces in the bikes and a couple of pari-mutuel bombs on Dec. 28. Carolstern, a pacer chipped in from Freehold, paid over $240 to win. That caused a Pick 5 carryover of over $16,000. Later All About Justice scored, paying $107 to win. That victory caused a Late Pick 4 payout of over $10,000 following an Early Pick Four that returned over $18,000. We supplied the 9-2 winner (shipping from Yonkers) of the first night’s nightcap (see list above).

The handle of $2,691,107 was an increase of 24 percent from what was bet opening night a year ago. All three of the Meadowlands guaranteed wagers were very well received, including the brand new early Pick 4, which carried a pool of over $42,000 with a special TwinSpires feature.

Rosecroft Raceway’s 29-night fall-winter race meet showed significant gains in overall handle versus the 2011 meet. Total wagering on live races for the meet increased 70 percent over the 2011 meet. The 2011 season featured live racing after a nearly three-year hiatus.

Extraordinary Extras

Here’s a free ride for my column in Hoof Beats (the analog mag). With the New Year approaching, my January, 2013 column offers a way to become an organized harness racing investor. Check it out my clicking here. It’s the featured article of the issue and the best advice you will get all year about your wagering campaign. 

Indulge in many standardbred topics at my Hoof Beats blog titled Vast Performances. Every weekend as part of that blog we we offer Balmoral Pick-4-and-win picks at the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program page which includes suggested win bets.  

Connect to Twitter and follow Frank and Ray Cotolo for up-to-the-minute suggestions on wagers at many harness raceways. Then, wager from your TwinSpires accounts.

 

Cartoons by Thom Pye

Santa Anita Stats

With the opening of the Santa Anita winter meeting this week, I thought it might be a good time to analyze the Great Race Place — what kind of horses win there and what kind of horses don’t.

In a word, the name of the game at Santa Anita since the Pro-Ride surface was removed is speed — as in early and blazing.

But before we get to that, let’s first take a peek at the configuration of the track and get acquainted with some digits that every bettor should know — the track takeout rates:

(Click on image to enlarge)

In terms of the Santa Anita speed “bias” (I’ve grown to hate that word due to its widespread overuse), below are my speed ration pars and wire-to-wire win rates for both dirt and turf sprints/routes, along with and some other interesting data:

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

As you can see, the advantage of early speed on the dirt is pronounced, with over a third of those races won in gate-to-wire fashion — despite the fact that the average winning early speed ration (ESR) is healthy in both cases.

Hence, it should come as no surprise that shippers from other speed-favoring venues do very well at the Arcadia, Cal. strip. Among the tracks with the better ROIs are:

Belmont Park (+61%)

Calder/Gulfstream Park (+141%)

Remington Park (+400%)

Saratoga (+313%)

Conversely, when horses ship to Santa Anita from tracks that favor stretch runners, the results, like the Swallows of San Juan Capistrano, go south for the winter:

Churchill Downs (-52%)

Del Mar (-34%)

Keeneland (-45%)

So, when looking for winners at Santa Anita this winter, insist on horses that can be in the mix early. If recent history is any guide, many of those horses will be around late as well.

Weekend Win Factor Reports

Saturday

Aqueduct
Fair Grounds
Hawthorne
Laurel
Parx Racing

One final acceleration

You know all the cliches: It's a marathon not a sprint, gamble with your head not over it, keep your eyes on the prize, etc. I.e., don't lose focus about short-term losses. No horseplayer can expect to win every day much less every race. Even if even money shots are your game, losing 45% of the time is acceptable, and with the more exotic bets a 5%-10% strike rate could be enough.

Still, it's impossible for me to take a look at December 31-January 1 and not take stock of my wagering for the previous year. Sure, TwinSpires.com allows you to review your wagers on a rolling basis, so you can always look at a 365-day period of wagers, but more often than not, it's December 31 (maybe because of the pending tax form) that serves as the finish line for determining whether we "beat the game."

I plan to file a full report next week regarding my final stats. I wouldn't call myself a public handicapper, but my analysis is out there enough that I think there should be some accountability as to my actual performance so people can keep that in mind when deciding what to do with my picks (ignore them, bet them, use them, etc.).

I will say, though, that as things stand right now I'm down on the year, but close enough that finishing in the black is very much possible, and a truly magnificent final days could make for my best year ever.

Yet, what happens now has much more bearing on what will happen in 2013 than what happened in 2012, so even though it'd be cool to "finish ahead" there's no sense chasing.

All that said, hopefully Wharton helps me get to where I want to be. He was my 2012 Derby pick at this time last year but hasn't raced in 13 months. Lots of question marks today (Friday, December 28) with the trainer and surface changes to go along with the layoff, but I'm high on his talent and today might be the best chance for a decent price.

Wharton is my current pick to win the 2012 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands
— Ed DeRosa (@EJXD2) October 30, 2011

Maybe if he wins today's ninth race at Gulfstream Park I can make another future wager on him to win the Breeders' Cup Mile or Classic. Either way, it's fun to have a rooting interest in a horse--especially one who can make my year.

Ultimate Week Of 2012 Harness Play

As the first dozen years of the new millennium come to a close, harness players look at the horizon of a another season, including a new era for the Meadowlands, which opens its next standardbred meet just a few days before the year ends. 

As well, we continue to update and supply more entries to our ultra-powerful horses-to watch list (H2W), continuing to provide TwinSpires players and blog readers proverbial “hot horses” based on our experienced spotters’ evaluations of recent races at various raceways.  

The Meadowlands resumes live racing on Dec. 28 and 29 and will have a 2013 schedule from Jan. 3 to Aug. 3 plus Nov. 23 to Dec. 28 for a total of 82 dates. 

The upcoming Meadowlands meet “comes with a few wrinkles,” according to track sources. There is a re-introduction to Classified Racing, known as ABC Racing.  (Photo on left of new Meadowlands grandstand in progress while horses qualify for this meet.)

ABC Racing categorizes horses into A, B and C rankings, replacing detailed conditions determined by money earnings. The system permits the racing secretary to create races in which the entrants are most competitive and equal in ability. 

A lot of the pressure for classification falls upon Peter Koch, Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. “We are hopeful this method will yield even more competitive racing for our fans. We will still have non-winners of two races lifetime as well as non-winners of three races lifetime for the younger horses and claiming races at every level … We look forward to bringing the public the great racing product the Meadowlands has always had.” 

How bettors will react to the return of A, B and C classes will be monitored. Many of us veterans have our questions concerning using the system. Here is what Jay Bergman said about it. “One could say there was nothing wrong with the A-B-C system when employed at Yonkers-Roosevelt and other tracks before the Meadowlands first opened. It served a purpose and was received well by horsemen and patrons. It could also be said that although the Meadowlands in 1976 used the condition system that in theory allowed horsemen to classify their own horses, racing secretary Joe DeFrank’s discretion often modified it.” Bergman expresses concerns similar to our own. “How [will] Koch impose his will upon a stable area that simply doesn’t exist.” 

Horses no longer stable at the facility and racing will not take place as many times a week as it did when the ABC system worked so well in New York. Koch has to deal with horsemen that can ship to other tracks and return, raising a question as to the class their horses fit. Forty years ago if a trainer didn’t like how his horse was classified, he could place the horse in a claimer. So the system takes on a new form that is yet to be clear in its affect on the competition. All of us in the sport will be monitoring the progress or digression of class distinction as the meet ensues and we will be reporting about it all here. Meanwhile, the New Meadowlands offers H2W horses, as listed below.

Opening night has a post time set for 7:15 p.m. A new bet makes its debut in the $25,000 Early Pick 4 (Races 3-6). The $15,000 Pick 5 (Races 1-5) and the $50,000 Late Pick 4 (Races 7-10) make their return to the wagering format.

On Our Watch

The H2W legend is as usual. Before the horses’ names is the track, followed on the next paragraph by a date it (or they) will be racing, with the race in which they are entered (R and race number). If a + is in front of a horse’s name, it means that horse is appearing on the list for the second and last time because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” means the horse is on the also-eligible list and needs a scratch to get into the race. It is up to you how to deal with more than one horse on the list that is entered in the same race.  

If a horse that has appeared on the list but was scratched or is not racing its second week consecutively, you will see a N/R after its name and will appear on a separate line from dated entries. And if a horse shows up at another track in its second week of being listed, it will display the plus sign as indicated above. Freehold has closed, as has Philly.  

The H2W list displays “live” horses that have shown strict potential in recent events, having been thwarted by traffic or going a trip that sends up a flair to notice fresh form. All of them need to be considered contenders in the races noted, getting two chances on the list Wagering on them is based on your own judgment of value, as well as how to do so (win, place, show or exotic). If you have any questions about the H2W list, send them to us through the TwinSpires blog channel. 

Balmoral
12/29, Whirlwinddiplomacy R2; Gilly Ho R3; Sporty Gypsy R8; Casino Comp R10 

Cal Expo
12/28, Rd Lou R3; Comeshomeearly R6; Ogs Si Bon R6; Racetrack Diva R6; Cherry Tree Luke R8; Cherry Tree Nicole R10; Persuade Me R11; Laugh Away R11; Boo Coo Blush R12; Majestic Lass R13

12/29, +Precious Few R6; Cheswick R8; +WH Scooter R9; +Ajs Little One R13

+Komodas Fantasy N/R; +Chevie Balboa N/R; +Little Box Out N/R; +Scootin Higher N/R; +Moody Miss N/R

Fraser
12/28, +Manos De Dios R2, Succulent R2; Millbanks Ariel R3; +Call Me Up R3; +Fighter Bliss R4; Another Opinion R4; +Red Star Betsy R5; Cam On Mink R6; Red Star Brooklyn R7; Tap Out R7; Pureform Goodtogo R8; +Rossridge Fortune R8
+Red Star Dana N/R; Workfortheman N/R

Maywood
12/28, Rejoiceandbehappy R3; Georges Ztam R7; Tes Zenyatta R9 ae; Cams Princess Wave R11 

Meadowlands
12/28+Aint Got A Home R1; Three New Dawns R3; Arctic Fire R7; Likeabatoutahell R8; +Stormin Rustler R12 

Northfield
12/28, Passionate Gold R1; Perfekjehlmnkalfas R2; Triple G R3; Rd Rustler R3; Cien R4; +Our Mclovin R10; Custers Last Stand R11; She Shell Cruise R12; Harmony Oaks Rebel R13; Macjurcoharry R13
+Kinnick N/R; +Arts Shadow N/R; +Lee A Bryant N/R; +Sand Latte N/R 

Pompano
12/29, Lucky Sniper R1; Lee Wind R2 ae; Dragons Blood R3; Muscles To Spare R5; Jazz Band R6; Kennairnmachmagic R6; +Max Q R9; +Major Najor R10 
+Desert Hanover N/A

 

 

Cartoon by Thom Pye

Ray Cotolo contributed to this edition.

TwinSpires Horse Racing Podcast w/Derek Simon 12/26 by TwinSpires Radio | Blog Talk Radio

Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com and Derek Simon discuss a recent interview with trainer Kenny McPeek and Paynter's expected return to the races.

In the U. of Bet/Handicapping segment, Derek breaks down the Alex M. Robb Stakes featuring Saginaw and Saratoga Snacks, along with other races.

TwinSpires Horse Racing Podcast w/Derek Simon 12/26 by TwinSpires Radio | Blog Talk Radio

FREE Handicapping Reports

Win Factor Reports

SA122612WFR

Pace Profile Reports

GP122612PPR GG122612PPR SA122612PPR

Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

As promised, we have scoured our records to end the season with our TwinSpires Harness Players’ Horses of the Year. While the industry rattles off its divisional title-winners (see News below and last week’s blog), we continue a tradition we began when we began our popular player blogs at YouBet.  

Listed below are all the horses listed in this blog in 2012 that won and paid 4-1 or more, though there were plenty of other winners suggested (tweets that did not appear in the blogs are not included, even though many were more than 4-1). We note the track where they won (most Balmoral winners were linked to our Hoof Beats blog) and the price that they paid in descending order.  

Atop the list is the Players’ Horse of the Year—the highest paying win mutuel of the lot.  

That horse is Kommander Hawk. From this year’s early horses-to-watch (H2W) list, the six-year-old pacing gelding won at Pompano Park and paid $78.20. Ellen McNeil owns him, John McNeil III trains him and Fern Paquet drove him. He is by Pro Bono Best out of the Seahawk Hanover mare Spinners Hawk. His mark is 1:51 at Pompano.

 

Kommander Hawk, Pompano, $78.20
Poorlittlegirl, Cal Expo, $64.20
Electrofire, Meadowlands, $43.00
Fox Ridge Banner, Pompano, $35.60
Goldern Terror, Buffalo, $33.00
Art Z, Meadowlands, $32.80 

Warrawee Nonsuch, Woodbine, $28.80
Life Is Good Today, Balmoral, $25.00
Rockincam, Hoosier, $23.20
Lady Lakes, Balmoral, $21.80
Devilish Donnie, Cal Expo, $20.60
Ruffleshaveridges, Meadows, $20.60 

Sell The Dragon, Balmoral, $20.60
Captain Obvious, Balmoral, $20.20
Darena Hanover, Pocono, $19.20
Slippin Away, Balmoral, $19.20
Aracache Hanover, Pocono, $18.80
Tone, Balmoral, $18.40 

Judys Jet, Balmoral, $16.80
Rock N Lawyer, Balmoral, $16.60
Wrangler Reward, Cal Expo, $15.80
Cherry Tree Nicole, Cal Expo, $15.40
Allamerican Improve, Buffalo, $15.00
Hollywood Lenny, Cal Expo, $15.00

Totowin, Buffralo, $14.80 

Romantic Moment, Mohawk, $14.50
Pilgrims Haley, Balmoral, $14.00
Verdad, Pocono, $13.60
Blue Claw, Woodbine, $13.40
Rejoiceandbeglad, Balmoral, $13.20

Yankees In Six, Pompano, $12.80
CDs Ideal, Balmoral, $12.60
Explosive Action, Yonkers, $12.40
Rebecca Bayama, Tioga, $12.40
Acapulco Gold, Balmoral, $12.20
Art Z, Yonkers, $12.00

Gentle Dragon, Cal Expo, $12.00
Rocklamation, Cal Expo, $12.00

High Noon, Meadows, $11.80
Bewareofthisaffair, Cal Expo, $11.60
A Rocknroll Dance, Meadowlands, $11.40
Destinys Chance, Pocono, $11.20  

Prestidigitator, Mohawk, $11.00
Aperfectyankee, Meadowlands, $10.80
Ideal Romance, Vernon, $10.80
Sand Starla, Balmoral, $10.80
Stylemaster, Balmoral, $10.80
Fritzs Z Tam, Yonkers, $10.60  

Mystician, Woodbine, $10.50
Billmar Scooter, Yonkers, $10.20
Day Blue Chip, Meadowlands, $10.20
Hanover DGN, Cal Expo, $10.20
Wishing And Hoping, Balmoral, $10.20
Pet Rock, Yonkers, $10.00
Say It Best, Pompano, $10.00

We hope you have benefited from the publishing of these horses when projected as winners. Through the next year we hope to continue to supply you with live horses, great-paying winners and elements for healthy paying exotics.

H2W

Here they are from the highest paying to the lowest paying winners from the list on our blog last Thursday:  

$9.80, Dani California, Cal Expo

$8.80, Gray Olives, Freehold
$8.40, Tangram, Cal Expo
$5.20, Exotic Sparkle, Fraser
$4.20, Chica Caliente, Fraser
 

Here are the horses that finished second and third that will return to the H2W list next week and how they finished, along with their post-time odds. Special notes on their affects in those positions follow.  

Seconds:
Sir Jillian Z Tam (7-1), Yonkers; Rileys Luck (9-1), Philly; Sweet Reunion (7-1), Fraser   

Sir Jillian Z Tam was the second half of an exacta with the race favorite, paying $31.80. Rileys Luck paid $10.40 to place and $4.20 to show while losing to a 14-1 shot.  

Thirds
Coal Younger (11-1), Cal Expo; Paul The Powerful (8-1), Cal Expo; Jessalilpeace (4-1), Cal Expo; Cool Ashlee (10-1), Freehold; Straight Dancer (2-1), Northfield; Lee A Bryant (5-2), Northfield  

All adjustments for returnees to the list and additions will be in the Thursday blog. 

News And Notes

The United States Harness Writers of America have made it official: Chapter Seven is Horse of the Year for 2012 (the honor also makes him Older Trotter of the Year and Trotter of the Year). Richard Gutnick is the owner, Richard Branca is the breeder and Tim Tetrick drove exclusively this year.

The Linda Toscano-trained four-year-old male trotter won eight of 10 starts and equaled the world record of 1:50.1 on a mile racetrack. The lack of performances is a record in itself. No Horse of the Year has ever raced only 10 times.

Chapter Seven earned $1.02 million this season and defeated Canada’s hottest older trotter, Mister Herbie, and European-star Commander Crowe in the Breeders Crown on Oct. 27 at Woodbine despite racing on the outside every step of the mile.

 Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in many standardbred topics at my Hoof Beats blog titled Vast Performances. Every weekend as part of that blog we we offer Balmoral Pick-4-and-win picks at the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program page which includes suggested win bets.  

Connect to Twitter and follow Frank and Ray Cotolo for up-to-the-minute suggestions on wagers at many harness raceways. Then, wager from your TwinSpires accounts.

 

 


Cartoons by Thom Pye

Pace Figures Bring Holiday Cheer

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house

No one would speak to me, not even my spouse.

For I spent the day on TwinSpires.com, searching for bets

As a means to erase my holiday debts.

Aah, yes, nothing says “Happy Holidays” like a winning trifecta or superfecta and this week I want to talk about how I cashed on just such a wager and how readers might follow my lead and do the same.

I don’t think too many players will argue with me when I say that turf races featuring a preponderance of dirt runners can be amongst the trickiest races to handicap — especially when such events are comprised of cheaper runners with less-than-regal pedigrees.

Take, for example, the fifth race at Turf Paradise on Dec. 21, 2012. The about one mile grass affair was restricted to three-year-old fillies eligible to be claimed for $6,250 ($8,000 if they were foaled in the state of Arizona, which makes sense given the prestige accorded to Arizona-breds all over the world).

The 10 entrants had started a total of 138 times, yet just 20 of those starts were on the turf and only 11-Dover Crossing had ever won on the green. Four of the fillies had never even set foot on grass.

Now, a lot of handicappers like to look at breeding in such instances and the Brisnet past performances, like the Daily Racing Form PP’s, offer pedigree surface ratings — numbers that can be used to assess a horse’s innate preference for a specific type of track surface (dirt, synthetic or turf). In the fifth race at Turf Paradise on Dec. 21, those ratings looked like this (the figure in parenthesis is the difference between the horse’s turf rating and its dirt rating; the higher the better):
 
111 – Dover Crossing (+8)

108 – Pardon My Excess (+1)

107 – Mystery Channel (+6)

104* – Anne’s Seven Cats (no change)

104 – Candy and Nuts (-1)

103? – Princess Kiha (-3)

99 – Cantaffordanother (+1)

96 – Drawing Breath (-2)

96? – Foolish Temper (-2)

95 – Harley Hart (+2)

?= Small sample size.

*= Very small sample size.

Here’s the problem with using pedigree ratings in a race such as this, though: it’s a $6,250-$8,000 claiming affair! If pedigree was such a great indicator of talent, the horse wouldn’t be running for a tag.
 
So, I ignore the breeding and look for something else — mainly, the ability to fly home, or at least run comparatively fast, late.

My reasoning is this: Generally speaking, turf events favor horses that have a decent late kick, whereas dirt races are far more kind to early runners. Hence, any horse that exhibited a reasonable late turn of foot on the dirt — and when I’m doing my analysis I try to ignore races run over a turf or synthetic surface so that I’m comparing apples to apples — would seem to have a decent shot of improving on the lawn.

I use my own pace figures, specifically my Pace Profile numbers, to determine this, but players can utilize the Brisnet Late Pace (LP) figures as well. Doing this, one finds that the top LP figures in the race above were as follows:

89 – Drawing Breath (#6)

89 – Pardon My Excess (#9)

87 – Foolish Temper (#3)

85 – Anne's Seven Cats (#4)

85 – Cantaffordanother (#8)

82 – Candy and Nuts (#10)

Naturally, all the other rules of (good) handicapping apply. Foolish Temper had top-notch connections and was coming off an impressive win on the dirt; I liked her on top along with Drawing Breath, who I thought offered good value at 16-1. 5-Princess Kiha and 11-Dover Crossing were my secondary contenders — the former due to her strong recent form and the latter due to her past efforts over the surface.

(Click on image to enlarge)

The race went just like it was supposed to:

(Click on image to enlarge)

Weekend Win Factor Plays

Click HERE to get suggested wagers for various tracks on Saturday (12/22) and Sunday (12/23).

Overnights Success

The overnight races continue to be our focus as several tracks were we review good horses getting bad trips, raring to return a full-force contenders Those prospects earn their way on to our exclusive horses-to-watch list (H2W).  

On Our Watch

Our H2W list continues to provide TwinSpires players and blog readers proverbial “hot horses” based on our experienced spotters’ evaluations of recent races at various raceways.  

Before another quick review, we remind all H2W followers that playing the horses listed—no less how you play them—is based solely on you personal assessment of their closing-odds value. You need to play or pass based on how you like or dislike the odds given. There is no way we can tell which horses will go off at which odds. Besides, fair odds on any horse is measured by the individual. So, in our review blogs on Monday, we list all of the winners, no matter what they paid, and we show seconds and thirds with their closing odds because H2W followers use these horses in exotics. 

Reading the legend below remains in our specific format. Before the horses’ names is the track, followed on the next paragraph by a date it (or they) will be racing, with the race in which they are entered (R and race number). If a + is in front of a horse’s name, it means that horse is appearing on the list for the second and last time because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” means the horse is on the also-eligible list and needs a scratch to get into the race. It is up to you how to deal with more than one horse on the list that is entered in the same race.  

To discourage repeating the error we made last week when we omitted a horse that won and should have been on the list, we are adding a notation to the legend. If a horse that has appeared on the list but was scratched or is not racing its second week consecutively, you will see a N/R after its name and will appear on a separate line from dated entries. 

The H2W list displays “live” horses that have shown strict potential in recent events, having been thwarted by traffic or going a trip that sends up a flair to notice fresh form. All of them need to be considered contenders in the races noted, getting two chances on the list. If you have any questions about the H2W list, send them to us through the TwinSpires blog channel. 

Cal Expo
12/21, +Tangram R1; Ajs Little One R1; Chevie Balboa R1; +Jessalilpeace R3; +Paul The Powerful R5; +Im The Money R5; Little Box Out R6; Scootin Higher R8; +Coal Younger R8; +Komodas Fantasy R11

12/22, Dani California R9; Moody Miss R11

+Cheswick N/R; +WH Scooter N/R; +Precious Few N/R

Fraser
12/21, Red Star Dana R2; Manos De Dios R3; +Exotic Sparkle R3; +Sweet Reunion R5; +Cheyenne J R6; Call Me Up R7; Rossridge Fortune R8; Red Star Betsy R9; Chica Caliente R9; Fighter Bliss R10; Worknfortheman R11; +Quite A Lady R11

 

Freehold
12/21, Avid Yankee R2; +Call Me Madam R3; +Allthatnthensome ae R4; Cool Ashlee R4; Tourific R7; Superstar Dream R 8; Gray Olives R11
12/22, +Rocknroll Jewel
+J’omama N/R; +Fandango Dancer N/R; +Country Fresh N/R; +Stormin Rustler N/R 

Northfield
12/21, Kinnick R2; +Power And Purpose R3; Arts Shadow R4; +Jennas Dream R6; +Straight Dancer R6; Custers Last Stand R13; Lee A Bryant R13; +Arion R14
+Sand Latte N/R; +Our Mclovin N/R 

Philly
12/21, Ornate Hanover R6; Aint Got A Home ae R6; Rileys Luck R8; On The Radar R10; Ambro Billow ae R14

Pompano
12/22, +Cascata R4; +Grin Big R4; +Super Railee R5; +Mcgreat R8
+Max Q N/A; +Desert Hanover N/A; +Major Najor N/A

Yonkers
12/21, Likeabatoutahell ae R11; Sir Jillian Z Tam R12
12/22 Armbro Billow (ae at Philly, see above) R3 

 

Notes

Captaintreacherous, a two-year-old pacing colt that has gotten his share of support from this department, has won Pacer of the Year honors for 2012. Captaintreacherous won eight of 10 races and earned $918,253. He is the first two-year-old pacer to receive the title, earning the nod over three-year-olds Michaels Power and American Jewel and defending champion Foiled Again. 

Also honored in the Dan Patch Awards balloting by the U.S. Harness Writers Association was Chapter Seven. The four-year-old was named Trotter of the Year, with Market Share finishing second in the balloting.   

Other trotters to receive Dan Patch Award divisional honors were Wheeling N Dealin (two-year-old male), To Dream On (two-year-old female), Check Me Out (three-year-old female) and Frenchfrysnvinegar (older female).   

Foiled Again, now eight, repeated as Older Male Pacer and Anndrovette won again as Older Female Pacer.  

These champion pacers will be honored at the Dan Patch Awards banquet, Sunday, March 3, at the Westin Beach Resort and Spa in Fort Lauderdale, the climatic event of Harness Racing Congress VI that will run throughout the weekend. Information about the banquet, the Congress, and related topics can be obtained by going to the harness writers’ website, www.ushwa.org. 

In our harness weekend update we will announce the divisional winners from this TwinSpires exclusive harness blog series of 2012, which is solely based upon the horses’ potency as winners that have been predicted (and hopefully played by readers) this season. 

Ray Cotolo contributed to this edition.

TwinSpires Horse Racing Podcast w/Derek Simon 12/19 by TwinSpires Radio | Blog Talk Radio

 





Can NYRA return to greatness? Was NYRA ever great? Celebrity chef Bobby Flay gave his opinion to the NYRA Board, now Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com and Derek Simon give theirs.

In the U. of Bet segment, Derek discusses situational handicapping and how players should adjust, but not abandon, their handicapping approach when dealing with different kinds of races and conditions. 

Lastly, in the Handicapping segment, Derek analyzes upcoming races at Hawthorne, Laurel and Tampa Bay Downs.

 

TwinSpires Horse Racing Podcast w/Derek Simon 12/19 by TwinSpires Radio | Blog Talk Radio