The winners from our exclusive H2W series continue to spark
our best weekly action.
Feature-wise we took on the Junior Trendsetter leg divisions
on Feb. 15 and the Exit 16W splits on Feb. 16 at the New Meadowlands. In the
former, we were second at a long price with Beachfront and out of the money
with the other two choices. Our 74-1 shot in the first Exit 16W finished fifth,
while Yo Cheyenne Rocky was second to Little Michael B’s fourth.
We went deeper than usual with our suggestions for the
TwinSpires bonus-tagged Woodbine Pick 4 on Saturday. Of the listed choices only
McDynamite won at $7.80.
H2W
Here they are from the highest paying to the lowest paying
winners from the H2W on our blog last Thursday:
$22.00, Bagel Man, Meadows
$21.00, Grayland Becky, Buffalo
$13.00, Major Domo, Freehold
$8.00, Double L Rumber, Cal Expo
$7.20, Katies Dreamboat, Northfield
$5.50, Just Frank, Buffalo
$4.60, Gliding Boheme , Cal Expo
$4.40, Devine Filly, Freehold
$3.10, Red Star Stiletto , Fraser
$21.00, Grayland Becky, Buffalo
$13.00, Major Domo, Freehold
$8.00, Double L Rumber, Cal Expo
$7.20, Katies Dreamboat, Northfield
$5.50, Just Frank, Buffalo
$4.60, Gliding Boheme , Cal Expo
$4.40, Devine Filly, Freehold
$3.10, Red Star Stiletto , Fraser
The following are the horses that finished second or third
from Thursday’s list along with their post-time odds. Special notes on their
affects in those positions follow. Be aware that some of them were second-timers
on the list and will not return next week (you may continue following them on
your own, using them as you see fit). Special notes on performances appear
after these lists.
Seconds:
Speed Minister (9-2), Maywood; Celebrity Bombay (4-1), Meadowlands; Mystical Victress (8-5), Meadowlands; Beforethedaystarts (3-1), Northfield; Racsam Steve (17-1), Buffalo; Summer Snow (2-1), Yonkers; Latino Hall (dh2-1), Fraser; Milbanks Sniper (7-2), Fraser; Hillcrest Bigdaddy (9-1) Meadows; Charles Ray (9-1), Meadows; Franky Provolone (2-1), Cal Expo; Mister Fra (6-5), Cal Expo; Procrastinatinpeat (13-1), Fraser; Rich As Promised (3-1), Fraser
Speed Minister (9-2), Maywood; Celebrity Bombay (4-1), Meadowlands; Mystical Victress (8-5), Meadowlands; Beforethedaystarts (3-1), Northfield; Racsam Steve (17-1), Buffalo; Summer Snow (2-1), Yonkers; Latino Hall (dh2-1), Fraser; Milbanks Sniper (7-2), Fraser; Hillcrest Bigdaddy (9-1) Meadows; Charles Ray (9-1), Meadows; Franky Provolone (2-1), Cal Expo; Mister Fra (6-5), Cal Expo; Procrastinatinpeat (13-1), Fraser; Rich As Promised (3-1), Fraser
Thirds
Daring (2-1), Buffalo; Carmelita’s Girl (4-1), Northfield; Card Dealer (5-2), Buffalo; Mysoontobe (4-1), Buffalo; Chang Dynasty (3-1), Yonkers; Dragon’s Blood (5-2), Pompano; Kg Mattattack (7-2), Fraser; Anais Kicker (9-5), Meadows; Just Pretend A (7-2), Meadows; Bewareofthisaffair (25-1), Cal Expo; Windy City Paige (7-1), Cal Expo; Outta The Red (15-1), Cal Expo
Daring (2-1), Buffalo; Carmelita’s Girl (4-1), Northfield; Card Dealer (5-2), Buffalo; Mysoontobe (4-1), Buffalo; Chang Dynasty (3-1), Yonkers; Dragon’s Blood (5-2), Pompano; Kg Mattattack (7-2), Fraser; Anais Kicker (9-5), Meadows; Just Pretend A (7-2), Meadows; Bewareofthisaffair (25-1), Cal Expo; Windy City Paige (7-1), Cal Expo; Outta The Red (15-1), Cal Expo
All adjustments for returnees to the list and additions will
be in the Thursday blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
News And Notes
A group of thoroughbred owners and trainers have petitioned the Minnesota Racing Commission to revoke Running Aces’ gambling license, according to sources at the harness track. The group claims the raceway is not in compliance with state law.
A member of the commission told local reporters the state is reviewing request. The group accuses Running Aces with not living up to the stipulation demanding the track give 3 percent of its card table money to thoroughbred owners and trainers at Canterbury Park. They say Running Aces stopped making payments last August.
A commission statement calls the action a waste of racing commission and taxpayers’ time, calling it a “frivolous complaint.” Running Aces has harness racing during the summer and offers card gambling 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Plainridge in Massachusetts is preparing for an April 15 opening with a three-day-a-week schedule that will go through Nov. 30. Some Saturday programs will be available in August. Post time will be 4 p.m. EST through August and then change to 1 p.m.
Pompano Park has added Sundays for racing
during March, dropping Tuesdays. Sunday’s post time will be 7:05 p.m. Racing
secretary Greg DeFrank said he believes the move
will
draw attention “to our excellent racing product on a night where there isn’t
much else on the harness racing calendar. This should further expose our
guaranteed Pick-4 wager, that offers the lowest takeout in North American
history.”.The takeout for the Pick 4 at Pompano is 10 percent.
Live racing will return Saturday, March 9, to Rosecroft Raceway with purse hikes for horsemen. An average daily purse schedule of $50,000 per card, an increase of 33 percent from the 2012 meet. The new funds are available due to “gambling throughout the state” which track administrators hope will “allow local horsemen to compete and continue to upgrade their racing stock.”.
Golden Receiver is the early money-earning leader in the sport. The eight-year-old pacer is the only horse in the sport so far to earn more than $100,000. Most of the top earners in mid-February’s standings are relative unknowns, the youngest being four, as the stake season is yet to hit its stride.
Corey Callahan is the leading money-winning harness driver on the ides of February, with over $890,000 in purses won. Ron Burke leads all trainers in earnings with over $970,000.
Our condolences go out to those
hard-working veterans of harness reporting that were caught in the “significant
restructuring” of the Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG). The new transitional
agreements with the Ontario government and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming
Corporation concerning revenue from slots to tracks resulted in a reduction in the
workforce of 109 salaried positions for harness at Woodbine and Mohawk
racetracks.
A statement from WEG was not so soothing to
those the sport was lucky to have working in its favor. WEG said, “The people
we are saying goodbye to have helped build WEG into a world-class horse racing
and entertainment company. As we confront these difficult but necessary changes
to our company, we remain committed to delivering a superior experience to our
customers and demonstrating vital leadership to the Ontario horse racing
industry to ensure its long-term sustainability.”
We only hope that WEG realizes that in the
opinion of this department remaining a world-class horse racing and
entertainment company without those dismissed will be a difficult if not
impossible task.
Extraordinary Extras
Indulge in many standardbred topics at my Hoof Beats
blog titled Vast
Performances.
Every weekend as part of that blog 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.
Ray Cotolo contributed to this blog.
Cartoons by Thom Pye
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