• Pacing Past Punxsutawney

    POSTED Feb 13, 2013

    If that rascally rodent is correct and the winter is going to surrender a few weeks, then regardless of storms still forecast to sweep through the northeast, spring is just around the corner.

    Last week, again, the New Meadowlands cancelled a program that featured a minor stakes leg and a few other tracks in the path of winter-storm Nemo cancelled programs featuring their usual lineups. But Punxsutawney Phil doesn’t care; his prediction stands—spring will be early.

    So, here comes the ides of February (Friday, Feb. 15), the midpoint of the month, with a lot of action for your consideration.

    This week again, TwinSpires pays 10-percent bonuses on winning Pick 4s at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday nights and Woodbine on Saturday night.

    Check out the details for Woodbine here.

    (See Woodbine suggestions for Pick 4 below H2W)

    Check out the details for Buffalo here.

    Our exclusive horses-to-watch list (H2W) is published between the bonus-awarded plays at Buffalo so look for some of those horses listed on this blog and check for them in the Wednesday quartet of events for the Pick 4.

    We have added the Woodine Pick-4 events to the H2W below so you can be aware of some of our suggested contenders, all of which we hope will help you cash a larger exotic than would result from dead-on public choices. Check back here again if that information is not printed below, as we may have to add it after press time.

    Last week our H2W list was hot again, including a race that offered three horses that made up a trifecta over a thousand dollars. Here we go again, targeting profits with strong suggested contenders.

    And there’s the series at the New Meadowlands, which this week will cover Friday and Saturday.

    Series Ensue

    The Junior Trendsetter’s first leg was cancelled last Friday and redrawn for Feb. 15. Our choices settled into the second and third of three divisions so we are going to let division one go. In the second division we offer Beachfront, who has had excuses with each mile that may not be in play this week. The Somebeachsomewhere gelding may be good at three and if he begins to show it now this could be the best price you will get on him. Since Rock Icon drew into this division, he is our other choice. He was unraced at two and comes from a very good debut as a soph against similar types in this series. He has a lack of credentials but is a son of Rocknroll Hanover, making him an instant contender that has to prove is not any good, as opposed to the other way around.

    In the third split we are sticking with Fiftyshadesdarker, a legitimate morning-line choice that may not turn out to be prohibitive for wagering.

    The Exit 16W series continues this Saturday, Feb. 16, with leg two featuring a pair of divisions. The first division looks to favor closers. The problem is there are a few good closers in this race, including Linwood Player, who won at 45-1 from off the pace. We’ll take a shot with another good closer in this field, Who Dat Love. In his last mile he went up against the tough Yo Cheyenne Rocky and had to come from off the pace to get into the mile late. Yo Cheyenne Rocky easily paced away from the field but Who Dat Love was pacing fast down the center of the track to get some say in the race. He should be placed a little better this week, since there is a trailer in this field. Expect him to get away mid-pack or so and find some kind of cover to ride to pull the same move he did last week. 

    The second division features Meadowlands favorite Holdingallthecards but someone else is pulling aces in this event. Yo Cheyenne Rocky has proven he is much the best over Holdingallthecards recently. They both won a division of the Exit 16W last week but Yo Cheyenne Rocky took them gate-to-wire, while Holdingallthecards made a brush to the lead. If driver TimTetrick were to pull the same move again with Holdingallthecards, Yo Cheyenne Rocky will have something left in the pocket (he will likely go for the lead) and find room late to pull off the major upset. 

    Also watch Little Michael B. This horse is an off-the-pace type of racer. He is good to use in this race in case Holdingallthecards and Yo Cheyenne Rocky engage in a speed duel, though it is unlikely. Little Michael B will be somewhere in the mix late and can pace a first over mile if needed, but will likely find cover to ride.

    H2W Legend


    Always review the H2W legend, published weekly, to authenticate the choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track to decide how you will use the information.

    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. Sometimes up to three horses are listed in the same race; it is up to you how to deal with the situation (note that in the past this situation has resulted in exacta and triples).   

    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.   

    There is a margin of error, of course, so we encourage you to keep your own list along with our list to be sure our H2W is free of mistakes.   

    All members of the list need to be considered serious contenders in the races noted. Wagering on any of them is based on your own judgment of value, as well as if you wager to win, place, show or in exotics. If you have any questions about the H2W list, send them to us through the TwinSpires blog channel.    

    H2W


    Buffalo
    2/13/13, +Grayland Becky R1
    2/15/13, Just Frank R1; MS Heather M R2; +Fourstarzconfusion R3; Rocknroll Band R3; Monsier DeVie R4; Pick Up Point ae R6 ae R11; Marvelthisbliss R9; Little Haus R12; Darin R12
    2/16/13, Mysoontobe R3; In Good Hands R3; Cannae Baron R5; Card Dealer R5; King Otra R5; Rascan Steve R9; +Quiet Judy ae R13
    Sharp Lady N/R; Dudley Doright N/R    

    Cal Expo
    2/15/13, Sun On The Rocks R4; +Bewareofthisaffair R6; +Cat Call R7; +Windy City Paige R8; +Gliding Boheme R10; +Connie’s Lady R10; +Hillcrest Romeo R13
    2/16/13, Franky Provolone R2; +Heartland Express R5; Outta The Red R8; +Paul The Powerful R9; +Lucky Asset R9; Asgoodasioncewas R9; +Mister Fra R10; Double L Rumbler R13; +LS Orchardwinner R15
    Matty Rose N/R; Smiling Major N/R; Wildcats Major N/R; Barona Destiny N/R; Skyway Major N/R; Blue Boy Yankee N/R

    Fraser
    2/15/13, Fancy Ideal R1;+ Come Around Back R2; Red Star Stiletto R2; +Kg Mattattack R4; Camblazer R6; +Latino Hall R9; Rosie Lookin R10; +Kg Mattattack R11; Millbanks Sniper R11; Semper Fortis R11; +Red Star Vickers ae
    2/17/13, + Anasazzi Road R4; +Procrastinationatinpeat R5; +Rich As Promised R9;
    +Red Star Bogart N/R; Promise To Lynette N/R

    Freehold
    2/15/13, +Devine Filly
    2/16/13, +GW Gizmo R2; +Pocketfullapower R3; Move On R4; +Major Domo R11 

    Maywood
    2/15/13, +Wands Tumbleweed R2; Richard Traci R4; Speed Minister R5; +Dick Mctracy R7; +Balladeer Hanover R10; +Dontgetbyme R10; Fox Valley Libero R12
    Gram Legend N/R; Master Jeeves; N/R; Stoney Interlude N/R   

    Meadowlands
    2/15/13, +Celebrity Bombay R1; Live Jazz R3; +April Sunshine R3; +Lucky Roll R5; +Mystical Victress R6; +Dragon Princess R9; Scorpion Moon R12
    2/16/13, Oscar Oscar R8; Astor R13
    Fiveknuckleshuffle N/R; Odin Blue Chip N/R; Delightful Diva N/R    

    The Meadows
    2/15/13, Ellisarro Hanover R1; Hillcrest Bigdaddy R2; +Charles Ray R3; Anais Kicker R6; +Polo Johnny R6; +Haverford Hanover R6; Bagel Man R8; +Just Pretend A R10; Gambler’s Vacation R13; +Thisoneandonemore ae R13; Desperate Crowds ae R13
    They Call Me Moon N/R; Striking Lauren N/R; Touch Of Steel N/R; TK Diva N/R   

    Northfield
    2/15/13, +Beforethedaystarts R1; Tiffany Malone R1;Some Little Star R3; American Bandita R6; Taylorland Cyprus R9; +Katies Dreamboat R10; Carmelita’s Girl R13
    +Dawn Of New Money N/R;  Arts Shadow N/R; Katies Dreamboat N/R; Dawn Of New Money N/R; Beforethenightstarts N/R; Iknowwhatboyslike N/R

    Pompano
    2/16/13, Roo Roo Rusty R6; +Victory Connection R7: Taylor C R8; Angle Of Attack R9; Dragons Blood R9
    KM Sweet Dreams N/R; Allamerican Major N/R; Premier N/R; Whiteland Will N/R 

    Yonkers
    2/14/13, +Summer Snow R10
    2/15/13, +The Midnight Owl N R1; +Macho Lindy R2; +Chang Dynasty R7
    Mobile N/R; Hulas Z Tam N/R

    WOODBINE PICK 4
    Saturday, Feb. 16
    Race 4, Really Sexy Guy; Reibercrombie
    Race 5, Monte Cristo; Calgary Seelster; McDynamite
    Race 6, Smarty Pants; Structure Fire
    Race 7, Drain Daddy, My Man Charley

    Ray Cotolo contributed to this edition.
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