More March Mayhem

Pacing stalwarts continue their battles at Yonkers with the second leg of divisions for the George Morton Levy Series. The older male pacers go on Saturday, March 30, while the aged-pacing mares meet in leg two of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series on Friday, March 29.

More harness information than anywhere else you can wager on the web includes TwinSpires’ exclusive harness horses to watch (H2W) list from tracks across the continent.

Of course the TwinSpires’ 10-percent bonuses for winning Pick 4s at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday nights and Woodbine on Saturday nights continue.

Check out the details for Woodbine here.

Check out the details for Buffalo here.

When we can get our hands on past performances in time to contribute we add our suggestions for Saturday’s Woodbine Pick-4. Check back later if that information is not printed below, as we have to add it after press time.

An added attraction, one that will expand as the weeks go on, is the Hambletonian Trail blog. We have brought back the exclusive information center based upon eligibles to the classic Hambletonian and “Oaks” as they head through stakes to get to the first weekend in August 2013. Bookmark the first entry, which presents this year’s probable players and sends you to lists of all the eligibles and check in often as the season ensues for great betting information that appears nowhere else based upon the soph-colts-and-filly trotters earning berths in the classics. It’s an exclusive series spinning off from this blog, brought to you by TwinSpires and the Hambletonian Society.

‘Levy’ Links

Saturday is set for the contests of “Levy” divisions at Yonkers Raceway. Five divisions were drawn for the 39 entrants in round two.   

The first division has Clear Vision, the favorite, starting on the extreme outside. This opens possibilities for Rockincam. This is his first start of the year and he’s off of two good qualifiers in Florida; the problem is his health. Horses shipping in from Florida and coming to the cold air of the north tend to not ship well. We are hoping that he is fresh for his first start of the year.    

Division two looks to be a wide-open affair. Forever Just, Electorfire, Little Michael B, Atochia and others all have a chance to win. Atochia draws the far outside, so it slightly opens up chances for the others. Forever Just and Electrofire may be the duo that benefits the most, though. Forever Just stalked the pace last week in his Levy split and flew up the passing lane to just miss victory by a neck. He’ll try to pull off the same move tonight to a slower tempo. Electrofire should also be near the top. He gets slight post relief this week and will make some sort of effort to get the lead late in the mile.    

The third division looks to be all in the hands of Something For Doc. This speedy pacer took his division gate-to-wire last week. This horse is the likely favorite and there is no use trying to beat him.  

The fourth division is an odd one. This division, yet again, has the favorites on the far outside, Versado and Annieswesterncard. This may allow horses on the inside to have a shot. Our selection, Bet On The Law, falls into that category. He stalked Something For Doc in his division last week and finished second by 5 lengths. He’ll try to stalk the lead again and he has speed to save for the final quarter if he gets the right trip. 

The final division may be the toughest. Foiled Again, Razzle Dazzle and Code Word all draw in. We are taking our shot with Casimir Jitterbug again, though. He battled for the lead through a :27.1 quarter, backed into third at the half and kept pace from there to Code Word. He’ll try to sit mid-pack this week and have energy saved for the stretch drive and he’ll win if he’s good enough. 

Matchmaker mares

Five divisions of preliminary two for the Blue Chip Matchmaker are slated for this Friday at Yonkers. Many from last week’s first round mares return with a few newcomers.   

Division one is the weakest of the quintet. Eighthunrdollarbill is the likely favorite, finishing second to Ramona Disomma in her division last week. We are taking a shot again with Darena Hanover. She seemed like she needed a start last week, sitting off the pace and barely getting into the mile. In this weak field she’ll try to get away near the top and make a move around three-quarters for the lead and sprint from there. 

Three contenders highlight division two, Rock N Soul, Handsoffmycookie and Anndrovette. Rock N Soul and Anndrovette both like the lead and have the posts to battle for it, so we are going to take a stalker, Handsoffmycookie. She stalked the pace last week and finished second to Feeling You. She should be adjusting well to the half-mile, as this is her second start on four turns. 

Division three seems fairly weak but draws some top-class mares. Bettor B Lucky gets post relief and Hot List draws the center, but Royal Cee Cee N has it best this week. She failed to take the field gate-to-wire last week, letting Krispy Apple pace by her in the final 16th. She’ll want to be on the engine again most likely and should save herself for the final quarter of a mile by trying to rate on the lead.  

The following division has speed up the wazoo [sic]. Camille, Unred Hanover and Mystical Diva are three speed demons that draw the three inside posts. This race sets up for a stalker in the likes of Keepers Destiny. She stalked the pace last week and pulled first over at three-quarters, settling for third to Camille. Though she draws the outside this week, she’ll try to get away in the middle of the pack to stalk the tempo and pull the same move she did last week, except she should emerge victorious. 

The nightcap Matchmaker split is the hardest to handicap. It seems that Krispy Apple will be the favorite off of her huge mile last week, going first over for the entire mile and defeating Royal Cee Cee N. Two other division winners, Ramona Disomma and Feeling You, draw in here as well. Those two are our selections in the final division. Ramona Disomma was up against the weakest field last week and took the field gate-to-wire easily. She’ll try to go for the lead and be somewhere near the top for most of the mile. 

Feeling You has had a history of drawing bad posts at Yonkers. This week, she draws post 7. She’ll have to get away from the back and get into contention early, catching some sort of cover and making a three-deep move late in the mile to attempt to catch which mare chooses to control the lead.

H2W Legend

As we publish weekly, here is the H2W legend,. Review our 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. 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 monitor our list to be sure our H2W is free of mistakes and you can take advantage of the entries.  

Wagering on any of the H2W listed horses is based on your own judgment of value. Your handicapping skills should include decisions to 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

Balmoral
3/30/13, +Time To Roll R2; +Joey Lee Macdavid R6; +Stamped By Design R11; +Willow Gram R12
Check 3/31/13 for Ellamakailey; Con Game; Hitithard (not available at press time)   

Buffalo
3/29/13; +Urban Art R3; +Herbedaone R6; Native Treasure R9; +Yukons Luck R11
3/30/13, +Tyler Palko R3; +Schooner Or Later R6; Adelia’s Prince ae R7; Allamerican Dice R12
Hes Redhot N/R; Brother Nick N/R; Marvelthisbliss N/R; Dream Ticket N/R   

Cal Expo
3/29/13, Larry Horse R10; Hell N Damnation R10; Sea Bug R11; Bewareofthisaffair R12; Bo Knows Power R15
3/30/13, Smiling Major R2; Wildcats Major R6; Racetrack Diva R7; Just Plum Lucky R7; Boo Coo Blush R8; Marlene’s Angel R9; Artability R9; Loco For Cocoa R13; Silver Spir R13; Boot Scootin Bow R14; Nikoleta R15; Lucky To Live R15
Windy City Paige N/R; Aj’s Little One N/R

Fraser
3/29/13, +Tre Bien R1; Kiawah e R5; +This American Life R7; +Hurts So Bad R9
Just Ryan N/R; Semper Fortis N/R; TN Promised N/R; Such A Night N/R; Red Star Bogart N/R; Red Star Kermit N/R

Freehold
3/28/13, Kentucky Freeze R3; Ge’s Jody R7; +Millionaire Cam R8|
3/29/13, +My Man Ben R5
3/30/13, Sign Of The Moment R11
Big Sky Bats N/R; +Hot Cha Cha N/R; Big Sky Bets N/R 

Lebanon
3/29/13,Great Scott R4
3/30/13, +Sbd First Blood R8  

Maywood
3/28/13, +Wes Mantooth R4
3/29/13, +Mr Massie R5; +Dan Lowe R5; +Guts N Glory R9; +Bubs Desire R9; +Blazing Fury R12; +Masterchargeit R14  

Meadows
3/29/13, +Chariot Of Fire R2; +Basilio Blue Chip R2; +Lil Miss Snowflake R4; +Emotional Wreck R4; Valdez R6
Grateful John N/R; Whotooksam N/R: Ccs Lover N/R; Ellisarro Hanover R5; Jc Mik Mac Jilio N/R

Northfield
3/29/13, +Windsun Flirtini R1; +Whats Your Fantasy R7; +Just Got Lucky R12; +Panna Nicole R13

Ray Cotolo contributed to this edition.