TwinSpires.com Blog

Captaintreacherous, again denied by many, this time due to his outside post position in the Max Hempt Final at Pocono on June 29, paid a remarkable $4.80 by winning the race with defiance toward every harness-handicapping notion available.  

 

The ever-so-great sophomore pacer, with Tim Tetrick aboard again, left from post 9 and raced on the outside for all three turns of the mile, sometimes three wide, and got up by a neck to defeat Vegas Vacation in 1:49.2. And he did it on the surface that was pelted by rain an hour before the event, turning the condition of the surface to “sloppy.” 

 

Raised eyebrows are yet to fall back into place; the “Captain” is going every bit as perfectly as we predicted from the start of his soph career. It could be that we have seen the last time he will win at anywhere near 7-5. Twice now we have urged readers to wager on him over even money and twice the Captain came through. This is indeed a special pacer, a racer of greatness, able to avert adversity for the sake of winning. 

 

We were also correct about the Ben Franklin Final, as Bolt The Duer received the trip needed to win, paying $6.80. 

 

Our speculation into the onslaught of freshman races over the weekend produced only one winner and it was very obvious to all. He’s Watching won at Saratoga Harness and paid a paltry $2.90. The remainder of our ventures into the frosh world were all failures from 8-5 to 51-1. 

 

For result stories and our winners on soph-colt-and-filly trotters’ stakes, visit the Hambletonian Society’s special archive page for the Hambletonian Trail stories. 

 

H2W 

 

$9.40 Cheyenne Cam, Buffalo
$6.80 Columbia Art, Northfield
$3.60 Hillbilly, Pompano
$2.40 Vodka Is Terror, Saratoga 

 

The following are the horses that finished second or third along with their post-time odds. Special notes on those finishes follow. 

 

Seconds:
The Riddler (8-5), Maywood 

 

Thirds:
Guts N Glory (2-1), Maywood; Misty’s Dignity (6-1), Northfield; MJ’s Victory (3-1), Northfield; Lislea Bonita (7-1), Scarborough; Parthenon (3-1), Running Aces; Twentyone Guns (5-1), Running Aces 

 

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

 

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Also at Pocono on June 29, Foiled Again’s win in the Ben Franklin Final put the stalwart pacer’s earnings over the $5-million mark, putting him third to Varenne and Moni Maker on the list of standardbred’s highest earners. Much like Captaintreacherous did in his win on the same program, Foiled Again took an overland journey to win, catching Pet Rock and Razzle Dazzle at the wire. Now a nine-year-old, Foiled Again joined the Ron Burke stable in 2008. 

 

With Arch Madness cutting the fractions in Pocono’s opening race on June 29, Uncle Peter got the perfect trip right behind him to come out in the stretch and win in 1:50.3. That is the fastest mile won by a trotter on a five-eighths track. Arch Madness fired major fractions of :26.2, :55 and 1:22.1 to allow Uncle Peter the speed badge. 

 

Though we offered an alternative to the mighty I Luv The Nitelife in the June 29 James Lynch Final at Pocono, we also warned of this filly’s dominance over her soph division. When she won the “Lynch” she became the sport’s newest millionaire. This is rare so early in the season but she could be as special for her sex as the Captain is for his division. It was her fourth-straight win this year, having taken the Fan Hanover in Canada and winning her Lynch elim last week. 

 

More baby races at the Meadowlands over the weekend offered some tips on youngsters looking in fine fettle to battle as the frosh season ensues. Trotting colts Flacco and Trixton, both trained by Jimmy Takter were impressive in wins. Trixton was the most expensive trotting yearling sold at auction last year, bringing a final bid of $360,000. He won for the second time in baby events.

 

Dottie Major won at first asking for trainer Nick Surick; Put On A Display, a $175,000 Somebeachsomewhere filly led all way to win; colt pacers Murder He Wrote and Winds Of Change looked strong in victory. Two-year-old colts Stay Up Late and Avalanche Hanover also made good impressions.

 

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. 

 

Recent Balmoral winners in tickets include:

 

TE's Zenyatta, $32.40; Bring It All, $20.00; Galactic Star, $8.40; Shiswell's Delight, $8.40; Dontbeachatme, $8.00; Make Me Fly, $4.60; Mister Virgin, $4.00; Justlivinthedream, $2.80, $2.20.

 

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.