• Best Belmont Stakes in History

    POSTED May 31, 2014 By Derek Simon
    With California Chrome standing on the precipice of equine greatness — a win in the Belmont Stakes would make him just the 12th Triple Crown winner in history — social media has been all atwitter (see what I did there?) about the Test of Champions.

    In recent days, I’ve seen videos of Secretariat’s 31-length romp in 1973 (never gets old), Risen Star’s runaway win in 1988 and photos of other past champs, including Citation (1948) and Man o’ War (1920).

    But it was when a friend of mine asked me about the pace figures of 2005 victor Afleet Alex that my curiosity was truly piqued.

    I wondered: What were the best performances of all time, from a pace perspective, in the Belmont Stakes?

    I say from a “pace perspective,” because pace is something I believe I can assess fairly accurately. The various speed figure services — Beyer, Brisnet, “The Sheets” and Thoro-Graph — were simply not around in days of yore, but fractional times have been available since 1921, at least for the Belmont. And my pace figures (speed rations) are relative measurements of energy disbursement and, thus, the perfect analytical tool for a challenge of this type.

    Hence, I scoured the result charts and looked for the best overall pace performances among Belmont champions. I did this by comparing each winner’s early speed ration (ESR) to its late speed ration (LSR). Simply put, I looked for the greatest Pace Profile, which describes this ESR/LSR relationship numerically. (The higher the Pace Profile, the better the overall performance; the lower the Pace Profile, the worse the overall performance.)


    The results were somewhat surprising:

     

    For more information on my speed rations, visit:

    * http://helloracefans.com/handicapping/pace/speed-rations/
    * http://youbetblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/derek-simons-speed-rations-explained/

  • The Harness Season Heats Up

    POSTED May 28, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    May bows to an extraordinary menu of harness racing features that takes us across the borders of states and countries. The older pacing hombres duke it out in Canada. State-breds battle in divisions in New York and they finalize champs in New Jersey. The glamour-boy pacers hold sway at Yonkers in the race no one expected would not include He’s Watching. More colt pacers battle in a trio of divisional stakes at Mohawk and there are more aged pacers in the Empire State on Sunday at Tioga, trotters, too.

    Soph-colt-and-filly trotter’ events for the week are the contents of our seasonal blog, the Hambletonian Trail. Follow our analysis of the races featuring the eligibles to this year’s August trotting classics at The Meadowlands. For this weekend’s events, go to the “Trail” blog and peruse our analysis. Check weekdays where there are not TwinSpires blogs for other events not covered within the blog deadlines.

    Also on weekdays, check out the TwinSpires-Hoosier team’s perks for harness players. Tuesdays, wager all you want and earn 10 TSC Elite Points per dollar bet. Click here for details. Every Thursday night, there is a 20-percent bonus on hitting the Pick 4 starting at Race 3. Click here for details. And the ongoing 10-percent Pick-4 bonus every racing night on Pick-4 hits continues through the meet. Click here for details.

    Follow @FrankCotolo and @TwinSpires on Twitter to get tips on Hoosier contenders you can use in your tickets during the promo program days. Other possibilities appear in exclusive horses-to-watch (H2W) list.

    Molson Lava

    The Molson Pace is a sizzling field of fiery and flashy pacers. A staple of the Western Fair season in Ontario is a visit from the continent’s top FFA male pacers for shares in the six-digit purse (this year it is $150,000 Canadian). This division, of course, allows for annual participation among the aged side-steppers. Defending champion State Treasurer is back, drawing the half-mile’s coveted rail position in this Friday, May 30 event.

    State Treasurer is amid a great start this season, winning his most recent three, including a 1:48.3 at Mohawk. Two-time event-winner Foiled Again drew post 7 in the eight-horse field. Dancin Yankee, who set a 1:47.2 world record recently at Pocono, drew post while Bettors Edge (post 2), Bandolito (post 3), Apprentice Hanover (post 4), P H Supercam (post 6) and Captive Audience (post 8) complete the cast.

    This race is all about position, speed and even endurance, since a strong early move to the outside could win it without a fierce duel. There is a case to be made for each of these, as the talent of the field goes deep, but you will have to pick a scenario for each to earn being first at the wire after four turns.

    The obvious plays include last year’s winner and the fan-favorite Foiled Again but there could be a decent price on P H Supercam. He is no stranger to the format or the four turns, having won the “Levy” final against some of these, including Foiled Again, who had dominated the legs of that long series. We don’t see speed as a main ingredient for a winner and we like post 6 for a strategic moving pacer like “PH.”

    On the wagering side for the evening at Western Fair, the Early Pick-4 will feature a $7,500 guaranteed pool with a $10,000 guarantee on the Late Pick-4. There’s a Super Hi-5 in Race 7, will also feature a $10,000 guaranteed pool.

    The ‘Art’ Of Pacing

    Standout state-bred All Bets Off drew post 4 in May 30’s $300,000 Art Rooney Pace Final at Yonkers Raceway. The absence of He’s Watching was not even predicted by this sharp blog, even though we had last week’s elim winner that soundly defeated him. He’s Watching was terrible and didn’t make the final. He is scheduled to go to Mohawk, as explained in the story on the Somebeachsomewhere elims (below). 

    All Bets Off, the other “Rooney” elim winner, is trained and co-owned by Ron Burke, and is a top choice in the final. Stevensville, our wire-to-wire winner against He’s Watching, goes for co-owner/trainer Ray Schnittker and should go off a lot less than he did when he won at 9-1.

    Thereisapaceforus was scratched after the draw (he got post 1). That moved Maxi Bon from the “also eligible” list into the race and inside his seven rivals. That also made Maxi Bon and Gold Rocks, both trained by Tony Alagna, a coupled entry. Alagna’s third horse, Bondi Hanover, is a separate wagering interest (having separate ownership than the other pair). The field in post order: 1-Maxi Bon, 2-Bondi Hanover, 3-Gold Rocks, 4-All Bets Off, 5-Some Playa, 6-Stevensville, 7-Unlocked and 8-Ideal Fashion. 

    There is truly no reason that Stevensville cannot repeat his performance last week but All Bets Off is not going to allow a pace-commanding performance. Last week we liked Maxi Bon in the second elim and he was off on a productive mile before breaking badly enough to finish fifth, which was last. He should have something important to say about the result of this race and would come as no surprise to us if he won at a decent price, even if he was the third choice. We like him in tandem with Stevensville to be at the wire ahead of All Bets Off.

    The $124,744 final of the Lismore, for glamour-gal fillies may offer value in the big beaten favorite that resulted in Rusty Bliss’s $62.50 place offering—we gave you that one as our second choice to Also Encouraging, the public choice that finished fourth after a wide trip trying to get the top cost her the final quarter).

    Also Encouraging and It Was Fascination should create the Lismore exacta at the wire, both making amends and creating a sound exotic by beating the obvious choice of the final, Southwind Silence.

    Canadian Glamour

    In major prep mode for the million-plus bucks in the North America Cup elims (June 7) at Mohawk, glamour-boy pacers battle in three divisions of the Somebeachsomewhere Stake. Each split has a price tag of $75,000.

    In round one, two top division colts, Jk Endofanera and Luck Be Withyou, leave from the outside posts and take with them the majority of win bets. All things being equal in their trips, we favor “Luck,” who seems to tower over the entire field. He may also be a huge favorite, so judge your own sense of value here because he could be value if “Jk” gets more than his share of the pool.

    Split two could wind up the better of the trio for the bettors, as local favorite Somewhere in L A could take much more money than deserved, leaving some chunky change for others, primarily Always B Miki. He was dynamic winning in New Jersey and trainer Joe Holloway always sends his top stock out prepared to give their all. If the win money is split between “L A” and Burke’s Somestarsomewhere, “Miki” could be a strong second or third choice.

    The last in the triptych is an essential test for He’s Watching. He has to produce here, else he loses more than the race; he will have to begin dismounting his pre-ordained throne as the divisions’ best. Certainly a trip to the “Cup” elims would seem moot if he races anywhere near how he did in the Rooney elim. Also missing here is National Debt, who has had his own troubles with miscues in his soph debut.

    This looks to us like a perfect field for Jet Airway to fool the bettors and the foes. He was very good as our 21-1 choice in a Simpson split at the Meadowlands where he finished second and is improving with every contest. The price will be right.

    Jersey Champs

    The New Jersey Sires Stakes championships for sophomores on both gaits is a feature on May 31 at the Meadowlands (see the trotting ranks at the Hambletonian Trail blog).

    The $100,000 affairs for colt pacers hosts a small field of five and offers a duel that may ensue through the season, with up-and-coming Doo Wop Hanover and posturing Western Vintage. The latter has been made an overwhelming favorite and that may be obvious now that He’s Watching had a less-than-brilliant debut as a sophomore. “Doo Wop” must prove, without “Vintage” making a gait mistake, that he is better going eye to eye. Either way, it is a race to watch for future performances of the other three, rather than bet against either of the top two.

    The fillies’ final brings up a possibility that has a few layers of support. Highland Rockstar is competitive, though not yet a winner among winners, that has had a number of excuses against the likes of this group. One huge and unfair negative that the bettors lay upon him is his driver, veteran Mike Lachance. Mike’s current win record at the Meadowlands is one for 81, so the bettors have put the classy veteran to pasture when they should be respecting his prowess based on his sterling experience, especially in high-pursed affairs. This makes for a terrific overlay in a field where no one filly has a distinct advantage, certainly not concerning a driver or breeding. It would be just like life to find Lachance in the winners’ circle with this enormously paying filly and a slew of so-called smart handicappers scratching their heads while you and I collect.

    Easy Rollin’

    The $160,000 Roll With Joe mile for FFA pacers is Sunday’s big event at Tioga. If they weren’t in the Molson Pace on Friday, chances are they are in New York for this 10-horse fiesta. Sweet Lou comes straight off of his Meadowlands jaunt last week in the Open; he has two wins in five starts this season and has only been off the board once. State-champ Heston Blue Chip is ready to challenge, himself two for five and in tune with this group that teeters on the 1:50 mile mark.

    With five wins in 14 starts this season, Dovuto Hanover may be potent here, certainly at a price. He had a lot of trouble at the Meadowlands, suffering major path problems, in an Open and then was battered from post 8 last week (at 55-1) against “Lou.” His pacing, however, is not a product of insipid speed; he is fast and in the right spot will fire. This could be the right spot.

    H2W Legend

    Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track. These are possible contenders we have judged from reviewing races. The horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track after the date they will be racing. The race in which they are entered (R and race number) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name it means it is appearing on the list for the second (and last time) because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” signals the horse is entered but on the also-eligible list. If a horse is listed twice, refer to the entries on the night of the race since a horse may enter in more than one race. Types of wagering on any of the H2W listed horses are based on your judgment. If you have any questions, email us at TwinSpires.

    H2W

    Buffalo
    5/31/14, +Release The Terror R1; +Rafferty Hanover R5; +Wolf Angus R10

    Hoosier
    5/29/14, +Ponda Premier R12

    Maywood
    5/29/14, +Badlands Lady R9 
    5/30/14, Baksidebar Nlounge R2; +Irish Raider R3; Dunside Art R4; Freshman Phenonom R8; +Fox Valley George R9; +Sealark Hanover-ae-R11

    Meadowlands
    5/30/14, +Upfrontsthegold R10
    5/31/14, +Hilarious Halo R10

    Meadows
    5/30/14, Bootswiththefur-ae-R2; +Incredible Dragon R7; Hep R10; Ismrbellatou R12; Petty Hanover R12; Bessie R13; Martini Twist R14

    Plainridge
    5/31/14, Nanettes Nordic R6; +Best Of Curragh R7; +Fedigan’s Glory R8; Scarab Begonia R8

    Pocono
    5/31/14, +St Lad’s He Man R5

    Rosecroft
    5/31/14, +Diamond Gambler R4; New Girlfriend R4

    Saratoga
    5/30/14, Mcattee R3; Swift Slide R12

    Scarborough
    5/30/14, Cranmeadow Express R1
    5/31/14, Cyclone Pass R2; Shoot First R3; +Ladyofcastlebrook-ae- R5; Wandasbettorchoice R6; +Jitterbug Hanover R7; Electric Mayhem R7

    Scioto
    5/30/14, +Action-broadway R3

    Tioga
    5/31/14, Wannabearockstar R8

    Yonkers
    5/29/14, +Olive Oyle R6
    5/30/14, +Mugshot Jess R2; Dragon Ridge R4; +Monkey On My Wheel R6; +Political Desire R11


    Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition.      

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED May 25, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    We were back on track with across-the-board payoffs on the holiday weekend, striking at many North American tracks in stakes and overnights with profitable accuracy. Let’s review the week in chronological order, beginning with the pre-alert races from our Hambletonian Trail blog on Wednesday, May 21.

    There were two Grand Circuit soph-colt trotting events at Pocono, highlighted by the return of Father Patrick. He won easily in round two ($2.10, $2.10, no show) but for TwinSpires harness blog readers he did not make it to the top of the headlines. For our wagering pleasure, we nailed the first round with our choice, Auspicious Hanover ($31.60, $4, $3).

    Friday, May 23 at Tioga, two New York Sires Stakes featuring Hambletonian Trail colts won a pair, each out choices. Flyhawk El Dorado ($4.10, $2.20, $2.50 ok) and Expressing Action ($5.50, $3.50, $3.40) were impressive winners in their miles if not in their prices.

    Friday at the Meadowlands in the first of two New Jersey Sires Stakes (NJSS) divisions for colt trotters, we were second with Sumatra ($8, $4.80)—keep note of some delicious place prices on our choices in the stakes as well as below on the list for our horses to watch (H2W). In the soph-filly event, our top choice Heaven’s Door finished second but was disqualified and placed 10th. However, our second choice, Cee Bee Yes, won ($12.40, $6.20, $3). Then, we were second in the next colt affair with 23-1 Resolve ($7, $4), with the favorite on top for an exacta of $15.40.

    Saturday, May 24 actions, more wagering opportunities continued to deliver winners. The highlight of the night was our prediction at Yonkers that the industry-anointed soph-colt pacer, He’s Watching, would not win his “Rooney” elimination. We challenged him with Stevensville, who out-paced the 1-9 He’s Watching in a wire-to-wire sprint. Stevensville paid $21.60 (no place or show betting). He’s Watching put in a terrible performance, behooving his driver and trainer and he did not make next week’s Rooney final field. If something is wrong beyond our evaluation, which is predicated upon his talent and not a health malady, we have not heard the details.

    We finished second in the second Rooney elim with Some Plana ($3.90, no show betting) with the favorite on top for an exacta of $8.30. Our first choice broke and was eliminated.

    Two Lismore elims for the soph-filly pacers were highlighted at Yonkers by the second round, which rocked the toteboard when Also Encouraging faded to fourth at three-quarters after a strenuous start on the outside to get the lead. She was our first choice, turning into the huge favorite by the crowd. But, our second choice, Rusty’s Bliss, finished second and because Also Encouraging was off the board, Rusty’s Bliss paid an astounding $62.50 to place. There was no show betting.
    Across the river at the Meadowlands Saturday, we wound up with a boxed-exacta win in a NJSS for filly pacers with our choice, Blixtra ($7.60, $5) topped by our second choice, the public favorite Act Now ($2.80, $2.20, $2.20 ok), which paid $24.60.

    In the colt NJSS we were second with Dancin Hill ($2.40, $2.10). However, our second choice, Doo Wop Hanover won ($3.40, $2.20, $2.10) and our third choice was third (Rock Out $2.20), making for the trifecta ($16.80) elements.

    Neither of our colt-pacing Pocono Cup choices was on the board at Pocono that same evening.

    Sunday’s Maxie Lee Memorial at Harrah’s Philadelphia found us third to Market Share, the crowd choice, with DW’s NY Yank ($4.60). In the Betsy Ross that day, we were fourth with Monkey On My Wheel.

    Along the Hambletonian Trail (blog now active) in cooperation with TwinSpires, you can read the race stories and data on the history of the August classics at the Hambletonian Society archives.

    TwinSpires and Hoosier continue a three-pronged power-packed program for harness players. Tuesdays, wager all you want and earn 10 TSC Elite Points per dollar bet. Click here for details. Every Thursday night, there is a 20-percent bonus on hitting the Pick 4 starting at Race 3. Click here for details. And the ongoing 10-percent Pick-4 bonus every racing night on Pick-4 hits continues through the meet. Click here for details.

    In between published harness blogs, follow @FrankCotolo and @TwinSpires on Twitter to get tips on Hoosier contenders you can use in your tickets. Other possibilities appear in exclusive H2W list.

    Our H2W was active again, with some bright winners and healthy prices in place and show, with some exacta hits (using public choices in tandem with our picks) as overnight action continues to be the focus of the list for TwinSpires harness players.

    H2W RESULTS

    The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Also, exactas are included when a H2W horse finishing first or second completes the result with a race favorite or another H2W horse listed in the same race (an asterisk appears when both horses were listed to complete the exacta).

    Winners

    Case Dismissed, $76.40, $27.40, $6.60 (Exacta $211.40), Meadows
    Lukes Raoule, $25.40, $8.40, $4.40, Rosecroft
    A Fool For Mark, $17, $7.80, $8.40 ok, Scarborough
    Grix Gadoo, $6.60, $3.60, $3.40, Scarborough
    Areyouinorout, $4.60, $3.50, $3.80 ok, Buffalo
    Dew N Doughnuts, $4.60, $2.60, $2.20, Meadows

    Seconds

    Bettor’s Night, $10.20, $4, Scarborogh
    Jitterbug Hanover, $9, $2.80, Scarborough
    Shenandoah Tomcat, $7.40, $2.80, Rosecroft
    Noble Warrawee, $6.30, $3.80 (Exacta $12.20), Yonkers
    St Lads He Man, $6.20, $4, Pocono
    Time Stood Still, $5.90, $3.90 (Exacta $14.40), Tioga
    Ramblingamblinman, $4.80, $5.20 ok, Pompano
    Sealark Hanover, $4.80, $3.20 (Exacta $15.80), Maywood
    Rafferty Hanover, $4.30, $4, Buffalo
    Here’s Ethel, $4, $3.60, Meadows
    Bonos Lassie, $3.80, $3.20 (Exacta $14.40), Hoosier
     Mcgreat, $3.20 n/s, Pompano
    Political Desire, $3, $2.20
    Sometimes Said, $2.60, $2.40, Meadowlands
    Its Bush Time, $2.30, $2.60, Saratoga
    Gonna Rock N Roll, $2.10, $2.10, Pocono

    Thirds

    Fox Valley George, $13, Maywood
    Jaipur, $6.30, Tioga
    Another Beauty, $5.80, Maywood
    Racin For Gold, $5.80, Pompano
    Fedigan’s Glory, $3.60
    Best Of Curragh, $3, Plainridge
    Bagel Man, $2.20, Harrington

    News And Notes

    Captaintreacherous lost a qualifier to Foiled Again but only by a whisker. The two dueled at the Meadowlands as if it were a betting race, showing that they have the genes of champions.  

    Foiled Again was tuning up to travel north for another Molson Pace at Western Fair. The May 30 event will feature the two-time Molson champ in his sixth Molson appearance. Last year’s winner, State Treasurer will be back, along with PH Supercam, the “Levy” winner, Dancin Yankee and Apprentice Hanover, as well as Captive Audience, Bettors Edge and Bandolito. Watch for our analysis in the Thursday, May 29 blog.

    Kawartha Downs’ owner Skip Ambrose said that live harness racing will take place at the Ontario five-eighths mile track this summer due to an agreement reached with the Ontario Racing Commission. The tentative schedule calls for racing every Saturday night from June to October (race dates are to be announced within the next week pending approval of the track’s license. The full schedule for Kawartha Downs’ 2014 season, which will be the 42nd year of harness racing, will be released shortly.

    Mohawk Raceway is back in action, hosting its 51st season. The 102-day meet will kicked off last week; live racing will be held five nights a week on Mondays, Tuesdays (except May 27 and Oct. 7), Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Each race night will have a 7:25 p.m. first race post time. The most anticipated event on the stakes calendar is the $1-million Pepsi North America Cup, featuring the season’s three-year-old pacers to that point, Saturday, June 14. The evening will offer a special post time of 6:45 p.m. Watch the TwinSpires harness blog for complete coverage, beginning with eliminations on Belmont Stakes weekend.

    Other major stakes at Mohawk will be the Maple Leaf Trot (Saturday, July 19), the Metro Pace, Canadian Pacing Derby and Shes A Great Lady Stakes (Saturday, Aug. 30) and the Canadian Trotting Classic, Elegantimage Stakes, Peaceful Way Stakes and William Wellwood Memorial (Saturday, Sept. 13).
    There have been few disappointments in the pari-mutuel debuts of last year’s divisional heroes and heroines. As of this writing, Shake It Cerry, Western Vintage, Father Patrick, Shebestingin, Somwerovrarainbow, Maven and Market Share have all come back sharp and looking in fine fettle to take on the new season.

    Extraordinary Extras

    Indulge in many standardbred topics at my Hoof Beats blog titled Vast Performances.

    Ray Cotolo contributed to this blog

    Cartoons by Thom Pye

  • Is ‘Chrome’ Durable Enough to Wear the Crown?

    POSTED May 23, 2014 By Derek Simon
    Pud Galvin
    On Aug. 3, 1918, a son of leading North American sire Star Shoot made the third start of his fledging career in the United States Hotel Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for two-year-olds that, until 1955, was run annually at Saratoga Race Course.

    Sir Barton was a badly-beaten ninth that day after also finishing ninth in his previous start — just two days prior. In fact, J. K. L. Ross’ charge wouldn’t get his first win until nearly a year later when, in his first try as a three-year-old, he won the Kentucky Derby. (Interestingly, Sir Barton was only in the Derby field to soften up the favorite, Eternal, and thus pave the way for Ross’ other entrant, Billy Kelly, to win the roses.)

    Four days — that’s right boys and girls, four days — after he triumphed in Louisville, Sir Barton buried ‘em in Baltimore, capturing the Preakness Stakes by daylight. He then won the Withers at Belmont Park ten days later, starting what would become a trend among Triple Crown champions: winning multiple times on short rest as a sophomore.

    (Click on image to enlarge)

    Granted, the Triple Crown (comprised of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes) was not recognized until a decade after Sir Barton’s racing career was over. Still, even before it was counted on to “save racing” every year, the Triple Crown presented a daunting challenge — one that continues to require talent and durability in near-equal measure.

    Every single Triple Crown champion from Sir Barton to Affirmed, has won more than once on two weeks rest or less during their three-year-old campaigns. Citation won an incredible 14 times; Whirlaway was victorious ten times.

    What’s more, all the previous Triple Crown champs had won on short rest (14 days or less) prior to capturing the Preakness Stakes… which doesn’t bode well for California Chrome.

    (Click on image to enlarge)

    Yeah, I know, times are different now… but, given that there hasn’t been a Triple Crown winner since 1978 when, supposedly, horses were more resilient and robust, it does give one pause.

    After all, Art Sherman, the old-school trainer of the 31st horse seeking racing immortality (and the 12th since Affirmed achieved it in 1978), has been decidedly “new school” when it comes to the five-week gap between the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes.

    “I think they should change that rule and make it to where it’s about a nine-week program,” Sherman told reporters. “I think you’d have a lot more shooters in that race (the Preakness). You’d have a lot more Derby horses that would try it. Now you only get two or three Derby horses that go.”

    Sherman went even further, saying that he doesn’t think it's fair for horses that didn’t compete in both the Derby and Preakness to enter the Belmont at all.

    “To me, if you’re going to the Triple Crown, go for the Triple Crown. Don’t pick your spots,” he said.  “Let everybody be in the same situation and do it.  The Triple Crown is the Triple Crown. If you’re good enough horse to do it, let’s go. Make it fair where you don’t have to pick and choose your spots. I think that shows what kind of horse you’ve got.”

    Sure. I would be hyped by a match race between California Chrome and Ride On Curlin — the only two horses to compete in the first two jewels of the Triple Crown — in the “Test of Champions.” And, hey, while we’re at it, let’s make Major League Baseball games six innings instead of nine… because pitchers today just aren’t as durable as they were 100 years ago.

    Of the 50 hurlers with the most career complete games, only five were born after 1900 — Warren Spahn (1921), Red Ruffing (1905), Robin Roberts (1926), Gaylord Perry (1938) and Early Wynn (1920).
    Heck, the player with the second-most complete games in MLB history (Cy Young holds the record with 749) is a guy named Pud Galvin.

    Pud Galvin? For heaven’s sake, that sounds like the name of a mechanic in Hazard County. Yet, Pud, a 5’8” 190-pound right-hander from St. Louis, Missouri, won 46 games in back-to-back seasons for the Buffalo Bisons in 1883 and 1884 — which was very helpful given that the team had only four regular starting pitchers during that time.

    My point is: things change, we all know this, but that is no reason to alter traditions or standards of greatness. If California Chrome wins the Belmont Stakes on June 7 and becomes the first Triple Crown champion in 36 years, he will be even more revered for bucking recent trends emphasizing less racing and more “freshening.”

    He might even make folks forget about the great Pud Galvin.

  • Sophomore Serenades

    POSTED May 21, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    The Grand Circuit is offering plenty of purse-filled action for sophomores on the Memorial Day weekend (in the U.S). Harrah’s Philadelphia presents two six-digit events on Sunday, May 26: the Maxie Lee Memorial for Open trotters and the Betsy Ross for mare pacers.

    The weekend starts with soph-colt-and-filly-pacer stakes at Yonkers with Art Rooney and Lismore elims. More sophomores rattle their sulkies with Historic events at Pocono and New Jersey Sires Stakes (NJSS) at the Meadowlands on Saturday.

    Soph-colt-and-filly trotters continued to be covered throughout the week on our spin-off blog, the Hambletonian Trail. Follow the divisional races and the eligibles to this year’s August trotting classics at The Meadowlands. For this weekend’s events, go to the “Trail” blog and peruse our analysis. Check weekdays where there are not TwinSpires blogs for other events not covered within the blog deadlines.

    Also on weekdays, check out the TwinSpires-Hoosier team’s perks for harness players. Tuesdays, wager all you want and earn 10 TSC Elite Points per dollar bet. Click here for details. Every Thursday night, there is a 20-percent bonus on hitting the Pick 4 starting at Race 3. Click here for details. And the ongoing 10-percent Pick-4 bonus every racing night on Pick-4 hits continues through the meet. Click here for details.

    Follow @FrankCotolo and @TwinSpires on Twitter to get tips on Hoosier contenders you can use in your tickets during the promo program days. Other possibilities appear in exclusive horses-to-watch (H2W) list.

    Pacers Clamoring

    The sophomore debut of He’s Watching takes place on his home turf in New York at Yonkers Raceway as he leads a list of 11 three-year-old colts in the 23rd edition of Yonkers’ Art Rooney Pace. The total purse of this season’s “Rooney” is $380,000, with a pair of $40,000 elimination races Saturday, May 24. The first four finishers in each round qualify for the final, programmed for Saturday, May 31.

    The elims –races 9 and 11—present He’s Watching from post 2 in the opening round against (in post order) Unlocked, Forty Five Red, Gold Rocks and Stevensville. Ray Schnittker trains Stevensville, who has won one of two in his debut soph season and is a very fast hombre. The cards stack for He’s Watching but readers of the TwinSpires harness blog know that we are not as buzzed about him as industry members. This is why we are going with Stevensville to upset He’s Watching’s first soph outing. Even from post 7, Stevensville could prove a major problem for anyone in the field and if he is getting better then we better be with him before he proves he is a major match for He’s Watching.

    The second elim features Ideal Fashion, Some Playa, All Bets Off, Thereisapaceforus and Maxi Bon. This is a difficult race to predict betting activity. However, Maxi Bon should get action, being the top earner of the quintet for trainer Tony Alagna. Keep an eye out for Some Playa to be a second or third choice. If ignored, he could turn out to be the bet. The public may put too much money on Ron Burke’s entry, All Bets Off, and that could create fair odds for the other two mentioned if they are second-or lower choices.

    The $124,744 final of the Lismore for soph-filly pacers is also on May 31. This Saturday it also offers two elims, worth $20,000 each to decide the final’s field.

    The first elim features It Was Fascination, Bettor Business, A Little Starstruk, Southwind Silence and Palm Beach. It’s tight, for sure, with only five gals. But it may be best to hope for decent odds on the filly debut of It Was Fascination. Alegna may have her primed and from the Yonkers rail she could sail home easily.

    Five others make up the second elim and Casie Coleman’s Also Encouraging is bound to be the choice with two starts and two wins already in 2014. She faces Tyra, JK Molly, Gentlemen’s Delight and Rusty’s Bliss, none of which have won this season in two to four starts. There will be no encouraging price for Also Encouragement so as a key you may want to use Rusty’s Bliss to get a piece of the late action for a decent exacta.

    History Ensues

    The Grand Circuit’s Historic Series continues at Pocono with the Pocono Cup (formerly the Jersey Cup), featuring two $36,000-plus divisions for glamour-boy pacers.

    The first split should see Jk Endofanera take a slew of win bets. He won his debut and has been highly rated by prognosticators of the division this year. But we will take the oddly named The Lunch Pail, a Joe Holloway-trained youngster that is showing he wants to make some money this season. He has been off the board only once in six starts and may be every bit as good as “Jk.” Again, we would want to get him on the improve and this is a chance at a price.

    Fire In The Belly was set to go on the H2W list after some tough trips. Still, he has won six of nine for Jim King, Jr. The crowd will probably go for Takter’s duo, no doubt a classy pair, but uncoupled they could get too much attention and send some odds up on “Fire.” Holloway has another here—Stratos Hanover—and you can bet he will be gunning and have something to say about the top three at the finish.  

    Philadelphia Fights

    Harrah’s Philadelphia hosts two giant miles for aged trotters and aged mare pacers on Sunday, May 25. The men ramble in the Maxie Lee Invitational and the women wrestle in the Betsy Ross, both stakes with a purse of $250,000.

    The usual suspects are at hand for the man war, minus the so-far dominant Sebastian K. Market Share is here, off of his bad behavior in the “Cutler” and Sevruga gets the rail while Arch Madness has more to deal with from post 8 than his current form. Takter puts Not Afraid in, Opening Night returns, along with Daylon Magician (who just won at the Meadows), Undercover Strike and DW’s NY Yank.

    Market Share and Sevruga, on their best behaviors, have the edge here but the crowd will see that and hammer them. Beware, however, of Burke’s DW’s NY Yank. He might be as big here as we expected him to race in his Cutler elim. Certainly, he will be a good price against the proposed top two. This race could produce some traffic and that would be good if “Yank” can stay out of the dueling and shuffling.

    The Betsy Ross cast is also familiar by now from escapades at Yonkers’ Matchmaker Series. One of those, Casie Coleman’s Monkey On My Wheel, may find a perfect spot to beat the speed here. With Shebestingin flying on the outside to get position, Anndrovette in gear to try a steal from the top, Drop The Ball ready to duel that one and the back field of Jerseylicious and Rocklamation timing their closes, “Monkey” could be in a perfect spot at a perfect price to take advantage of those too speedy and those too late.

    Jersey Boys

    A $48,500 NJSS mile for soph-colt pacers is leg two for the division of Jersey-breds. One would imagine that Doo Wop Hanover will be at least as well supported here as he was last week, with Rock Out probably the second choice again (the two race uncoupled for trainer Steve Elliot). This leaves plenty of wagering space for lightly raced Dancin Hill to serve notice on the division. There is little else flashing about any of the others, most of which have few if more than a maiden victory to their freshman seasons.

    Jersey Girls

    The second NJSS leg for soph-filly pacers presente two splits worth $26,000 each.

    In the first round there are three Burke trainees, two coupled, in the seven-filly field. Last week we liked the debut of Ideal Helen but she did not care to participate as we hoped and lost at 37-1. Let’s toss that out and see if trainer Erv Miller sends her into the thick of it in this less-than-stellar group.

    Round two brings back Blixtra, who we liked two back but not in the first leg, where performed well enough to finish second at 30-1 but was placed eighth for bad behavior. Trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt may find that the filly’s odds are high again due to that incident and that is what we want in order to back her again. The other danger is Act Now, who was soaring late in the first leg and has plenty of frosh back class.

    H2W Legend

    Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track. These are possible contenders we have judged from reviewing races. The horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track after the date they will be racing. The race in which they are entered (R and race number) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name it means it is appearing on the list for the second (and last time) because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” signals the horse is entered but on the also-eligible list. If a horse is listed twice, refer to the entries on the night of the race since a horse may enter in more than one race. Types of wagering on any of the H2W listed horses are based on your judgment. If you have any questions, email us at TwinSpires.

    H2W

    Buffalo
    5/23/14, Wolf Angus R11
    5/24/14, Adelia’s Prince R5; Release The Terror R7; Rafferty Hanover R11; Areyouinorout R13

    Harrington
    5/25/14, +Bagel Man R4

    Hoosier
    5/22/14, Bond’s Lassie R3

    Maywood
    5/23/14, Badlands Lady (ae) R1; Another Beauty R2; Sealark Hanover R5; Fox Valley George R11; +Zumba R12

    Meadowlands
    5/24/14, Sometimes Said R12

    Meadows
    5/23/14, Case Dismissed R1; Dew N Doughnuts R8; +Mateo M R11; +Incredible Dragon (as) R14; +Strother R14; +Here’s Ethel R15

    Plainridge
    5/24/14, Best Of Curragh R3; Fedigan’s Glory R6

    Pocono
    5/24/14, St Lad’s He Man R3

    Pompano
    5/24/14, Mcgreat R1; Ramblingamblinman R4; Racin For Gold R7

    Saratoga
    5/22/14, Its Bush Time R10
    5/23/14, Political Desire R9

    Scarborough
    5/23/14, +Grix Gadoo R8
    5/24/14. Ladyofcastlebrook R1; Jitterbug Hanover R2; +Bettor’s Night R3; Electric Mayhem R4; +A Fool For Mark R7

    Scioto
    5/23/14, +Upfront Miss Major R6

    Tioga
    5/23/14, Time Stood Still R1
    5/25/14, +Candid Man R3; +Jaipur R4

    Vernon
    5/23/14, +Quickway R3
    5/24/14, Glide Speed R7

    Yonkers
    5/22/14, Olive Oyle R3; +Mcnickles Mcdimes R4; Dropping Star R6
    5/23/14, Sign Of The Moment R1; Mugshot Jess R2; +Noble Warrawee R2

    Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition.