Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

5MAY2014

 It was a mixed weekend of hits and misses but encouraging to exotic players, as most of our suggested contenders participated as strong exotic-wagering partners, especially with prohibitive favorites that many times seem to ruin some of our more lucrative strikes. (Peruse the place-and-show prices closely, some of them are better than prices in the winners column, even when they are not contributing to exactas.)

Before the weekend began we took part in assisting players with the Hi-5 at Woodbine on Monday, April 28. Our Twitter suggestions were dead on in the first three spots, with 1-1 choice Einsteins Best getting the first spot, 4-1 Cluster Hanover getting the place and 41-1 Glory Beach completing the trio for a $208.50 triactor. Another of our choices, Fortune Playboy, finished ninth and the fifth, New Patrol, scratched. The Hi-5 (with a 104-1 and 46-1 finishing fourth and fifth, respectively) paid $8,281.50.

In stakes action we were expecting some prices from the Lady Suffolk but hit with one in the two divisions, Cee Bee Yes, that turned out to be a humongous favorite, paying $2.20, $2.20 (ok), $2.10. Our other choice, Suegrabbitnrun finished second to the big favorite, paying $3.80, $2.60 and contributing to an exacta worth $8.

Another contender contributed to a stakes exotic in the “Simpson” at the Meadowlands on May 3 when Jet Away came in second, paying $11.20, $5, presenting a $47.40 exacta with the favorite winning.

We finished fourth in the Dexter Cup at 35-1 with Sheer Action and had two fourths and a fifth in the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes for soph-filly pacers at the Meadows on Saturday.

The week’s horses to watch (H2W) results listed below recorded healthy across-the-board prices and seconds, as we mentioned in the opening paragraph, teamed up to produce cold exactas with race favorites.

And make note that the Hambletonian Trail blog is now active and it will be suggesting valuable wagers for all stakes events featuring soph colt and soph filly trotters eligible to either the Hambletonian or the “Oaks.” Links will be provided in our weekly blogs in cooperation with TwinSpires and the Hambletonian Society (where you can read reviews of all the races).

TwinSpires and Hoosier now have three power-packed programs 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 horses-to-watch (H2W) list.

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

Western Alumni, $13.20, $5.30, $3.50, Buffalo
Tagmaster, $12.20, $4.60, $3.60, Freehold
Maxnificient, $12, $2.90, $2.90 ok, Vernon
Most Fun Yet, $8.40, $3.90, $3.90 ok, Saratoga
Word Power, $5.60, $2.80, $3 ok, Pocono
Celestial Dreams, $4.90, $2.90, $2.40, Saratoga
Coral Snake, $4.40, $3.40, $2.80, Scarborough

Seconds

A Real Miracle, $14.20, $3.40, Cal Expo
Fritzie Rocket, $10.60, $5.20, Scarborough
Twentyone Guns, $7.40, $4.80, Cal Expo
Pembroke Crankcall, $4.60, $2.80 (Exacta $14.20), Buffalo
Terlinqua, $3.90, $3.30 (Exacta $10.40), Buffalo
Gentleman Friend, $3.20, $2.80 (Exacta $8.60), Miami Valley
Adrians Girl, $2.80, $2.10 (Exacta $6.30), Bangor

Thirds

D Terminata, $5, Saratoga
Team Edward, $4.30, Vernon
Its Getting Hairy, $2.40, Cal Expo

News And Notes

The 2013 Horse of the Year Bee A Magician faced off against last year’s aged trotting horse of the year Market Share in the feature qualifier on May 3 at the Meadowlands. Market Share won in 1:52.4. Bee A Magician was making her first start since last fall. She finished third. More stars showed up for preps. Lifetime Pursuit won in 1:54.2 for trainer Jimmy Takter and 2013 Valley Victory winner Muscle Network lead all the way only to go off stride in the last 100 yards of the 1:54.4 mile. Nuncio was reserved well off the fractions and closed boldly. Propulsion, a son of Muscle Hill, which raced only in qualifiers at two, qualified at three and won in 1:56.1.

Moni Maker, the trotting mare who was 1998 and 1999 Horse of the Year, died this week after complications from colic surgery. She was 21. Moni Maker won $5.58 million and 67 of 109 starts in six seasons of racing in North America, France, Denmark, Sweden and Italy. She was only 10 times worse than third. The daughter of Speedy Crown was originally named Nursery Rhyme and she was very tall (nearly 17 hands). She regularly beat males and in her final start she donned a saddle was ridden by Julie Krone, breaking the world record for trotting under saddle in 1:54.1, a mark which still stands. Her eight foals, all fillies, have won a collective $315,904.

Vernon Downs added Thursday programs on May 1. Post time for Thursday cards is 6:45 p.m., consistent with the Friday and Saturday evening start time.

The connections of 62 three-year-old pacing colts and geldings have kept their charges eligible to the 31st edition of the $1-million Pepsi North America Cup by making the April 15 sustaining payment. Eliminations for the “Cup” are scheduled for Saturday, June 7 at Mohawk. The final is scheduled to be raced Saturday, June 14. Hes Watching, Luck Be Withyou and National Debt are also top colts on the list of nominees. Others from last year’s notable frosh cast include Boomboom Ballykeel, Jk Endofanera and the speedy Western Vintage.

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