TwinSpires.com Blog

September’s stay in Canada ensues as Mohawk stays the center of attraction with the sport’s top events of the week. Frosh trotters of both sexes, many stars of the season, including glamour-boy-and-girl trotters from the Hambletonian Trail, are the focus of the Saturday, Sept. 13 program.

Freshman colt-and-filly-pacer battles will also be covered on our exclusive blog, this year’s Breeders Crown Countdown, including the Reynolds Stakes from Tioga Downs’ penultimate program of this meet. Also, the Milton Stakes elims at Mohawk add to the content. We link to the “Countdown” blog from this main blog for coverage of races through the rest of the season leading to the championship events in November, in cooperation with the Hambletonian Society and TwinSpires.

Check out TwinSpires-Hoosier Park’s 10-percent bonus for hitting Pick 4s every night there is racing at the Indiana track. And, of course, our horses-to-watch list (H2W) offers live contenders for win, place, show and exotics from tracks across the continent.

Of course, the H2W list rolls on through the ninth month with suggested contenders that may complement your win, place, show and exotic combos at many harness tracks across North America.

And a special, added attraction to our weekly blogs goes into play with Little Brown Jug week and all the weekday action starting Monday, Sept. 15. Look here and watch the TwinSpires Facebook page and Twitter feed to be on top of some hot contenders during the week that ends after Thursday, Sept. 18, with America’s Pace, the Little Brown Jug.

Classic Trotters In Canada

The $682,000 Canadian Trotting Classic (CTC) headlines Saturday, Sept. 13, at Mohawk Racetrack. As has been the case all season with the glamour-boy trotters, a major stakes field is highlighted by the Jimmy Takter-trained duo of Father Patrick and Trixton.

We all know that what happened to Father Patrick in the Hambletonian was a striking misfortune and that his stable mate, Trixton, took advantage of it to win. Then Father Patrick returned and was nipped by Datsyuk for his only two losses of the season. He regained dominance by winning the Zweig and Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Championship just like the Father Patrick that would have won the Hambletonian.

It is important to pay attention to Takter, who wrote the following tweet recently: “Father Patrick, so special, just makes it look so easy, my best horse ever.” So go no further with your CTC handicapping—Father Patrick is still the best this division has seen in a long time. As well, he is undefeated in three starts at Mohawk.

If Trixton is looking to defeat his stable mate once again in a rich stakes event he will have to pray that Father Patrick is a victim of circumstance again. Even though Trixton has had success at Mohawk this season and holds the Mohawk track record for a three-year-old trotter (1:51.3), he has to beat Father Patrick fair and square once to prove he is near as good.

Local standout Harper Blue Chip has dominated the Ontario Sires Stakes circuit this season and finished third in the Hambletonian, though he was far back from Trixton and Nuncio. “Harper” is definitely an exotic wagering element. The other four are E L Titan, Muscle Matters, Il Sogno Dream and Damfoolrmillionair, minor to no threats.

Elegant And Elite

The $409,000 Elegantimage Stakes, which used to be contested in June, is also on the Sept. 13 program at Mohawk, featuring 11 of the best soph-trotting fillies. Takter sends out the favorite in this event, too. Certainly a standout for us during the season, Shake It Cerry trots a mile above this group. Takter also senda out Scream And Shout, yet to be proven worthy of this caliber.

Completing the field are Demanding Sam, Tosca, Riveting Rosie, Vanity Matters, Chivaree Hanover, Sweetie Hearts, Muscle Babe, Designed To Be and Ake Svanstedt’s Heavens Door. Since “Designed” is bound to be a second choice, Ake’s “Door” may go off as a good exacta choice and if Designed happens to be beat for third, any of the others will key a great triactor.

Well, Well, Wellwood

Two eliminations were raced last Saturday as non-betting events (after being cancelled on Friday due to a lightning storm at Mohawk) deciding the 10 two-year-old colts making up the field of the $390,000 William Wellwood Memorial final.

Uncle Lasse, a full brother to Shake It Cerry, won the first. Trained by Takter, Uncle Lasse has won three of six starts and has never been worse than third. The second went to Lookslikeachpndale, a son of Muscle Hill, trained by Luc Blais, in 1:56.2. It was the graduation of maiden to winner for Lookslikeachpndale. Completing the field are Gifted Way, Dont Rush, Aldebaran Eagle, Habitat, Jetpedia, Southwind Stryker, Wheels Ah Smokin and Big Rich.

We had Jetpedia last week and he was second in one elim and we had Wheels Ah Smokin in the other where he finished sixth. However, they appear to be strong exacta partners this week for Habitat. Were there wagering, Habitat would have been a huge favorite, so it works out for bettors that there were two other elim winners; now Habitat may be a second or third choice and that is a good thing for a win bet and, as mentioned, to be keyed with the two we supported last week.

Peaceful Ways

The $385,000 Peaceful Way Stakes, for two-year-old filly trotters features another standout, a world champion in a group of 10, Mission Brief. The daughter of Muscle Hill won her elimination last week in a world record time of 1:52.1 and has been a sterling model for victory most of the second half of the season for trainer Ron Burke. Driver Yannick Gingras said she hasn’t even given her best yet. “She had plenty left [in last week’s elim], she is scary scary fast,” said Gingras.

Jolene Jolene won the other elimination, a daughter of Muscle Hill trained by Jonas Czernyson, in 1:55.1. We supported her as she approached her current form and peaked recently. Jolene Jolene has won three consecutive starts and finished second to Mission Brief on Hambletonian day (we supported that exacta). These two represent the exacta, which will return very little, leaving your judgment as the to-play-or-not-play factor.

Ruling The Empire

The New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) Night of Champions at Yonkers is the Saturday, Sept. 13 highlight in the Empire State’s standardbred business and bettors beyond the borders can wager on eight events featuring the best two- and three-year-olds of the 2014 season. Each final is worth $225,000. Races two through nine on the 13-race card ($10,000 guaranteed pool Pick 5, 50-cent base wager races 5 through 9). For the sake of brevity, we will list the final and our two suggested contenders in the order the races appear on the program.

Two-year-old filly trot: Concentration; Kaliska
Three-year-old filly pace: Table Talk; Medusa
Two-year-old filly pace: Mosquito Blue Chip; Band Of Angels
Three-year-old filly trot: Market Rally; Avalicious
Two-year-old colt trot: Royal Deceptor; Crazy Wow
Three-year-old colt pace: All Bets Off; Stay Up Late
Two-year-old colt pace: Cartoon Daddy; Americanprimetime
Three-year-old colt trot: Gural Hanover; Zoey De Vie

The Company ‘Smith’

On Friday, , Sept. 12, Freehold presents the Charles Smith for $55,000. Once a stable in the Hambletonian Trail stream of races, glamour-boy trotters take to the half-mile in the new millennium with less initiative, as well as less to win from a purse reduced greatly. In any event, this seven-horse field is an opportunity for Well Built to dominate as was once thought he could do this season in the division. He is up against far less than he faced when his gait problem began in May, so it remains to be seen how the public approaches this crew. We would use him as a key if he turns out to the be top choice and use Skates N Plates and Hillustrious with him.

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 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

Batavia
9/12/14, +Studio City R7
9/13/14, +King William R6; Sbm Innocentoutlaw R8; Peter Pumpkineater R11

Freehold
9/12/14, +Fancy Pants Sandy R6; Big Sky Angelina R10
9/13/14, +Mooshead Jack R5; +Card Shock R8 

Hoosier
9/13/14, Allthatgltrsisgold R3; +Matt The Bruiser R6; Ransomed R6; +Red Scooter R7; +Light Up The Sky R8; Jammin Joseph R12; +Battle Gun R14; +Star City Hero R14Z

Maywood
9/11/14, +Delightful Dot R7
9/12/14, Brianna Official R1; +R Dunshine R4; +Donald Himself R8; +Online Learning R9

Meadows
9/12/14, Upfront Dean R5; Violet Eyes R8; Southern Allie R9; Iwanashowusomthin R10; +Incredible Dragon R11

Plainridge
9/13/14, +Painting The Town R8

Philadelphia
9/11/14, +Smilin Eli R6

Rosecroft
9/13/14, Speeditup Hanover R6; +South Dakota R12

Saratoga
9/11/14, +Dontmakemelaugh R4
9/13/14, Big Bambu R1; Major Steve R3; Mr Rockford R3; Avogadro Hanover R11

Scioto
9/12/14, Shakin Friskie R10

Tioga
9/12/14, +Mcardles Lightning R4; Winbak Glory ae R9

Vernon
9/13/14, Avivas Winner R11; Skyway Poncho R12 
 
Yonkers
9/13/14, +Big Jer R12

Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition.     

As September enters its first weekend, we stay in Canada for a number of Grand Circuit (GC) stakes at Mohawk. There are numerous co-stars this weekend; all in the U.S., with sires stakes championships from Indiana and Pennsylvania (there are others, such as Ohio, but selections for those are included in the horses-to-watch—H2W—list below).

Champlain and Simcoe GC events for Sept. 6 at Mohawk will be covered on our exclusive blog, this year’s Breeders Crown Countdown, now on line. We link to it from this main blog for coverage of races through the rest of the season leading to the championship events in November, in cooperation with the Hambletonian Society and TwinSpires.

Check out TwinSpires-Hoosier Park’s 10-percent bonus for hitting Pick 4s every night there is racing at the Indiana track. And, of course, our horses-to-watch list (H2W) offers live contenders for win, place, show and exotics from tracks across the continent.

Of course, the H2W list rolls on through the ninth month with suggested contenders that may complement your win, place, show and exotic combos at many harness tracks across North America.

The ‘Wellwood’ Gang

Last week’s Metro Pace highlighted the frosh-colt pacers with their biggest purse and strongest challenge to date. This week, on Sept. 5 at Mohawk, frosh-trotting colts go in a pair of $30,000 elims to meet their greatest challenge yet, the William Wellwood Memorial (WWM) Final, next week.

There are only six colts in the first elim but none in the sextet can be easily dismissed. They are green and relatively unpredictable but not without their strengths already displayed through the first half of the season.

Jimmy Takter’s Uncle Lasse is bound to get a lot of win coverage and not just for the trainer’s reputation. In the Donato Hanover product’s recent race he won smoothly at Pocono after strong battles (finishing second) with Centurion Atm in the “Haughton” elim and final at the Meadowlands.

Ron Burke’s Habitat has won three of five on a road tour, including a Champlain at Mohawk, a Tompkins at Tioga and a Kindergarten at the Meadowlands. There will be pennies between the odds of these two, leaving some breathing room for an improving member of the division, who we liked last week in a Champlain, Wheels Ah Smokin.

He may share third-public choice status with Don’t Rush from the rail but “Wheels” won’t get the obvious interest of the two aforementioned colts. Still, Wheels has won a Kindergarten as the drop-dead favorite (two back) and he was a second choice to Habitat at the Meadowlands in another Kindergarten. Trainer Chuck Sylvester is priming this guy, hoping to mature him for his wealthy owners who can eye the 2015 Hambletonian. Wheels is a son of Muscles Yankee, the sire of Hambletonian champ Muscle Hill. Sylvester trained Muscles Yankee (his third Hambo winner) and two seasons back was close to a fourth win with Lucky Chucky. It is best to go with the sleeper here because the odds should be good and you want to be there if this is the wake-up race (his morning line is 8-1).

Three of the seven in the second WWM elim are maidens and the best number of wins in the field is two, from the morning-line choice Cruzado Dela Noche. This is the colt that followed Uncle Lasse (elim one) while he was chasing Centurian Atm. The second morning-line choice could be the public’s—Gifted Way.

We are interested in the rail horse, Jetpedia. He is a son of the productive frosh sire Muscle Hill and he really has done no wrong in five starts. He broke here at 3-1 in a stakes final two back, after being the choice in the elim that got him there. He came back in a Champlain last week and started slowly, spotting the field almost 11 lengths. He was fourth by only 5 ¾ lengths, to Habitat (elim one), who rested a few lengths to win by 2 ½ lengths. He is a horse to watch and in this field a horse to bet, since he has every right to improve and the public will not offer him the kinds of odds he may rightly deserve.

Pennsylvania Polkas

The Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) will dance from the mountains of Pocono to the populated perimeter of Philadelphia over two tracks in as many days to crown their state-bred champs in the two-and three-year-old categories. On Sept. 6 the four frosh groups meet at Pocono Downs and on Sept. 7 the sophomore crews battle at Harrah’s at Philadelphia.

We start on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Pocono Downs with four mega-purse PASS finals for freshmen. The first is a $260,000 championship for filly pacers. Bound to dominate the win pool is one of three Ron Burke gals, Southwind Roulette. The public will be impressed by her earnings, sire and speed badge but  these strong factors do not give her an automatic victory. Indeed, we call your attention to Special Package from the rail. Tom Fanning’s daughter of Western Terror (an increasingly productive sire) has made it to the final round only winning one for six this season but her two seconds are commendable and impressive. She will offer a good win price as this field will be imbalanced in the betting due to Burke.

Next for the same purse, filly trotters face their largest pot. Three from Takter’s team will draw wagering attention; too much, in fact. Wewould rather look for a decent price from the Burke gal, Gatka Hanover. With post 8 she may detract more bettors than the post should provoke. The Muscle Massive gal takes after her dam, Girlie Tough, in name and metaphor.

Colt trotters bring the 2015 Hambletonian to mind as we all look for a contender able to keep up with Centurion Atm. That one’s trainer, Ake Svanstedt, is in competition with himself as he sends Lima Pride to post here. Stefan Lind’s Billy Flynn has yet to taste defeat and Shoot The Thrill has been productive. Perhaps the 8 hole again holds the overlay card with Piercewave Hanover. He could surprise the public but would be no surprise to us; he is sound, well bred and has good credentials at two.

Lastly we have the colt pacers. Burke’s barn has the money here with Yankee Bounty, yet to lose in six tries. Our bargaining sense tells us Mcardles Lightning may be overlooked. The Steve Elliot-trained colt is fast, a good earner and the only son of Mcardle in the room. Tomy Terror and Dragon Eddy should compromise by Burke’s biggie, as well as his price.

Sunday In Philly

The PASS sophomore finals are the highlight on Sunday, Sept. 6 at Harrah’s Philadelphia. They begin late in the program with the $260,000 filly trot. Lifetime Pursuit is the hot horse and Designed To Be shows up to test her. All this means is a big price on Take The Money for the upset.

The colt pace offers star material as Mcwicked tries another wire job in a prep for the Little Brown Jug. However, also prepping is the winless Limelight Beach, zero for 11 but now in the Burke barn and ready to upset on his way to the “Jug.”

The colt trot  stars Father Patrick again and his recent upset to Datsyuk (in post 1 here) could bring his price up a bit. It may be a bit too much, making Father Patrick a price we have not seen since he began racing at two.

Finally, the filly pace presents eight-for-eight Sandbetweenurtoes and she still looks like the utter best and the lock of the card. 

Hoosier Heroes

Indiana Sires Stakes finals ensue at Hoosier Park on the Sept. 6 program. The $75,000 contests are all for two-and three-year-olds. Frosh colt trotters have 10 in the hunt. Airman Batten will be the choice and rightfully so. In seven tries he has six wins, with five-for-six Steal N Gas the closest in records. But the Big Stick Lindy colt, Stickem Buck, cannot be dismissed and should be the best price of the trio.

On the frosh-filly trotting side there is a contentious affair. The earnings are close and the records are similar. Golden Big Stick has been in every mix thus far and may be the one ready to pop a fourth win for the season.

In the frosh-filly pace we eliminate the four maidens and take a shot with the 10 horse, Blues Queen. The post may give her some price weight and in the mile may not be a detriment at all. As for the frosh colt pacers, Toni’s Affection should simply have this in the bag for a small payoff.

Soph-filly trotters have to contend with the perfect Andi’s Alana, having eight wins in as many starts on the Hoosier scene. The filly pacers, though tightly matched, may offer value with Metro Shopping.

Soph-colt trotters offer a shot for value from Double A Cash Hall, daringly from post 8, while the glamour-boy pacers will continue to be dominated by the all-powerful Always B Miki, who has scourged the Hoosier scene since his rousing second in the Meadowlands Pace.

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 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

Batavia
9/5/14, Peter Pumpkineater R7; Studio City R9
9/6/14, King William R3

Freehold
9/4/14, Nicetoseeya R2
9/5/14, Bella’s Spunkin R3; Big Sky Angelina R5; Fancy Pants Sandy R9
9/6/14, +Kings Legend R5; Mr Thomson R5; Moosehead Jack R6

Hoosier
9/5/14, Red Scooter R1; Light Up The Sky R3; Battle Gun R7; Matt The Bruiser R7; Rocket Fuel R9; Allthatgltrsisgold R11; Star City Hero R14

Maywood
9/4/14, Jetting Around R2; Buttered Noodles ae R4
9/5/14, +Impersonal R2; Delightful Dot R3; R Dunshine R4; Rip N Rock R8; Donald Himself R12

Meadows
9/5/14, Incredible Dragon R10

Northfield—Ohio Sires Stakes
9/5/14, Student Of Life R1; Dellou R2; Lofty Chip R5; Crown Time Keeper R6; Honey B R8; Friskie Til Dawn R9; Emilene’s Future R11; Suite Feelin R12

Ocean
9/6/14, +Money Paige R6
9/7/14, +Winmando R1

Plainridge
9/6/14, Painting The Town R2; +Somerset Minibob R4

Philadelphia
9/7/14, Gallie Bythe Beach R7

Scioto
9/4/14, +Whowhohoosier R2
9/6/14, Pro Deuce R4; +Tempster Hanover R6; Can’tcutthatchip R12

Tioga
9/6/14, Flashbacks R6
9/7/14, Goose Creek R1; Ten Yard Penalty R11

Vernon
9/4/14, +Canbec Jewell Sun R4
9/5/14, Fleetwood Hall R1

Yonkers
9/6/14, Lawgiver Hanover R5; Big Jer R7
9/8/14, Caviart Key R6; Montana Pablo A R6
 
Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition.