Showing posts with label Captaintreacherous. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Captaintreacherous. Show all posts

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED Jul 13, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    Let’s begin this week’s review with something quite amazing. It comes from the Hambletonian Trail blog, where we covered and won both of the soph trots offered at the Meadowlands on July 12. Shake It Cerry, the filly we have been applauding at two and now at three, was our choice in the Del Miller Memorial. We assumed she would be the choice of most bettors and perhaps a prohibitive favorite. Wrong! Shake It Cerry went off and won at an astounding 7-2 ($9.60, $4.60, $2.60). Our second choice followed her over the wire at 5-2—Heaven’s Door ($4, $2.40) completed an exacta worth $30.80, also a terrific gift.

    Everyone was on board for the soph-colt trot winner, Father Patrick ($2.80, $2.20, $2.10), in the Stanley Dancer. No exotics here, as both of our possible exacta partners broke and were eliminated from competition.

    We share the results of our soph-trot analysis’ here with our weekly update. The Hambletonian Trail comes to you in cooperation with TwinSpires and the Hambletonian Society. You can read the recap race stories and data on the history of the August classics at the society’s archives. It is less than a month away until Hambletonian day. We hope to be at the Meadowlands for the spectacular program and the first Hambo at the new facility.

    Also in the winning column, we had a mild victory with the frosh stakes as Artspeck won a colt pace ($3.40, $2.80, $2.40).

    Stepping back a moment to July 11 at Mohawk, We gave you the chalk in a Maple Leaf Trot elim and it won—Sebastian K ($2.10 n/p n/s wagering). The exacta was playable, however, and our second choice, Creatine completed the $6.60 combo.

    Back to Saturday, we pick up the pieces in the stakes at the Meadowlands.

    We cannot report success with the big feature of the weekend because Hes Watching won the Meadowlands Pace, finally gaining respect from his doubters, of which we were some. Our third choice, Always Be Miki, came in second ($5.80, $4.60). The race went as we suggested it might, however, Hes Watching was in the spot where we suspected our choice, JK Endofanera would be in late stretch. The “Pace” did look a lot like the North America Cup, especially with another one of our choices, Lyonssomewhere, soaring to the lead as he did in the “Cup” and cutting breakneck fractions—:25.3, :53.2, 1:20.3. “JK” was first over into the speedy turn of the mid two panels, and it was Hes Watching that zoomed off the pace late to win (1:46.2). The top three finishers were fifth, ninth and sixth, respectively, in the first quarter. Hes Watching was the second choice at 2-1.

    In the ad hoc Pace consolation, we were third with Brioni ($6.20). In the “Haughton,” Captaintreacherous was third ($3), ruining our boxed exacta and the probable winner, Sweet Lou, won ($4, $3, $2.40). The only other pay horse was in the Miss Versatility, as Bee A Magician won as the public heroine and our choice, D’Orsay finished third ($10.20).

    Speaking of huge place and show prices, peruse the horses-to-watch (H2W) list below, where our live contenders rolled out some big numbers across the board. There are no typos in the prices!

    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.

    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

    Too Shy, $25.10, $7.80, $4.80 (Exacta $54.70), Mohawk
    FB Seelster, $23.60, $12.60, $5.90, Buffalo
    Nifty Prescott, $21.20, $9.70, $6.50, Buffalo
    I Do Hanover, $14.20, $5.60, $3.20 (Exacta $30), Vernon
    Emmasphere, $6.20, $3.60, $3), Running Aces
    Morwyn Hanover, $4.80, $3.80, $3), Running Aces
    Cheryl Leigh, $2.80, $2.20, $2.60 ok, Scarborough

    Seconds

    Chrome Cruiser, $53.80, $43.20, Pocono
    Captain John Henry, $6, $5.80, Hoosier
    Kaliska, $4.50, $3.40, Tioga
    Zinthruthehall, $4.10, $2.80, Buffalo

    Thirds

    Northern Obsession, $11, Tioga
    Sky Deperado, $5, Pocono
    The Wizard Of Odz, $3.20, Running Aces
    OK Amelia, $2.60, Ocean
    Summertime Lea, $2.50, Yonkers
    Bullseye, $2.20, Scarborough

    News And Notes

    Sportswriter was never a huge favorite of this department at two and did not impress us as he was promoted to be a division leader at three, even though he went zooming to win the North America Cup. But when he lost the Meadowlands Pace in a terrible performance we were convinced he would never be as sharp as Rock N Roll Heaven, who we rightfully made king of the division in 2010 and covered as he scourged the group all the way through the Breeders Crown finals.

    Giving the devil his due, though, Sportswriter’s first crop (he stands in Canada) has hit the track with speed and success. Sportswriter was best at two, so it remains to be seen if his progeny can maintain their frosh shines as sophomores. On July 11, Sportswriter’s frosh fillies won all three divisions of the Ontario Sires Stakes (ONSS) Gold Series at Mohawk. Southwind Mischief (1:54), trained by Casie Coleman, who was also Sportswriter’s conditioner, won the first $70,000 split; Blake MacIntosh’s Sports Chic took the second (1:54.2); and Pop Writer (1:54.3) won the third for trainer Tony Alagna. We’ll be keeping an eye on the stallion’s average earnings and his colts in ONSS action and how they fare among all North American babies.

    Foiled Again will try for his third win in the Battle of Lake Erie when the event is presented on July 19 at Northfield Park. The sport’s highest earner, now 10, should face familiar foes, also nominated—Bolt The Duer, Clear Vision, Heston Blue Chip and Michaels Power to name four. Foiled Again won the event in 2009 and 2011. He is trained by Ron Burke and won over $6.3 million. We’ll analyze the race in our July 17 blog.

    Kawartha Downs will celebrates its 42nd anniversary on July 19, featuring the $12,500 Billyjojimbob Memorial Trot. The program will include 12 races with 25 percent higher purses than on a regular race card. The Billyjojimbob Memorial Trot celebrates a great trotter who began his career at Kawartha and went on to become the only Canadian horse to win the prestigious Elitlopp in Sweden in addition to the Breeders Crown.

    Contemporary mare pacing great and World Champion Miss Easy is dead at 26. Miss Easy was a $30,000 a yearling broken and trained by Bruce Nickells. In 1990 she was voted frosh pacing filly of the year. She won 15 of 17 starts and earned more than $1 million. In 1991, she was voted soph pacing filly of the year. She won 10 of 15 starts, earned $648,700 and concluded her racing career with earnings of more than $1.7 million. Unfortunately her racing success did not translate in the breeding shed. As a broodmare she did not produce quality racehorses. Her lack of production found her being offered for sale in 2002 as a barren broodmare. Jim Simpson, Dr. Bridgette Jablonsky and Murray Brown of Hanover Shoe Farms decided Hanover would purchase her and she would be guaranteed a home as a retired mare.

    As fate would have it, when booking season came along Dr. Jablonsky suggested that Miss Easy be booked along with the rest of Hanover’s active mares and she subsequently produced eight foals for Hanover, bringing a total of $220,500. She never became a great producer but she spent her remaining years enjoying the good life that she had earned and deserved. Miss Easy was laid to rest in the farm's cemetery opposite its main entrance.

    John Gilmour, 76, a Monticello Raceway mainstay horseman for more than 47 years, is dead. Mr. Gilmour’s record speaks for itself. It spanned six decades, in which he earned 4,492 winners as a driver in years when the racing seasons were short and driving at two tracks in one day wasn’t an option. John was one of the famous Gilmour brothers, William (Buddy), George and Lloyd, who together accounted for more than 14,250 driving victories. For John, Monticello had been home since the early 1960s although he began his career at Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs, two tracks near his hometown of Lucan, Ontario.

    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 ~ For more Thom Pye cartoons and products, visit  PYESITE

  • Meadowlands Pace Leads Stakes Parade

    POSTED Jul 9, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    Since its inception as the first $1-million harness racing event (created by the late, great Joe DeFrank), the Meadowlands Pace has been a defining event for the pacing glamour-boy division. By mid-July, one colt is usually in charge of the major miles, one colt is considered a threat to the rest. This year is no different. Denied by many until a 12-1 win in the $1-million North America Cup, JK Endofanera is the one to beat. He won his “Pace” elim and has room in his earnings bag for the greater percentage of the cash from this purse ($700,000-plus). In this blog we explore what we can do to use him or abuse him for wagers.

    As well, the Meadowlands hosts a giant July 12 program, including stakes for older pacers, older mare trotters and pacers, frosh fillies and colts, soph-filly pacers and filly-and-colt trotters on the Hambletonian Trail. We cover, as usual, the Del Miller and Stanley Dancer events for the soph trotters marching toward August in our sister blog. Get over there after you peruse this scroll of betting wisdom.

    Two Maple Leaf Trot elims are the center of Friday, July 11’s Mohawk program, where the older trotting ranks battle for the berths of the top stakes final next week.

    Weekdays, check out the TwinSpires-Hoosier perks for 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 any and all late-breaking information on racing events and betting challenges that transpire between the publications of the two TwinSpires harness racing blogs.

    Pacemasters

    The $776,000 Meadowlands Pace brings together a now familiar group of glamour-boy pacers, including the leader of this pack, JK Endofanera. Undeniably the favorite here, the stylized and dual-tactic colt will have to really screw up to lose this. In fact, the main scenario looks very much like the North America Cup, with hearty speed in the first half that leaves an outside path for “JK” to swoop through and win.

    Improving from last week, when JK took the lead easily around the half and wasted a bit of real estate doing so, was Lyonssomewhere. The Takter-conditioned pacer has gotten better since the “Cup,” where he led the speed brigade that set up the JK close. In his elim last week he was chasing JK and wound up third due to a great performance by Always B Miki on the outside, closing strongly late. “Miki” gets the 9 hole here and will have to contend with the 8, Sometimes Said, and the 10, Doo Wop Hanover—both negotiating a spot early to be in it.
    Hes Watching, who won the second elim with a pocket trip, may gun it early this time, laying on his speed in an attempt to steal it, but he will have Tellitlikeitis and Luck Be Withyou on his tail, no doubt willing to challenge (a lot of movement is expected in a race of this magnitude).

    Although we would love to call an upset, this race so sets up for JK that it is difficult not to recommend him as a key and look for outstanding odds in the second and third spots for exotics. “Lyons” continues to improve and will offer decent odds enough to couple with JK and if Miki is sent off anywhere near the 9-1 he went off last week he will offer a role in the final three. Those may be the two needed to pull off the trifecta, repeating the results, give or take a place and show, of the JK elim win.

    Eliminating the others mentioned appears sound considering their styles and recent battles and the Cup-like scenario is a good one to support; JK is as good a key horse as you may find in this division and that role may be written in stone after a win here. We’re all sorry JK won’t give us the 12-1 he gave us for the Cup but now that all eyes are open to him, we just have to live with it.

    ’Mistletoe’ Misses

    The $212,150 Mistletoe Shalee sends 10 of the division’s top soph-filly pacers to post on “Pace” night. This is the filly equivalent of the colt charge. It has been a perfect season for Sandbetweenurtoes so far and she will, no doubt, be the crowd’s top choice, followed by Uffizi Hanover and Precocious Beauty. “Uffizi” as a second or third choice may be a wonderful bargain.

    Her “Lynch” final trip at Pocono must be respected as difficult; she needed room after being shuffled; her Lynch elim was hampered by a wide, fast start. If she topples “Sand” she will do so with spades. As well, Gallie Bythe Beach may be granted a better trip if “Beauty” assists in burning Sand in a deeply fast duel.

    The Stalwart Stompers

    The W.R. Haughton reunites the big guys, those hoof-pounding pacers of age and muscle, with a purse of $463,300 on the Pace program. It’s another theater for Sweet Lou to perform as the favorite and another chance for Captaintreacherous to be played with a price on his head.

    Last week “Captain” was fifth and still raced in 1:47.3, only 2 lengths off of “Lou.” He seems to be adjusting to racing against all of the ages in this division, as he remains of better blood than some of the veterans here. Lou will have a bigger challenge from Captain this time around and we are going to take the Cap’s side on this one, since the public is leaning away from him more and more and we want to be with him when he shows his major stuff at a major price (for him).

    Golden Girls

    Leader of the mare pacers, Anndrovette, will look to add the Golden Girls to her resume, as in her six-year-career, she is yet to claim the prize. Last year, Feeling You handed her defeat after sitting the pocket in the six-horse field. In 2012, she missed the board and in 2011 was runner-up to Dreamfair Eternal. This has been a race in recent years where it’s worth it to take an outside horse, one that has the ability to compete in this group as well as pay a price.

    The mare worth considering this year is Mattie Terror Girl, who has spent the winter and summer racing exclusively at the Meadowlands. In the early part of the 2014 season she was already showing promise racing against the top mares in the “A” ranks. Yet, opting to race in the Petticoat series during the “Levy” mayhem at Yonkers, she came out with a second-place-parked-effort from post 8. Heading into this race she has hit the board in every start, with her most recent being extremely impressive. Her first time in a while against A-level mares, she was game in holding off Shebestingin to finish second in 1:50.3. Her home-field advantage, as well as stalking style of racing, will play well for her.

    Versatile Vamps

    We all have to admit that Bee A Magician raced well in the Maturity but we also have to admit her late surge was accomplished by passing some tired male trotters. In this $40,000 leg of the Miss Versatility she will be back among her brood, the elder female trotters, and even at only a mile she will have her work cut out for her.

    Perfect Alliance is back and rested, as is the gal that beat her and “Bee,” Classic Martine. That one already took a leg of this series but in this mile and she has beaten all of them here, including Maven, who has to deal with the 8 hole. “Martine” is hard to dismiss in her current form and only a circumstantial trip will deny her another win.

    But that circumstance may generate an upset. Three back we gave you D’orsay at better than 50-1 and she beat them all with a perfect trip—the kind she may get again here from post 2. So let’s go with D’orsay at another huge price, we suspect. 

    Freshman Trotters

    A quartet of finals for the New Jersey Sires Stakes (NJSS) will have the state’s finest freshmen competing on the Paceundercard.

    The first division has 10 colt trotters fighting for a piece of the $100,000 prize. Highlighting the field are French Laundry and Canepa Hanover, Takter trainees that have dazzled since their baby races. Gradually becoming a powerhouse in the American trotting world, fellow Sweden-native Ake Svanstedt enters with a colt that caught eyes in his debut, parking out Canepa Hanover to maintain control. Now making his second start and possessing speed to put him in contention from post 10, Stonebridge Force will be one to reckon.

    The Daily Double completes with the filly trotting competition, comprised of seven. Maintaining her stride for the whole mile, Mission Brief was victorious in 1:55.1, though she came close to breaking many times during the mile. She seems to have speed but is as green as the greenest, making her a vulnerable favorite. Yet, not many in this field have shown to be anywhere close in competition except Saturday Mornings, who was second to Mission Brief in her fast mile. Already having a win in this series, Saturday Mornings is the logical choice against the Ron Burke trainee.

    The duo of pacing divisions will cap the Pace card, with the colts being the penultimate mile. Kicking home effortlessly in his debut, Artspeak has a large amount of room for improvement. A similar effort to last week’s :26.3 sprint to the wire could easily win him this race. If he’s the right price (not the favorite), he could be the bet.

    Yet, if Artspeak is not the value wanted, Sid Rock is a logical contender. In his second start, he sat closer to the pace and came 3 lengths shy of the leader in a 1:54.2 effort. He could be positioned similarly to Artspeak in this race, but the question is whether he’ll have enough in the tank to storm home.

    The nightcap features nine filly pacers highlighted by Stacia Hanover, who is looking for a series sweep. Svanstedt returns with another impressive gal, Wicked Little Minx. Qualifying in 1:57.1, she debuted by taking the lead, losing it, taking back to the outside and coming a length off of victor Stacia Hanover in 1:54.2. She makes her second start this week, meaning she could receive redemption.

    Consoling Pacemasters

    For colts who either couldn’t make the Pace final or felt the task too daunting, a wonderful restricted event in the early stages of the program offers some nice betting opportunities. The three-year-old race is comprised of 10, with four entering off of off-the-board finishes in the Pace elims. One gelding in this field is intriguing for the fact that he competed well with this group in the Max Hempt Memorial and because of a miscue, was eliminated in the final. Bushwacker, who easily began his sophomore career two-for-two, finished second to speedster Mcwicked in a “Hempt” elim. In the final he was a little too feisty leaving, causing him to break. He’ll likely be value due to Let’s Drink On It, whose fan base will likely make this his redeeming race.

    Brioni is another value contender in the field. Unraced at two, he has proven to be a consistent soph competitor. While he has dabbled in conditioned events, his stakes performances reside in the second tier of the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) and PA Stallion Series. He competed against PASS-caliber horses in the Pennsylvania All Stars last out, where he was second to At Press Time, who was second to Mcwicked in the Hempt final. Hopefully, the public will ignore his gradual improvement.

    Maple Leaf Elims

    Friday, at Mohawk, the big ole square-steppers unite for two six-horse miles in search of the Maple Leaf Trot crown next week. And look who is here …Sebastian K.

    Sebastian K is the world’s fastest trotter, making that mark on a five-eighths track (he broke the 1:50 barrier by a full second at Pocono). He brings a remarkable momentum to Canada in the first elim of the Maple Leaf Trot ($40,000). It is impossible to go against him here, so we will key him with Creatine, who comes from a tough trip in the “Maturity” last week. For a triactor, also use Wheeling N Dealin for a return that may be worthy if the latter pair have any odds worth pumping up the price (Wishing Stone should be the second choice).

    In round two there is room for a bargain or two. Local favorite Intimidate will take some money and so will Mister Herbie as his career ensues as an elder. But Modern Family may not be worth passing up, since chasing Sebastian K and beating a lot of others equal to these, including Market Share, has been a hot game for him. He could go off a decent price in the small field and bury the others in the stretch.

    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

    Buffalo
    7/11/14, FB Seelster R2; Studio City R8
    7/12/14, Nifty Prescott R3; +Zipintheruthehall R7

    Hoosier
    7/11/14, Astarisontheway R3; +Captain John Henry R7

    Meadowlands
    7/11/14, Bambino Glide R11; +The X Horse R13

    Mohawk
    7/11/14, Too Shy R13
    7/12/14, +Marlee B R8; +Rub N Tug R8

    Ocean
    7/11/14, Twentysix-fiftytwo R1; OK Amelia R4; Talbot Redneck R7

    Pocono
    7/11/14, +Chrome Cruiser R2
    7/12/14, Milliondollartouch R4; Sky Desperado R12

    Running Aces
    7/12/14, The Wizard Of Odz R5; Emmasphere R7; Morwyn Hanover R10

    Scarborough
    7/12/14, Bullseye R2; Cheryl Leigh R9

    Scioto
    7/10/14, +Bongo R4; Hi Ho Disguise R9; Touch And Go R9
    7/12/14, Spudcam R3; +Winchester R11

    Tioga
    7/11/14, Northern Obsession R5; Kaliska R6; Bobs Girl R9
    7/12/14, McKelie R1; +Heidi Falls R12

    Vernon
    7/10/14, Chocouture R3
    7/11/14, +Choke Hold R7
    7/12/14, Midas Blue Chip R1; Take The Edge Off R5; I Do Hanover R7; +Caidens Colt R8

    Yonkers
    7/11/14, +Summertime Lea R6

    Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition.      

  • Stakes shine in the mountains

    POSTED Jun 25, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    Once again we head to the Pocono Mountains this Saturday for the sport’s features. On the chromatic dirt surface of the five-eighths mile spread of Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs will ride the best of last week’s elim performers for the Max Hempt, James Lynch, Earl Beal, Jr. and Ben Franklin. Covering five divisions, there will also be a a $75,000 “Hempt” Consolation and a $50,000 “Lynch” Consolation, as well as a pair of $100,000 Invitationals.

    The Earl Beal, Jr. Final soph stakes are handled on our sister blog, the Hambletonian Trail. Don’t miss our exclusive coverage; click the link after you read this blog and check out the extensive analysis on that page.

    On Friday, the Meadowlands presents a cavalcade of New Jersey Sires Stakes (NJSS) freshmen, elaborating the stakes season with the youngest divisions of fillies and pacers on both gaits.

    Weekdays are harness plentiful, too, check out the TwinSpires-Hoosier perks for 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 any and all late-breaking information on racing events and betting challenges that transpire between the publications of the two TwinSpires harness racing blogs.

    Pacers To The ‘Max’

    Mcwicked is the standout in the $500,000 Max Hempt Final off of a 1:48 victory as the 1-5 public choice in his elimination. This race features two horses who proved they can race according to the opportunist bias present at Pocono: Cammikey and At Press Time.

    There is no way this race will be given to Mcwicked like what happened in his elimination. With All Bets Off, who loves to stalk the pace, drawing post 8, this will be an all-out war on the front. Cammikey came into contention from third at the pylons and managed to finish second. At Press Time won his elim after sitting a pocket trip. These two will have a scolding pace set in front of them and are equal when it comes to their chances of winning. However, which is higher in value will be out of our hands. At this point, it seems Cammikey will be higher in price.

    Lynch Ladies

    The $300,000 James Lynch Final will be Uffizi Hanover’s race to win or lose, as she draws the rail off a brutal trip in the elimination. When it comes to these finals she has always been patient, from her victory in the Breeders Crown at two to a pocket trip in the Fan Hanover two weeks ago. Yet, one filly showed tremendous improvement in her elimination despite finishing second, Gallie Bythe Beach.

    Pocono is known to have a bias for opportunists, it was seen nearly all night in the eliminations. Gallie Bythe Beach cut the mile in her elimination, a drastic improvement from her two other efforts of 2014. This will be a race where strategy will prevail and if John Campbell tries to stalk the leader rather than be the leader, she’ll have a chance to defeat Uffizi Hanover.

    Consolations And Invitationals

    The $75,000 Hempt consolation offers a cast of second-tier colts from the division, with one exception: Doo Wop Hanover. How this guy didn’t make the final remains to be explained, since he is yet to show us he is a chump. All around him in this field are plodders compared to those in the Hempt final, so launching from the 8 hole should not be a problem. It is difficult to predict a favorite here except to say that “Doo Wop” won’t be on top, giving the bettor an edge on a price because he appears to be that good.

    Nine fillies that didn’t make the Lynch final have a shot at some major bucks in the Lynch consolation, worth $50,000. At 61-1 we never had a chance to witness an attempt by Katie Said, who was our second choice in her Lynch elim. Interference and a break ruined chances of seeing the final field up close. Here, the three-for-eight sophomore will be a good price because last week’s miscue may help. All in all, this is a poor group that can spawn an upset considering it may overbet a few into favoritism.

    The $100,000 USTA Invitational for older pacers is wide open unless you focus upon Dancin Yankee. It is difficult to believe an 8-1-morning line on this guy, who recently won a mile on this surface in 1:47.2. He is in his best shape, though that record mile was four races back, and he is simple the best of this group and may prove it with a sweeping early move and another boiling finish but this time at a better price (he was odds on when he won his speed badge).

    The Sun Invitation for trotters, also worth $100,000, will once again anoint Sebastian K and the Swedish stallion deserves it, dominating this division in three-straight wins against its toughest foes. In the “Cutler” final, we gave you the exacta with Sebastian K winning and Modern Family completing the couple. At $38 it was a steal. This could be the same situation, with Modern Family soaring to the top and cutting the quarters until Sebastian K pours on the speed inside or outside. Still, we would take “Family” to win because a nose or a whisker at Pocono can mean the difference between a whole bunch of dollars in a cashing experience. Box the exacta, though, especially if Family is, as we expect, displaying a large price to win.

    Big ‘Ben’

    Top, classy elders in the pacing ranks will be featured in the Ben Franklin Final. Here is an event that has soared to the top of the division’s big events with a purse of a half-million dollars. The cast this year is a compendium of talent that spans many seasons and leaves many race scenarios in play. Though these guys change crowns through the season, right now Sweet Lou is the ruler of the herd. His most recent three races have been scorching trounces of the likes of these, with the exception of Captaintreacherous.

    The only pacer not on Lasix, Captaintreacherous will not race as the favorite here, as he did when he was nosed out of a win in the elim by Domethatagain (here in post 5). That one, in fact, is the least of his problems in this mile. In fact, Captaintreacherous has little to worry about when it comes to the four-year-olds in this group; his main target is Sweet Lou.

    Getting a good price on Captaintreacherous will be a wonderful site but it may not be a spot for a large wager but a good spot for an exotic or two with his main nemesis. Burke is the conditioner of the first four lining up and aside from “Lou” the others can provide some traffic problems (thank goodness they are not coupled). Foiled Again, whose on-again-off-again form has no pattern, could present a lot of trouble anywhere during the mile.

    Freshmen Fire At Meadowlands

    First, we will evaluate the field of NJSS frosh-colt trotters in the only mile for this division; it’s worth $39,000. There are only two sires represented, as so many stallions in the state have moved and some farms have closed. Muscles Yankee is still producing Ihe has moved to New York) and now his champion son, Muscle Hill is, too (now in Pennsylvania). Five represents “Yankee” and three are from “Hill.”

    Other than some baby races, these are the first frosh products to hit the track this season from either sire. There are only qualifiers and baby races to use for past-performances, which is the case for all of the frosh events on the program.

    Jimmy Takter has his band of freshmen raring to go, including French Laundry in this group. The colt is coming off of two Meadowlands baby-race wins and will attract a scad of money based on that and his trainer’s brand.

    Off of a single appearance, Guess Whos Back showed a wonderful attempt to finish second but that won’t get by bettors, especially with Brian Sears up for the drive. It’s Muscle Blues that captures our attention, with a marked improvement in his third baby race. Debuting with a break and coming back from it with a smooth fourth against “Laundry,” Muscle Blues showed speed and leadership next out, just nipped at the wire after leading the mile. He could be bargain even if he is the third public choice here.

    The NJSS filly trot is a $38,500 affair with all seven gals by Muscle Hill. None of these come from team Takter, so the wagering may be scattered between a few, including Ron Burke’s Mission Brief and Joe Holloway’s Saturday Mornings. Still, we are going to take the outside gal, Southwind Cartier for a few reasons.

    This Muscle Hill is by a Chocolatier mare and that is a combination we want to follow closely as the frosh season ensues. Both of the filly’s baby races were at Pocono and trainer D.R. Ackerman will be at the helm. Trouble on a Pocono “good” surface was solved too late in the mile to win, settling for fourth. But her debut was a very strong wire-to-wire win. It is doubtful the public handicappers or the crowd will be investing in this gal, leaving us with a fine price for a strong contender.

    An octet comprise the first pacing colt split, which features a half-brother to Western Vintage, who won this race last year, Western Pioneer. Managing to drop four seconds off of his qualifier times, he’ll likely take a majority of the wagering. Yet, a few posts down from him resides Original Zin, who ships in from Philadelphia. He raced twice in qualifiers there, with his first an unappealing 2:02 effort. Returning from two weeks of rest, he paced a 1:55.2 mile, riding the pocket the whole way. His unknown connections should only inflate his price greater.

    The latter split is headlined by Bruce’s Magic, who paced a 1:55.4 qualifier in wire-to-wire fashion off of a break in his first outing. Coming in off of 13 days off is Sid Rock. He’s an unusual colt in this field, since he displayed two different racing styles in his qualifiers. In his first, he came first over at three-quarters and was less than a length from victory. In his second, he came from the middle of the pack and closed to be a length off the winner. Coming back rested, he should be ready to go. Dealt A Winner should also not be discounted, since he possesses a fierce closing kick as he begins his career.

    The premier division for the fillies consists of six, with one being a full sister to world-champion Put On A Show: The Show Returns. She comes off of a three-second improvement in a qualifier where she tried to go gate to wire but faltered to second. Residing at the rail is Stacia Hanover, who ships in after two strong qualifiers at Gaitway, both in wire-to-wire fashion; her most recent a 1:57 mile with a :26.4 kicker. With a filly whose pedigree has already shone in the spotlight contesting in this division, it will hopefully influence the odds to make our contender a slightly higher price.

    Our eyes in the other division are on Smart Zone, who will start on the outside of her foes from post 6. She has three qualifiers under her belt, two at Pocono, and has improved in every one. Her most recent was at the Meadowlands, a 1:57.1 time with a :26.2 kicker off of a pocket trip. She is a stalking type who can keep up with the leader and then leave them in her dust. She’s dangerous and can only get better with each start.

    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

    Buffalo
    6/28/14, +Zampano R1; +Milliondollardad R12

    Hoosier
    6/28/14, +Slingshot Shooter R8

    Maywood
    6/27/14, So Reserved R6; +Pretty Place R12; +Colefederate R13

    Meadows
    6/27/14,+Little Mans Magic R4; Percevt Change R8; Light N Shadow R12 +Hedges Lane R13

    Ocean
    6/26/14, Yacht Party R3
    6/27/14, +Whitesville Ted R2
    6/29/14, +Diamond Gambler R1; Starlets Toy R4; +CJ Crystal R10

    Plainridge
    6/28/14, Vanyar Hanover R2; +Miss Defiance R4

    Pocono
    6/22/14, +Petty Hanover R7; Joltin Colt R8; Fresh Dream R12; Chrome Cruiser R12

    Saratoga
    6/28/14, +Forty Carrots R4; +Lex Lugar R10; +Rocky Regal R12
     
    Scarborough
    6/26/14, +Im A Lucky Man ae R2
    6/27/14, +Dr Prescription R3; +Sassy Sarah R6; Winbak Wildfire R8
    6/28/14,  Mary Rose Of Topaz R9; Heaven Touched R10

    Scioto
    6/26/14, Rokingcastle as R13
    6/28/14, Winchester R12

    Tioga
    6/27/14, +Geronimo Fame R4
    6/28/14, +What About Brian R1; Heidi Falls R1

    Vernon
    6/27/14, Choke Hold ae R4
    6/28/14, +Big City Jewel R4; +Team Edward R7; +Stormin Rustler R7

     Lindys Real Deal R4;; +Printing A Place R8; Caidens Colt R9

    Yonkers
    6/26/14, Eagle Now R4; Greystone Cash R6; Insane In Spain R9
    6/27/14, Some Like It Hot R5; +Babes I Scoot R10

    Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition.      

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED Jun 22, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    Sun Stakes Saturday at Pocono Downs on Saturday, June 22, was a speed showdown, with elimination miles that were decided after blistering three-quarters, duels for the lead and whiskers.

    The headliner was the first Ben Franklin elim, where we supported Captaintreacherous against four-year-olds and older for the first time in 2014. He was tremendous racing on the outside after being forced to the lead early and burrowing through the stretch, having already put away Foiled Again (10-years-old), Bettor’s Edge (five-years-old) and four-year-olds Sunshine Beach, Sunfire Blue Chip and Beach Memories. At the wire, however, 29-1 Domethatagain nudged a quantum-nose ahead down the passing lane after having an extremely easy trip sitting behind the champ. Captaintreacherous ($3, $2.10) meets “Dome” again in next week’s final.

    The second Ben Franklin elim went to the ever-improving Sweet Lou, now five. Our choice, Allstar Legend made the final by finishing fourth. The final will be a fascinating battle between “Lou” and “Captain,” as opposed to the projected duel between Captain and Foiled Again, as Lou is racing a hole in the wind in this division.

    The week’s results from the Hambletonian Trail blog presented an upset and some easily predicted victories by soph-trotting mainstays. In elims for the Earl Beale, Jr., also at Pocono on Saturday, everyone’s favorite Father Patrick ($2.10, $2.10, $2.10) was an easy winner. So was Nuncio in the second of the two affairs, with our choice Datskyk ($2.10, $2.10) completing the $3.60 exacta.

    We nailed both of the colt winners Saturday at Saratoga on the Hambletonian Trail with Gural Hanover ($5.90, $3.10, $2.10) and Lukas Hall ($3, $2.30, $2.30 ok).

    Wednesday, June 18 in Pennsylvania Sires Stakes for fillies on the “Trail” at Pocono, the stunning defeat of Shake It Cerry ($2.10) was the work of Desgined To Be, who, strangely enough, was an 8-5 second choice. Our other choice, Donella Hanover finished fourth at 7-1.

    We share the successes of soph-trot endeavors here with our weekly update. The Hambletonian Trail comes to you in cooperation with TwinSpires and the Hambletonian Society. You can read the recap race stories and data on the history of the August classics at the society’s archives.

    In the Max Hempt elims, also on Sun Stakes Saturday at Pocono, our choice and the public’s choice in the first round, Always B Miki, suffered a tough outside trip, finishing third but placed fifth and not earning a berth in the final. Our second choice finished second—Limelight Beach ($3, $3.40 ok)—and our third choice finished third—Allstar Partner ($20.80).

    In the second of three splits, Sometimes Said ($2.20) was third at 4-1, while top-rated Doo Wop Hanover (4-1) was skewered on the lead, finishing seventh (no final for him) and Western Vintage (7-1) put in a terrible effort, finishing eighth; neither, of course, make the final.

    The third elim was taken by North America Cup choice-gone-bad Mcwicked, with our choice, Stratos Hanover seventh at 39-1.

    Soph-filly pacers went in a trio of elims for the James Lynch final’s field. In the first split we were second with our second-choice Gallie Bythe Beach ($5.80, $3.20), with our top choice, Someislandsomwhere, finishing fourth at 5-2. Nothing went well for us in round two, as Allstar Rating (2-1) was paced down badly in the stretch and Katie Said broke from interference at 61-1.

    More unpredicted antics served the results of the third split, with huge choice (and our choice) Uffizi Hanover ($2.20, $2.10) nipped at the wire after a scalding first half and our second choice, Also Encouraging ($5.80) getting third.

    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.

    A reader/bettor sent us an email when he noticed something odd about our H2W (horses to watch list) this past week. Over the course of a few weeks (we are in week 24 of the list this year) a great number of horses returning for their second and last entries on the list (notated with a “+” before their names) are coincidentally drawing tough, outside posts. It’s unfortunate and sometimes moot but it has resulted in many loses for second-timers. You may want to create a spin-off list of such horses and follow them when they come back for the third time. We will still only keep horses twice on the list, regardless of their posts either time.

    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

    Rock Out, $22.20, $7, $2.80 (Exacta $64.80), Meadowlands
    Lindys Real Deal, $18.60, $6, $3.20 (Exacta $51.50), Vernon
    Muscles To Spare, $10.40, $5.80, $4, Tioga
    The Real One, $6.20, $3.80, $2.40, Yonkers
    That Friskie Feeling, $5.40, $4, $3.60, Scioto
    JJs Jet, $4.60, $5 ok, $2.80, Scarborough
    Dune Dude, $4, $2.80, $2.40, Maywood
    H-andharleythejet, $4, $2.20, $2.10 (*Exacta $12.60), Plainridge
    The Maniac, $3.80, $2.20, $2.10, Buffalo

    Seconds

    CJ Crystal, $4.40, $2.80 (Exacta $30), Ocean
    Always Wearable, $4.20, $2.10, Hoosier
    Geronimo Fame, $4.10, $4, Tioga
    Pretty Place, $3.40, $3, Maywood
    Miss Defiance, $2.60, $3.20 ok (*Exacta $12.60), Plainridge

    Thirds

    Clearly Possessed, $10, Buffalo
    Milliondollardad, $5.60, Buffalo
    Nothinbutanallstar, $5, Hoosier
    Milliondollartouch, $4.80, Saratoga
    What About Brian, $4.40, Tioga
    Team Edward, $4, Vernon
    Zampano, $3.40, Buffalo
    Big City Jewel, $3, Yonkers
    Sassy Sarah, $3, Scarborough
    Winbak Wildfire, $3, Scarborough
    Forty Carrots, $2.30, Saratoga

    News And Notes

    Northfield Park has added a $10,000-guaranteed total pool for a Pick-5 bet on Monday, June 23’s racing program. The pool includes a carry-over amount of $1,946.92. The wager begins with Race 3 that evening. Northfield’s Pick 3s, 4s and 5s offer a 14-percent take out rate.

    Batavia Downs’ 68th harness season is poised to begin. The 2014 season features 72 racing programs beginning July 23 and going through Dec.6. The racing days are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons in July and August. After Sept. 1, Tuesday nights replace Sunday matinees. The evening post time is 6:35 EST and afternoon post time is 1:15 p.m.

    Some feel it is about time and considering Bee A Magician’s losing season thus far at four it may be a way to show that her connections still have plenty of confidence in her. What this is all about is Bee A Magician racing for the first time against males. Last Saturday at Mohawk, “Bee” finished ninth in the Armbro Flight Final. It was a performance that raised questions since the only time that she ever missed the board in her career was in her second start at two. Trainer Nifty Norman told Trot Insider that she scoped sick after the “Flight” final. Norman said she is “feeling better already.” Bee has lost her first three starts of the 2014 season after never tasting defeat at three in 17 starts (remember, we gave you D’orsay who beat her and paid over $100 to win). Norman said she will race next on July 5 in the $400,000 Hambletonian Futurity for four-year-olds at The Meadowlands. ‎That race is open to all four-year-old trotters and it means she’ll skip the second leg of the Miss Versatility for trotting mares on Monday, June 30 at Mohawk.

    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

  • Eliminations rock harness schedule again

    POSTED Jun 18, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    Plenty of harness action ensues when a batch of eliminations are on the docket and top horses are battling for berths in the more lucrative finals the following week. This time around we have a giant program at Pocono, with elims for glamour-boy pacers and trotters, soph filly pacers and the four-and-up crew, featuring Captaintreacherous against older-than-four-year-olds.

    A few of the soph stakes are handled on our sister blog, the Hambletonian Trail. Don’t miss important coverage, click the link after you read this blog and check out the action on that page.

    Weekdays are harness plentiful, too, check out the TwinSpires-Hoosier perks for 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 any and all late-breaking information on racing events and betting challenges that transpire between the publications of the two TwinSpires harness racing blogs.

    Pacing Boys Review

    Here come three elimination fields for the Max Hempt Memorial, each worth $25,000 and a berth in next week’s final. However, the crème de crème has skipped the trip to the Pocono Mountains after the crop went Canadian for last week’s million at Mohawk. Few North America Cup cast members take to the five-eighths oval for the “Hempt” elims, including the winner, JK Endofanera.

    Consider this band of glamour-boy pacers the second tier at this point in the season. None of the “Cup” crew adorns the post positions in round one. However, a Cup elim member that did not make it to the final but demands respect is here. That’s Always B Miki, who made an uncharacteristic jump in a Cup elim and was eliminated from the final. He is quite a pacer and if that break was simply a glitch he will be a major player in this, if not the public choice. “Miki” is a good exotic key with other than At Press Time, the Ron Burke trainee that may be a sound second public choice. Limelight Beach could add value in the second spot, as may Allstar Partner, both on the brink of some major stakes attention.

    In Hempt two, Western Vintage returns. Like Miki, this guy didn’t make the Cup final, finishing fourth in his elim after a wide trip and then losing the draw as a random choice for the Cup field to a far less talented one. Also missing from the Cup due to a poor start is the talented Doo Wop Hanover. It’s amazing to think that the Cup final’s favorite was Tellitlikeitis, who won the elim “Doo Wop” lost, considering Doo Wop seems far more talented. That loss should not eliminate Doo Wop from major contention here and when he makes the Hempt final. Doo Wop and “Vintage” still loom at JK Endofanera’s major foes in the division this season, so don’t count either of them out, especially if the wagering is skewed in this eight-horse field.

    All Bets Off is here and although he won the “Rooney” he is yet to prove he is better than the aforementioned pair. It’s be great, however, if he winds up making them overlays by attracting too much money.

    As well, Sometimes Said is back and although his Cup performance was dull, don’t toss him out in any of these contests just quite yet. When he strikes, at least the first time, he will pay a bundle. Can he do it here? Certainly, if he is fourth public choice or more. 

    The third Hempt split is the truly third-tier bunch. Seven of them line up, six which will bow in the betting to Mcwicked, leaving us with some great prices. This is our view because Mcwicked was such a buzz horse before he won his elim and before the final field got rolling. He is Casie Coleman’s ball of speed that can burn up during any mile, as he did in the Cup final. The crowd will cover Mcwicked with bets while we look elsewhere.

    What happened to Stevensville after he decimated Hes Watching at Yonkers? That speed was made for Pocono, if it is isn’t heavily challenged. More interesting is Joe Holloway’s Stratos Hanover, who we want to catch as he is ignored among a field like this so as to pick up a great price. The chance may be in this mile, with a slightly tactical ride against speed that falters as the third turn approaches.

    ’Lynch’ Mob

    Sophomore filly pacers are also a part of the cavalcade of eliminations set to contest on Saturday, June 21 at Pocono, with three elims for the James Lynch Memorial.

    Frosh Breeders Crown elim winner Gallie Bythe Beach appears to be the one to beat in the opening elim because she has tactical speed in a race with a lot of early speed. The other filly that possesses tactical speed here is Someislandsomwhere, who displayed her foot on “sloppy” going in the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) at Harrah’s Philadelphia; a winning effort. She might provide greater value in this mile but Gallie Bythe Beach will be her main foe.

    The second elimination is also one which consists of speedy fillies, one being Southwind Silence, starting from post 9. This could create a faster pace that would also benefit tactical gals, one being Allstar Rating. She has been sharp all year but has yet to defeat a caliber of fillies of equivalent talent as these. Another strategic filly, one who will likely be ignored in the betting, is Katie Said. She has shown issues with her gait but has a victory in Grand Circuit competition (the Ladyship). While she is an outsider, she could perhaps be a key in the exotics.

    Capping the filly events will be a match up between two sharp gals, current division-leader Uffizi Hanover and Lismore-winner Tyra. Coming off a sweep of the Fan Hanover, “Uffizi” will be the shorter price but if, after all, the better horse. She is too sharp to go against, especially when she has no definite racing style.

    Underneath her, there could lay value. One contender that could provide a good exotic is Also Encouraging, who comes off of a second-place effort in the PASS. She has speed and tends to travel uncovered in pursuit of command but the ultimate goal this evening will be to make the final, something that this filly should accomplish. For a bomb, Palm Beach is also worth including. Exempting her bad draw in the Lismore final, she is a strong closer. Add on her inside draw and she could possibly provide a nice payoff underneath the one to beat.

    ’Captain’ Courageous

    The elders of the pacing ranks will be featured in two elims for the Ben Franklin on the same night at Pocono Downs.

    The opening split renews a rivalry that premiered at the end of 2014 in the Free For All Championship in November at the Meadowlands: Captaintreacherous versus Foiled Again. This race seems more like Captaintreacherous versus everyone else, since the other five horses are coming into this race sharp against older than four-year-olds (“Captain” is yet to be other than four-year-olds at three or four). Yet, Captain has braced every storm that struck him and, off of a tremendous score in the Meadowlands Maturity from post 10, nothing says he can’t navigate his way through another.

    The other elim highlights the return of Sweet Lou, a champion as a freshman who has recently hit his best stride in the older division. Coming into the mile on a three-race win streak, expect him to be the overwhelming choice. Yet, that does not necessarily mean you shouldn’t bet against him. His main foe appears to be Allstar Legend, a five-year-old who has not yet faced Sweet Lou. He has speed that would fit the Pocono surface, especially if he can be given a patient drive. His speed is what killed him in his last outing at Poconon, battling to three-quarters in a :25.4 clip. Patience will be the key for Ron Burke’s other entrant.

    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

    Buffalo
    6/20/14, +Clearly Possessed R3
    6/21/14, Sand Savage R3; Zampano R7; Milliondollardad R9; The Maniac R9

    Hoosier
    6/20/14, +Always Wearable R8; Sand Tilly Lace R11

    Maywood
    6/20/14, Colefederate R2; Pretty Place R6; Big Turn On R7; Dune Dude R7;

    Meadowlands
    6/21/14, Rock Out R12; The X Horse R13

    Meadows
    6/20/14, Little Mans Magic R7; Hardwood Hanover R11; Hedges Lane R12

    Ocean
    6/20/14, Diamond Gambler R1; CJ Crystal R3; Whitesville Ted R9; Yacht Party ae R10

    Plainridge
    6/21/14, Vanyar Hanover R2; H-andharleythejet R7; Miss Defiance R7

    Pocono
    6/22/14, +Petty Hanover R7; Joltin Colt R8; Fresh Dream R12; Chrome Cruiser R12

    Saratoga
    6/21/14, Forty Carrots R4; Milliondollartouch R9; Lex Lugar R12
     
    Scarborough
    6/20/14, Winbak Wildfire R3; Dr Prescription R4; Sassy Sarah R9
    6/21/14, +Signthepaige R1; JJs Jet R1; Vintage Art R6; Im A Lucky Man R7; LCBS Season R8

    Scioto
    6/21/14, That Friske Feeling R1; Nutmegs Gigalo R2

    Tioga
    6/22/14, Geronimo Fame R1; Professorsdapapers R2; McKelvie R5; Muscles To Spare R5; +It’s Bush Time R12; What About Brian R12; Heidi Falls ae R12

    Vernon
    6/14/14, Team Edward R4; Lindys Real Deal R4; Stormin Rustler R7; +Printing A Place R8; Caidens Colt R9

    Yonkers
    6/19/14, Big City Jewel R3
    6/20/14, Rossini R6
    6/21/14, +In A Craze R1; The Real One R2

    Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition.      

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED Jun 15, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    A solid weekend, though a few got away from us, while some low-priced overlays dominated and a million-dollar race went to our number-two, who was out number-one overlay.

    We start at the Meadowlands on Friday, June 13, where Captaintreacherous returned to the track in his debut as a four-year-old and won against similar in the $100,000 Meadowlands Maturity. Everything we wrote about the debut in our June 12 blog was dead-on and Captaintreacherous ($3.80, $2.80, $2.10) delivered a mile looking much like he has his best sophomore form, along with a very good price; rarely does odds-on look as plentiful as this pacer makes it.

    Saturday, our Hambletonian Trail blog presented one of three winners in the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes divisions for soph-colt pacers. That winner was, of course, Father Patrick ($2.10, $2.10, $2.10). In another division, though, our choice Don Dorado was second ($2.60, $2.20) to the obvious favorite Nuncio. The exacta came back $5.40. “Don” was a remarkable 11-1, the pool prices eaten by the huge support for Nuncio. But Don, who we predict as one of the division’s blooming stars this season, looked terrific and deserves attention, even against Jimmy Takter’s trotting terror team, with colts and fillies dominating divisions so far this season. Our other choice in a split, DD’s Hitman (3-1), broke and was eliminated midway through the mile.

    Another Takter trotting terror, Trixton, was part of the triactor the Hambletonian Trail blog forecast for Mohawk on North America Cup (NAC) night. In the Goodtimes Final, Trixton won ($2.20, $2.10 n/s), with Il Signo Dream ($8.10, n/s, Exacta $10.20) and Harper Blue Chip was third to complete the very generous $39.50 triactor.

    Sunday at Tioga, the Hambletonian Trail covered New York Sires Stakes for soph-filly trotters, losing one and getting a good second with Beauty Of Grey ($8.50, $4.20).

    We share the successes of soph-trot endeavors here with our weekly update. The Hambletonian Trail comes to you in cooperation with TwinSpires and the Hambletonian Society. You can read the recap race stories and data on the history of the August classics at the society’s archives.

    Mohawk served the remainder of the weekend stakes on NAC night. We supported Uffizi Hanover for the third time since we had her when she paid the top price (4-1) in her two-year-old Breeders Crown division final last season. We chose her to win her Fan Hanover elim last week, which she did at 6-1. This week she took the final, paying $5.30, $3, $2.70.

    Fifth place seemed to be the most comfortable finishing spot for our other top picks but in the main event, the NAC, our second choice turned into the strongest overlay and he won as we thought he could in our June 13 blog analysis. The crowd, their enthusiasm going to buzz horses, local Canadian heroes and last week’s deceivingly fast elim winners, overlooked JK Endofanera. “JK” was sent off at 12-1. Our first choice was Lyonssomewhere, whose 3-1 odds surprised us. He was all out to start, something we did not predict when we assessed the speed brigade in the field, and he was forced to take the lead in a blistering 25-and-change move. The rest of the race went as predicted, with other speedsters battling to a 1:20-and-change three-quarters. This, as we wrote, opened it for JK, who paced rapidly past the tired ones to win. He paid $26.30, $9.20, $5.90. Our disappointment in Lyonssomewhere (fifth) does not disqualify him from a good season, as the lightly raced colt—another Takter trainee, though a pacer—gets rolling in upcoming stakes. Takter is still very high on this sharp son of Somebeachsomewhere.

    Last week’s 54-1 win with D’orsay for us turned into a 10-1 loss in the Ambro Flight Final, as he finished fifth behind a wall of horses to the public’s second choice.

    In the Roses Are Red Final, we were fifth with Summertime Lea, who we challenged with our second choice, the obvious favorite Anndrovette ($4.60, $2.80, $2.40).

    The Gold Cup also found us fifth in the end with Sunshine Beach (3-1) and this time, while we tried to beat the favorite Foiled Again, that one wound up second ($5.20, $3.20) to an 80-1 shot, rumbling the tote board.

    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 this past week offered a scant number of the horses on the list because few of the total horses we are watching were entered (none entered at Plainridge, Scioto, Northfield). Plus, Rosecroft Raceway closed and handed Maryland harness to the summer breezes of Ocean Downs in Ocean City’s resort playground. We will add Ocean Downs to the mix in the June 19 blog. Still, in the season’s 23 weeks so far, the H2W list has provided many winners and healthy prices in place and show, with 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

    Youwillwishyouhad, $5, $3, $2.40, Vernon
    Drop The Ball, $3.40, $2.40, $2.10, Pocono

    Seconds

    Top Gear. $9.20, $6.40, Pocono
    Giant Sculpture, $4.60, $3.20 (Exacta $37.40), Pocono
    Jam And Jelly, $4, $3.80, Tioga

    Thirds

    Whitemountainpower, $3, Vernon
    Mcattee, $2.70, Saratoga

    News And Notes

    A few months ago a North America Cup hopeful was Arthur Blue Chip. You may have cashed on his largest paying win when we supported him at two in a Metro Pace elim. But his soph season is in trouble because now he is on the sidelines indefinitely. Trainer Dr. Ian Moore declines to elaborate on exactly what kind of leg injury is keeping “Art” from coming back to the track but he confirmed that the horse is still recuperating, saying he remains “optimistic about the prospects to get back racing … Nothing has changed with his situation and won't change for at least another six weeks. It will be August before any decisions will be made on his progress.”

    Goalie Jeff, 1989 North America Cup-winner, has died. Trained by Tom Artandi, the colt was the top three-year-old pacing colt and a winner of $2 million. The son of Cam Fella died at Finish Line Farms in Illinois. He was 28. Goalie Jeff was an outstanding racehorse, also winning the Little Brown Jug and Breeders Crown during his hot soph season. He also sired some classy horses.

    The Ontario Racing Commission has suspended Jody Jamieson, a top harness racing driver, for a period of 15 days, due to a positive for cocaine. Jamieson was slated to drive Hes Watching in the $ North America Cup but was replaced by trainer David Menary with Tim Tetrick. Jamieson last drove on June 7. The 38-year-old Jamieson admitted to the offense. In a statement he said, “I made an uncharacteristic, irrational and serious error in judgment on a Saturday night after the races, off the [Mohawk] premesis.” Jody said he is visiting a substance abuse professional and is “willing to take part in any and all random drug test on a go-forward basis that the [commission] seems necessary.” He promised to “earn back” the industry’s respect and trust.

    The connections of top-ranked trotter Sebastian K will come back to the races on June 20 at the Meadowlands in another FFA trot. “He’s not going to mind,” said Bernie Noren, assistant trainer for Ake Svanstadt. “He’s feeling good, he’s training good and everything is just fine.” Sebastian K easily won the Arthur J. Cutler Memorial elim in a world-record-equaling 1:50.1 and captured the final in a stakes-record 1:50.2. Those two starts were the beginning of Sebastian K’s North American racing career. The eight-year-old trotter was Sweden’s Horse of the Year in 2012 and has won 28 of 65 lifetime starts and earned $2.39 million.

    The horrendous performance of Precocious Beauty in a Fan Hanover elim last week, which cost her a berth in the final, according to trainer Gregg McNair, was because “she tied up bad. She’s a tie-up horse and we train her like one. She gets turned out every day. She got turned out that Saturday morning and it didn’t help.” McNair said the filly was all right according to a few times she was checked out before the elim. She is scheduled to be in a sires stakes at Vernon on June 28.

    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

  • North America Cup Headlines Huge Stakes Program; Captaintreacherous Returns

    POSTED Jun 11, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    The $1-million Pepsi North America Cup features a glimpse of the glamour-boy division’s best pacers. It is the biggest purse for the group all season but it may or may not be the showcase of the top colt. After the elims last week we were left with this field, arguably the best of those three elims. Historically, the “Cup” is a chaotic event that can produce many one-hit wonders, as well as there are times the resolute champion colt doesn’t make it to the final (vis a vis Western Vintage in this edition). Our horse-by-horse analysis is a click and a scroll away.

    Before the Cup, there is the inaugural $100,000 Meadowlands Maturity, open to all four-year-old pacers but featuring one solid star—Captaintreacherous. Two horses in this field are the only to defeat him in 2013. Most in the field of these have already raced. Add to that the swarm of “mutineers” that have provided so many overlays on one of the sport’s most brilliant stars at two and three and are bound to resurface for this, plus, the seasonal debut of Captaintreacherous launching from post 10 makes this a sullied event.

    The Mohawk Saturday night program is strewn with high-profile events and exotic wagering and we have our fingers on the pulse of it all below. The multi-race exotic in focus is Race 7 through Race 10, the All Stakes Pick 4, with a $100,000 (Canadian) guarantee. Those stakes, in order, are the Roses Are Red, Mohawk Gold Cup, Fan Hanover and North America Cup, all covered below, along with suggested horses for the other two Pick 4 sets that evening.

    More from the Mohawk evening and some other soph-colt stakes events are handled on our sister blog, the Hambletonian Trail.

    Weekdays are harness plentiful, too, check out the TwinSpires-Hoosier perks for 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 any and all late-breaking information on racing events and betting challenges that transpire between the publication of the two TwinSpires harness racing blogs.

    Maturity Mayhem

    Over and over again last season, the contingent of anti-Captaintreacherous bettors refused to give him his due in the win pools, so he went off at remarkable odds—for a colt so combatant in victory. What you may find in the Meadowlands Maturity on Friday, June 13, is that group counting on every element that may be able to thwart every other colt. But if Captaintreacherous is anywhere near the performer he was in 2013, those mutineers will be looking for excuses again while “treacherous” wins as a strong overlay.

    There is a knock or two on any one of the other nine in this field in general; add to that the treacherous qualifier—or should we call it a “quali-fire”?—and the race goes to the swift, talented and charismatic—which all describe Captaintreacherous. Watch for the overlay, a mere even-money send-off is worth it. Or just watch and enjoy.

    The Cup  .

    Here is the field for the Cup, in post position order, with individual comments and a summary at their end.

    Beat The Drum
    Only a skewed trip by the top colts in this field gives Beat The Drum a shot at winning. He has a decent late kick but only got into the final having saved some ground and finding some room passing tired ones.

    McWicked
    The fiery mile produced in his elim will impress the speed-handicapping brigade but it may be his worse enemy in the long run. In fact, in his elim win, Sometimes Said had the more difficult mile, finishing second the hard way, without clearing the top. This guy reminds me of a few colts trainer Cassie Coleman has managed, all of them spotty with their speedy miles.

    Tellitlikeitis
    If a quick three-quarters is going to ruin a few of these, count Tellitlikeitis among the ruined. First off, without a good spot to let those in front of him work hard, it is difficult to see him engaging in any challenges. He may wind up a second-tier member of the division and we certainly don’t see him shining in this group.

    Lyonssomewhere
    Jimmy Takter pacers are every bit as dangerous as Jimmy Takter trotters and Lyonssomewhere could prove it. His soph career so far shows the kind of speed that could set this race up for a closer but look out because Lyonssomewhere can also close. That’s because he is a product of Somebeachsomewhere, who won this race, as did one of his sons, Captaintreacherous. It is hard to believe that “Lyons” is the only son of “Somebeach” in this field. Add Takter to tactics and bloodline and you have a potent blend of danger.

    Lets Drink On It
    To show the basic impotence of speed as a major factor in a top class, look at how Lets Drink On It let McWicked take over last week. “Drink” didn’t only sink, he let Sometimes Said, who worked harder, fly by him. At the risk of writing one more wisecrack, we don’t imagine any glasses being raised for the success of Drink in the Cup.

    Ideal Cowboy
    This gelding got into the race as the random draw. He is not of this ilk and will be very long odds that still represent an underlay. There just isn’t any case for him to be here, no less win.

    Hes Watching
    We all should know the story of this New York-bred colt by now and still have reservations about his talent. In the Cup he meets the best group of colts he may ever face and that alone is reason to imagine he finishes off the board. In order for him to change my mind and even consider him in the class of some of these, he will have to win this through adversity and domination, a rare combination that stamps a true hero.

    Luck Be Withyou
    When this one peaks it will be done with the maturity he still seeks this early in the season. Maybe in the Little Brown Jug or when he gets as good as he became when he beat Sometimes Said in the Breeders Crown at two in 2013. But he isn’t as good as he will get this season and so he gets only a few chances in the percentage pool for this race.

    JK Endofanera
    He must be painfully respected in this race because he has exploded at three and his loss in the elim last week as a dead-on favorite should be embraced considering he gave way to Lyons, who we applauded a few paragraphs ago. He is sharp and still improving upon how he has returned to the races at three with major talent and willingness. If the bettors let him go this time he becomes a major overlay, with post 9 actually benefiting his tactical speed.

    Sometimes Said
    From the time he almost defeated Luck Be Withyou at the Breeders Crown (he got our public support during live coverage of the race at Pocono Downs) we have respected Something Said and certainly more than the betting public when he faces the top tier in his own division. He is better than most of these guys on a few levels and has his work cut out for him if he is going to race as he should to be at the wire with one or two others.

    SUMMARY—The top three contenders for us are Lyonssomewhere, JK Endofanera and Sometimes Said, though which provides the strongest overlay remains to be seen in the wagering. We hope you find respect for these individually or in some order of your own preference to use them in your win, place, show and exotic wagers.

    Fan Hanover Hussies

    The Fan Hanover Final, worth $457,500, lines the starting car with 10 filly pacers, which are unevenly matched in pure muscle. We gave you Uffizi Hanover last week and she surprisingly went off at 6-1, mostly due to the loyalty of the locals, making Nat A Virgin and Beach Gal the top two choices. “Uffizi” may rightfully be the public choice in the final, as the Breeders Crown winner (we supported her when she won there at two last November) seems to tower over this group.

    One positive is the failure of favorites in elim two. Won by Table Talk (37-1), the top choice of the division and early choice to win this event, Precocious Beauty, quit badly in the stretch (finishing seventh, which was last) and only the third choice, Major Dancer, was present at the wire, second to the winning longshot, while second-choice Lady Shadow was also very bad at 5-2, finishing sixth. If the locals return to their beloved fillies, Uffizi may be a soft favorite, still well worth it in this crew. Bahama Blue and Beach Gal could round out a decently priced triactor.

    Armbro Flight

    The versatile mares will contest in the $266,000 Armbro Flight Final on the Cup program, highlighted by such famed gals as Bee A Magician and Perfect Alliance. Yet, even with these two dominant forces in the field, it does not take away from the profit potential in this event. One mare that fits this criterion is D’orsay, an elimination winner caught in the shadow of Perfect Alliance, who set a Canadian record of 1:51.4 in the other elimination.

    Since Perfect Alliance has received a resounding amount of press, D’orsay could be a price but not anything close to the 54-1 odds she carried when we cashed on her last week. She looks to sit a stalking trip in a race where the pace will be hot; the mile looks to set up for a mare like D’orsay. Also beware of Bee A Magician, who may inflate in price after her back-to-back second-place efforts to both mares mentioned above.

    Red As Roses

    The $330,000 Roses Are Red Final included another winner for us in the elims, as Yagonnakissmeornot (7-1) beat the top choices in round two. Anndrovette, in the first elim, overcame some trouble in a dynamic win over her mare-pacing rivals. “Ann” will probably get the public’s nod and “Yagonna” should get some play. Somwherovrarainbow always gets action and will do so here.

    But in the final Summertime Lea has got to be considered a contender. She had the toughest trip in the Ann elim, which was the better field of the two, and got no respect from bettors at 27-1. That could have been a strong warning to the others from the Ron Burke-trained mare. She may be offering near her odds last week, since the money has to spread thin by the time they get to her after the first three mentioned and Shesbesingin, Camille and Shelliscape.

    Another ‘Cup’

    Older male pacers shoot for pieces of $100,000 in the Mohawk Gold Cup. It’s a mixture of local campaigners and the usual suspects from the States. A look at the morning line (ML) may indicate this is going to be a good betting race. How, for instance, can State Treasurer be the ML choice? That would be wonderful. Winning the Molson Pace at Western Fair is not Mohawk and you won’t, for one, see the same Foiled Again that was beaten there.

    This crowd will continue to like Thinkin Out Loud and the spottily speedy Warrawee Needy, so some win money is going to be spread around. Keep an eye on the odds for Sunshine Beach, who has an excellent spot to make a go at stealing the mile. And on the outside, Bettors Edge and Mach It So may work out some good trips to be in the thick of it. But will Foiled Again go off 7-2 or more? That will be hard to pass up.  

    The Pick 4s

    There are three major Pick-4 wagering sets on Cup night. We offer horses (by post) that we feel you should consider having on your ticket(s).
    Early Pick 4 (Races 4—7): Use 5,8,10/ 3,4/ 5,7/ 1,4,6
    Middle Pick 4 (Races 7—10): Use 1,4,6/ 5,6,8/ 2/ 4,9,10
    Late Pick 4 (Races 11—14): Use 6, 10/ 3,7/ 3/ 9

    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

    Buffalo
    6/14/14, +Adelias Prince R2

    Hoosier
    6/14/14, +Jackson Wyatt R5

    Maywood
    6/12/14, +Baksidebar Nlounge R1
    6/13/14, +Dunside Art R1

    Meadowlands
    6/13/14, +Ma Chere Hall R6

    Meadows
    6/13/14, +SJs Hottie Won R5; +Martini Twist R6

    Pocono
    6/14/14, +Hes A Lock R1; +Giant Sculpture R14
    6/15/14, +Drop The Ball R10

    Saratoga
    6/13/14, +Mcattee R10
     
    Scarborough
    6/13/14, +Ladyofcastlebrook R1

    Tioga
    6/14/14, +Jam And Jelly R8

    Vernon
    6/14/14, Youwillwishyouhad R5; Printing A Place R7; +Oozies Bad Boy R9; +Whitemountain Power R9

    Yonkers
    6/13/14, +Geton The Way R1; +Sign Of The Moment R1

    Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition.      

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED Mar 2, 2014 By Frank Cotolo

    It was quite a week for winners and take a look at some of the place-and-show prices, a few connected to exactas, in the horses-to-watch (H2W) list results below. Our successes in non-features continue to endorse the great across-the-board and exotic plays you can find through us for your TwinSpires harness bankroll.

    Also last week, we delivered half of the winning quartet in Buffalo Raceway’s TwinSpires bonus Pick 4 (Feb. 26). Once again we gave you the highest payer of the four races with Lucky Millionaire ($22.60, $5.40, $3.50) and week added the second-leg winner, My Future Ex ($6, $2.80, $2.80-ok).

    Every Wednesday night TwinSpires’ 10-percent-bonus Buffalo Raceway 50-cent Pick 4 wagers continue. We assist with suggestions for your ticket via Twitter -- @FrankCotolo, @TwinSpires and @BuffaloRaceway.

    Our featured overnight choices included a big winner at the Meadows in Pop Cop ($33.60, $12.20, $4.60). At Flamboro, one of our two choices was second (Justabitevil, $4.60, $3.30; Exacta with public-choice winner $12.10). Our second choice in the other Flamboro non-feature was second (Northern Triumph, $4.80, $3.30).

    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). Failed choices from our previous week’s overnight features appear for the second time in the H2W list. 

    Winners

    Only In Lodi, $50.80, $12.80, $7.80, Cal Expo
    Honeyinthyepine, $21.80, $8.80, $7.20, Meadows
    Gold Deuce, $7.40, $4.40, $3, Cal Expo
    Luna Hanover, $5.20, $3.60, $2.40 (*Exacta $26.60), Miami Valley
    Look Siera, $3.60, $3, $3, Freehold
    Northern Fling, $3, $2.60, $2.10 (**Exacta $4.80), Cal Expo

    Seconds

    Rollin Deep, $8.50, $4.30 (Exacta $75.20), Fraser
    Charmbo Willie, $7, $4.20 (Exacta $32.90), Flamboro
    Pink E Bank, $7, $4.40 (Exacta $42.80), Miami Valley
    Juntique, $6, $4.20 (*Exacta $26.60), Miami Valley
    Suits, $6, $3.80, Dover
    PC Moonshine, $5.20, $3.80, Pompano
    Late For Work, $3.80, Miami Valley
    Pips Jenny G, $2.60, $2.40 (**Exacta $4.80), Cal Expo
    Sand Savage, $2.50, $2.10, Buffalo

    Thirds

    Perfect Change, $13.20, $5.80 (Exacta $49.60), Meadows
    Four Starz Elder, $10, $5.20, Meadows
    Bluebird Corvette, $5.50, Buffalo
    Yosemite Camn, $5.20, Meadows
    Dojea Nodoze, $3.20, Meadows

    News And Notes

    The Meadowlands released its 2014 winter book for the Meadowlands Pace. Top sophomore pacers include frosh-pacing champ Hes Watching and runner-up Luck Be With You. Several other colts are Some Major Beach, a half-brother to the great Somebeachsomewhere, the sire of last year’s Meadowlands Pace winner Captaintreacherous. Tony Alagna trains both.

    Beginning Monday, March 3, and continuing with just one exception through Oct. 31, all post times at Monticello Raceway will be at 12:50 p.m. The exception occurs on Friday, July 4 when post time will be 5:30 p.m.. Live racing during the month of March will continue four times weekly on the afternoons of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

    Flamboro Downs advises that their post times for Saturdays have been changed from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Still, the March 22 will remain at 1 p.m. due to a fund raiser being held at the facility.

    After joint consultation, Jim Simpson, President of Hanover Shoe Farms and majority owner Jeff Snyder have decided to retire Cams Card Shark from active stallion duty. Simpson said, “He has now reached the stage in life where it is both difficult and dangerous for him and those around him to mount the phantom mare or even to be collected using a live mare.” Cams Card Shark was syndicated at the end of 1994 and retired with career earnings of $2,498,204. His stallion accomplishments include 10 millionaires including five who have earned in excess of two million dollars. He is credited with three Little Brown Jug winners and two winners of The Meadowlands Pace. His most renowned performers have been Shark Gesture, Bettors Delight, Four Starzzz Shark, Royalflush Hanover, Holborn Hanover, Roll With Joe, Village Jolt and Million Dollar Cam. For serious followers of bloodlines come this remarkable fact: Cams Card Shark’s son, Bettors Delight, is the fifth great stallion from a paternal line that follows from Meadow Skipper through Most Happy Fella to Cam Fella to Cams Card Shark and now Bettors Delight. This is a feat unprecedented in standardbred and thoroughbred breeding. It’s quite possible that the line will be extended through his grandson Betterthancheddar.

    Rosecroft Raceway’s 65th anniversary race meet will kick off with a 27-date winter-spring meet beginning March 8 and going through June 7. Harness racing will be offered every Tuesday and Saturday evening with a 6:40 p.m. post time. A total overnight purse schedule of over $70,000 per day will be offered, including a 15-percent bonus on earnings for any Maryland owned, sired, trained or foaled horse that finishes first through fifth in an overnight race during the meet.

    In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Freehold Raceway will be the scene of a special race featuring drivers of Irish heritage on Saturday, March 15. The winner of the race receives a blanket and a trophy. The drivers scheduled to participate in the race are Jack Baggitt, Jr., George Brennan, Corey Callahan, John Sheehan, John McDermott, plus a trio of native Irish drivers Joe Hanney, Anthony Haughan, and Jonathan Dunne. They Irish trio is a reunion celebrating years of driving and training together throughout Ireland, England, Canada and the United States. Dunne holds the driving title in his country as well as in the UK. Haughan is a top driver in Canada. This will be the first time driving for Haughan and Dunne at Freehold .

    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

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED Feb 23, 2014 By Frank Cotolo

    First there was too much snow and then there was too much water, which was the snow before it melted. Mother Nature is certainly more consistent than a lot of racehorses. So it was this week as higher temperatures dissolved mountains of snow and ice in many U.S. states, provoking bad conditions on the tracks that were, a week before, frozen.

    Cancellations before and during race programs nixed a few schedules. Buffalo Raceway’s TwinSpires bonus Pick 4 was cancelled on Feb. 19 when the surface became unsafe. Every Wednesday night, weather permitting of course, TwinSpires’ 10-percent-bonus Buffalo Raceway 50-cent Pick 4 wagers continue. We assist with suggestions for your ticket via Twitter -- @FrankCotolo, @TwinSpires and @BuffaloRaceway.

    Other schedules affected included the Meadows and Yonkers. All horses we are watching that were to participate in the various programs cancelled, will appear in next week’s watch (H2W) list. Check below for the wins, places and shows that did materialize last week.

    Our overnight features’ choices included two winners but not on top, as the huge favorite (our second betting choice) Keep The Dream ($3.10, $2.20, $2.10) won the Miss Valentine Final at Fraser over our upset choice, Yanotherhos. Our other Fraser choice, Red Star Tyson raced horribly, finishing ninth of nine at 11-1.

    Feb. 23 at Dover on Race 3 our second choice, Steady Pulse, won ($4, $2.40, $2.10), and our first choice, JR’s Midnight Cry, scratched, leaving us with the favorite. Our first choice in Race 2, Occasionally Bad, was never a threat, finishing eighth at 13-1. The second contender for us in that race finished second—RD Elegant Yankee ($3.60, $2.60).

    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). Failed choices from our previous week’s overnight features appear for the second time in the H2W list. 

    Winners

    That’s My Girl, $24.60, $6.40, $4.40 (Exacta $56.20), Miami Valley
    Ringside Winner, $13.20, $6.20, $4.80, Freehold
    Ideal In Vegas, $6.90, $4, $3.10, Yonkers
    Dora Des Rivieres, $5.80, $3.20, $2.60, Miami Valley
    Rare Beauty, $5, $4.20, $3, Cal Expo
    Itsabouttonight, $3.40, $2.80, $2.40, Cal Expo
    All Star Dragon, $3, $2.40, $2.10, Yonkers

    Seconds

    Late For Work, $11.80, $9.40, Miami Valley
    Screen Saver, $11.10, $6.60, Meadows
    Eddie Sweat, $7.80, $4, Meadows
    Bad Angel, $7.40, $4.30, Miami Valley
    Cash Poor, $7, $3.90 (Exacta $26.20)
    Last Luck, $6.90, $7.80 (ok), Fraser
    All On My Own, $6.80, $5.40, Freehold
    Luna Hanover, $3.60, $2.40, Miami Valley

    Thirds

    Stiletosilverheels, $4.80, Cal Expo
    Sparticus Jim, $4.60, Flamboro
    Juntique, $4.40, Miami Valley
    B Good Lexi, $3.60, Miami Valley
    Mr Salming, $3.20, Freehold
    TT Tucker, $2.60, Meadows

    News And Notes

    As we go to press, the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) held its annual awards dinner at Dover Downs. Most of the divisional winners have already been announced and a few categories were held for the evening’s ceremony. These were not, however, surprises. We congratulate the connections to all of the winners, including Horse of the Year, Bee A Magician, and our choice for the top horse in 2013, Captaintreacherous, who won Pacer of the Year. Both of these horses have a history with this blog that goes deeper than public opinion. Bee A Magician is a filly trotter we supported before anyone in the business or sport gave her the respect she deserved, going back to her frosh year. Captaintreacherous was heralded here early this year when he began his soph campaign and we stuck with him as many journalists knocked him regardless of his stunning performances.

    World Champion trotter Guccio, a winner of $1,021,809, has been retired to stud in Indiana. Trained by Jimmy Takter, Guccio became one of the top contenders of his generation as a three-year-old and missed winning the $1.5 million Hambletonian by a neck. At 4 he trotted to his personal best of 1:51.1f, a World Record for four-year-old trotters.

    Takter said, “It was our plan to race in Europe in 2014 had this opportunity for him to enter the stud not developed. Indiana clearly has one of the most attractive regional programs and we do plan to breed to Guccio as I believe he has every quality to become an outstanding trotting sire.”

    Horse racing in British Columbia has been saved for at least five years now that a new deal has been negotiated. “The major component of this for us is the five-year deal. We’ve been told we have government backing for five years. We have race dates for five years,” said Jackson Whittup of Harness Racing BC. The new deal assures racing at the two tracks in the province, Fraser Downs (harness) and Hastings Park (runners). Both tracks are owned by Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, which also owns Flamboro and Georgian Downs in Ontario. The agreement will see 71 race dates at Fraser this year but that number will be reduced throughout the life of the deal. To read the full story in the Cloverdale Reporter, please click here.

    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