Showing posts with label Hambletonian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hambletonian. Show all posts

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED Aug 3, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    The new Meadowlands is a compact, convenient, clean and carefully measured facility for fans. The house that Jeff Gural built used the same racetrack as its out-dated predecessor, which is still standing. The old building sits like a giant, aging tombstone over what is now the backstretch.

    Those of us visiting the new plant for the first time were impressed with it and the many places to view the show, including the roof, which hosts more than the media and in-house racing staff—there is room for wagering, watching the races from the farthest point north without a helicopter and comfortable space for guests.

    This was the first Hambletonian day in the compact theater, which will also host this year’s Breeders Crown over two programs this fall. On Aug. 2, most of the greatest horses of the current season were flying, with the main features at the end of  The Hambletonian Trail. Our annual essay on the main event is currently available for your inspection. Archives of the races that paved the trail are available at the Hambletonian Society site.

    The Hambletonian was not a winning race for us, nor was it for the majority of the wagering public as super favorite Father Patrick broke at the gate and was unable to regroup his gait and get back into the fray.

    The Hambletonian Oaks was also a loss for us, since Shake It Cerry was passed in the stretch and finished fourth. The filly the crowd adored, Designed To Be, did not beat her; another Jimmy Takter filly, Lifetime Pursuit, beat her. “Cerry” (also trained by Takter) has beaten that one all season. Takter told us that Cerry’s driver, Ron Pierce, was extremely upset at how he handled the race and blamed himself for Cerry’s loss. Takter said that Pierce felt he “misjudged the [fractions]” and moved too quickly and too soon, causing Cerry to tire while giving Lifetime Pursuit cover.

    Pierce could do no wrong with our choice and everyone else’s choice, Sweet Lou ($2.80, $2.20, $2.10) in the US Pacing Championship. He was awesome and never asked while winning. Captaintreacherous, wide for the first turn and into the backstretch leaving from post 8, finished fifth in front of our other triple-element Bettor’s Edge.

    Next year’s Hambletonian favorite as of Aug. 2, was our choice Centurion Atm ($4.20, $2.80, $2.40). He gets the title for winning the Peter Haughton Memorial for frosh-colt trotters.

    Sebastian K ($2.60, $2.20, $2.10) beat our first choice for an upset, Uncle Peter, in the John Cashman Memorial. Another favorite we tried to beat was our second choice in the Miss New Jersey,  Gettingreadyto roll ($3.20, $2.20, $2.20 ok). We finished fourth with Cut A Deal (63-1).

    In the Merrie Annabelle we were second with Jolene Jolene ($8.80, $4.40) in league with our other choices, Mission Brief and Lock Down Lindy. That triple paid $76.40.

    Another triple we nabbed by using an outsider was the Ima Lula. Though favorite Classic Martine beat Bee A Magician, our outside contender Nf Happenstance was third ($5) at 81-1 for a $36.60 triple.

    We hope to be back at the New Jersey racing arena for the Breeders Crown finals. All of the top horses in each division will be covered starting next week in races that will decide their “Crown” status and which will be great betting affairs en route to the championships in the Breeders Crown Countdown blog, in cooperation with the Hambletonian Society, which organizes the events, and our headquarters at TwinSpires.

    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). This week, there were 29 on the H2W list.

    Winners

    Deadhead Royalty, $9.60, $4.60, $4.30, Vernon
    Putnams Attack, $7.50, $3.50, $2.50, Yonkers
    Luck Be Withyou, $5.20, $3.40, $2.20, Pocono
    Josie’s Joy, $4.60, $4.20, $5 ok, Meadowlands

    Seconds

    Guilty Man, $8.50, $5.10
    King William, $5.20, $4.50, Batavia
    Sweet Thing, $3.40, $2.40 (Exacta $8.60), Meadowlands
    Baximum, $2.60, $2.40, Philadelphia
    Bullseye, $2.40, $2.20 (Exacta $6), Scarborough

    Thirds

    Oaklea Winfrey, $6, Georgian
    Amigo Ranger, $5.20, Saratoga

    News And Notes

    Bad weather in the East did not affect New Jersey’s afternoon of classy racing but in upstate New York the rain caused flooding and traffic problems. Batavia Downs could not finish its evening program on Aug. 2. Rain caused cancellation of the card after Race 2. The next day Batavia delivered a 15-race program on a very sloppy track. Also on Sunday, the two top glamour-boy colt pacers, Jk Endofanera and He’s Watching, battled at Tioga in the soup. He’s Watching won the Empire Breeders Championship elimination by a nose over Jk Endofanera. The triple, with an 18-1 shot coming in third, paid $3.45, which was 55-cents less than the exacta of $4.

    Another Meadowlands Pace character (along with the two glamour-boy colt pacers mentioned above), second-place Always B Miki, won at Hoosier on Aug. 2 in an Indiana Sires Stakes elimination. Always B Miki is a son of Always A Virgin, who is having a profitable stud career in the Midwest. “Miki” trounced the field in 1:49.

    Sweet Rock, the 92-1 New Jersey Classic winner, was Brett Miller’s first win on the first Hambletonian day program where he competed as a driver. The shockingly priced winner is not on the eligible list for this year’s Little Brown Jug. He defeated four others that are “Jug” hopefuls—Dancin Hill, Doo Wop Hanover, Beat The Drum and Western Village—all New Jersey-breds.

    The 140th season of live racing action kicked off on Sunday, Aug 3 at The Red Mile. Sunday nights feature a $5,000-guaranteed Pick-4 pool in Races 6–9, in partnership with the USTA Strategic Wagering Program. The $1.4-million Kentucky Sires Stakes Super Night comes up on Sunday, Aug. 31, and will feature a $15,000-guaranteed Pick 4-pool. The popular 10-cent superfectas have returned and will be available on every race with the exception of the start of the Pick-4 and the final race of the evening. A 20-cent Super Hi Five will be part of the wagering menu on the last race of each card, where 100-percent of the net pool will carry over if no one selects the top five finishers. Live racing continues on Sunday and Thursday evenings with a first post of 7 p.m. Grand Circuit racing begins on Thursday, Sept. 25, with live racing Thursday–Sunday for the two week meet.

    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, click here

  • Stakes Parade, Solid Action On Hambletonian Day

    POSTED Jul 30, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    For the umpteenth year, we will be reporting live from the Meadowlands for the super-stakes-filled program on the first Saturday in August, Hambletonian day. This time, of course, we have our digs in the new facility—the state-of-the-art Meadowlands Press Box in the structure located on the opposite side of the historic track’s original area in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Exclusively for TwinSpires, we will be reporting on line via @harnessraycer, @FrankCotolo and @TwinSpires, with updates, quick news items, quotes and anything else worthy for our contingent of harness bettors.

    On this page we will cover all of the stakes action for Aug. 2 except the Hambletonian events, which this year are single race (no elimination heats are necessary based on the number of horses dropping into the boxes). Our spin-off blog, the Hambletonian Trail, features the jackpot-at-the-end-of-the-rainbow events, The Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks.

    Friday, Aug. 1 at the Meadowlands, a slew of Kindergarten stakes legs for two-year-old filly trotters adorn the program. See our horses-to-watch (H2W) list below, under the Meadowlands heading, for horses that have impressed us in these categories.

    All H2W through North America –our suggested contenders—are valuable additions to your win, place and show bets and exotics. See our weekly list of “lookouts” below. 

    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.

    Townsend Ackermans

    Colts staying away from the Hambletonian will contest in the $100,000 Townsend Ackerman. Two divisions, compiled of 23 trotters, will segue the race card into the major events.

    The opening split features no standouts and is a wide-open affair. Our hopes lay with Scacco Matto, a colt who has shown promise against similar amid his breaking issue. Adding hopples in his last start, he traveled three wide for nearly the whole mile, with his 20-length loss slightly exaggerated by Trixton’s 9-length romp. Given the right trip in this class drop, he could come sweeping into contention.

    Class is what will separate the winners from the losers in the other edition. Starting from the rail, Sumatra might get his first victory since the Dexter Cup. When competing in the New Jersey Sires Stakes he was always in contention behind Trixton, the eventual series winner. He’ll likely be given a patient drive, which, if allowed in the stretch, will make him able to close well. In the exotics, Well Built might offer a price as he drops in class, too.

    Peter Haughton

    Trotting guru Ake Svanstedt returns with a talented freshman trotter in the $355,500 Peter Haughton Memorial. Centurion Atm brushed to command towards the top of the stretch and drew away by 3 lengths to win the “Haughton” elimination as our choice last week. He seems to be getting sharp at the right time, so trying to beat him may result in failure.

    Ima Lula Ladies

    The $52,000 Ima Lula final, features four-year-old mare trotters. The last two editions have featured the winner of the Hambo Oaks, with Bee A Magician looking to become the first to win this event.

    After her impressive uprising over Bee A Magician, Classic Martine has likely swayed favoritism onto her. Yet, her victory in the final prelim last week does not necessarily make her better than Bee A Magician. She has constantly raced well in the top level and should have saved enough in the tank for a victorious afternoon. In the exotics, also watch out for Nf Happenstance, who will likely be stalking the pace setter and have enough to hit the board.

    Big Boys’ Best

    The U.S. Pacing Championship features stalwart older pacers but is not truly a championship. That is, winning the $257,700 event bears no resemblance to a divisional crown and neither does it hold any more reverence than any of the older-pacing stakes. This season, all entries attempt to do what they have been trying to do for a few months—defeat Sweet Lou.

    Though he has been great, Captaintreacherous has been better than most of these, who are over four (Sunfire Blue Chip is the other four-year-old). Here is the difference in this event compared to the others: Daylight. But could that mean so much? Could an “off track” be a detriment to “Lou”? We doubt it; few scenarios put him behind any of these. Bettor’s Edge has done well chasing Lou and may once again race with odds better than his chances (10-1 and 18-1 respectively, when second to Lou in their most recent two meetings. And there may be the exacta and trifecta, keying Lou with the two mentioned in both exotics.

    Classic Jerseyites

    New Jersey-bred colts make up the $225,000 New Jersey Classic, a race that may unfold with a bargain or two. It’s difficult to predict a favorite or an underlay here but our hope is that Western Vintage may get less attention than he deserves. He has had a rougher time than we forecast as a soph but he is still lightly raced and has been rested with two prep qualifiers on his side coming into this battle. However he tries, from the front or with some cover close to the pacesetter, he is a big danger that the public may not support enough.

    Doo Wop Hanover, on the other hand, won’t be ignored; he may be the choice of the crowd, since his state affairs have been sterling and he has faced far stronger than this group. His Meadowlands Pace failure was no surprise, having no change to make up ground with a slow start from post 10 and fractions that steamed by the stretch, allowing Hes Watching to glide off of a near-perfect trip.

    The $100,000 Miss New Jersey, restricted to New Jersey-sired filly pacers, seems to be a toss-up when it comes to talent. Off a victory against older mares, Gettingreadytoroll appears to be the one to beat if her gait is truly no longer an issue. Yet, Cut A Deal, who comes from an average company for this group, could be eyeing an upset. Traveling first over and sustaining third in her last start, she appears to be sharp enough to gain victory given the right trip.

    On Their ‘Merrie’ Way

    Frosh-filly trotters engage in a $352,050 event, the Merrie Annabelle Final, and for many of the 10 involved (five are still maidens) it may be the last time they partake in such a wealthy race. The elim winners, Lock Down Lindy and Mission Brief will take most of the money, with the latter dazzling bettors with her green speed, so to speak.

    In the fastest elim, Jolene Jolene was second at 27-1 (we had her) and the race before that she was 30-1 against Lock Down Lindy. Her 9 post here may cause a problem but it will just help her to go off again at a bargain price. Any improvement for her is a major challenge to the obvious top contenders.

    Top Trotters Truckin’

    The $300,650 John Cashman, Jr. Memorial finds older trotting hero Sebastian K on the rail with the usual suspects raring to bring him down. The latest gunner is Archangel, who last week knocked a super mile into place in an elim (“K” was in the other elim). Also, Uncle Peter goes for his second mile since returning from abroad and he was good last week, just behind Mister Herbie, who took second the week after we called for him to upset K in Canada (it was Intimidate that got the nose victory and he is here, too). Then there is Market Share, always a threat but recently subservient to K. And there is Servruga, our huge upset last year in this race, who this year is far from showing his best.

    Where does this leave us but with it being K’s race to lose? We can make cases for the others but only Uncle Peter gets a nod as the least experienced falling to K. In an upset scenario, he is the culprit, especially on a day when team Takter can rule on so many levels. 

    Ladies Of Liberty

    The $177,750 Lady Liberty hosts the pacing mares, all of which have had their days and all of whom come into this affair with modest credentials. You could make good cases for most of them so you have to look outside of the obvious to find value. In that order, opportunity may shine upon Jerseylicious, who has been doing well while racing at odds far more than she deserves (11-1 and 70-1) against similar at this top level.

    Tough trips have found better horses—Shebestingin and Somwherovrarainbow—recently losing largely and this fray may also be too demanding for them. Charisma Hanover may be a great exotic participant under these circumstances, too, and prices may blind the toteboard while flashing the top three.

    Vincennes

    Open-level trotters will get their shot to compete on Hambo day with the Vincennes Invitational. Takter’s newest acquisition, Master Of Law, comes in off a 1:52 effort against the top level two weeks ago. Yet, his bad draw could allow for a bigger price to be victorious.

    Sweet Justice draws into the Vincennes due to his narrow disqualification in the “Cashman” eliminations last week. He’s always had a knack for this level and draws well to win in his usual fashion. 

    While she is competing against the boys, D’orsay is also the queen of upsets. Doing so last year in the Ima Lula final (where we capitalized on her $36 return in the 2013 TwinSpires Players’ Pool) and in the Armbro Flight elimination (where we profited by her 50-1 win from our blog). She has a similar racing style to Sweet Justice and was super impressive when grinding the mile last week, coming a nose short of victory.

    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
    8/1/14, Sanskrit R6
    8/2/14, +King William R1; +Larrys Dream R3; Sbm Innocentoutlaw R4; Whipmeintospape R12

    Georgian
    8/2/14, Oaklea Winfrey R3; +Got What It Takes R8

    Grand River
    8/1/14, Cons Legacy R9

    Maywood
    7/31/14, Wilfully Scootereva R6

    Meadowlands
    8/1/14, Christine Sixteen R2; +Sweet Thing R2; Josies Joy R3; Saturday Mornings R4; Cathys Princess R13

    Meadows
    8/1/14, Sawbuck Hanover R7; +Mattacardle R7


    Mohawk
    7/31/14, +Best Risque R12

    Ocean
    8/3/14, +Ok Amelia R4

    Philadelphia
    7/31/14, +Baximum R4
    8/1/14, Real Legacy R4
    8/3/14, +Corky Duke R14

    Plainridge
    7/26/14, Somerset Minibob R1

    Pocono
    8/2/14, +Luck Be Withyou R12

    Saratoga
    8/1/14, Still Electric R12
    8/2/14, +All Powerful R8; I’m The Real Major R10

    Scarborough
    8/2/14, +Bullseye R4

    Scioto
    8/2/14, QB Killa R1

    Tioga
    8/2/14, KJ Brenda R2

    Vernon
    8/2/14, Curlys Son R1; Guilty Man R5; Royal Deceptor R6; Deadhead Royalty R11

    Yonkers
    7/31/14, +Mystical Pacer R8; +Sir Lehigh Z Tam R12
    8/1/14, Putnams Attack R7

    Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition.      

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED Jul 27, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    The Hambletonian Trail reaches its destination next weekend, with the Cotolos on hand, live on site at the “new” Meadowlands. Our Thursday blog at TwinSpires and at the Hambletonian Trail page will cover all of the action on the strong stakes program for Saturday, Aug. 2. Remember you can read the archives of the “Trail” races for the colts and the fillies and enjoy other related features at the Hambletonian Society site.

    There were no Hambletonian Oaks elims, just a prep that took place Saturday, July 26 at the Meadowlands and once again our choice won and delivered a fair price as the public dismissed her again (as the did in the Del Miller Memorial) for Designed To Be. Shake It Cerry ($6.80, $2.60, $2.60) won over the favorite for a $13.80 exacta.

    Friday, July 25, we nailed the Peter Haughton Memorial elim with Centurion ATM ($8.40, $2.40, ns) with a $10.40 exacta. We were second in one Merrie Annabelle elim with Jolene Jolene ($11.60, $7) with a $25 exacta.

    Back to Saturday, the “Cashman” elims found everyone on our side again, as Sebastian K ($2.20, $2.10, ns) won his split (we were fourth in the first elim).

    It was Adios weekend at the Meadows and we were online live offering tweets during the stakes portion of the program and redirecting viewers to the blog analysis for the major Adios events. The Adios Final went to the dead-on favorite McWicked, with one of the three contenders we suggested could upset, Somewhere In LA ($4.40, $3.60) getting second for a $9.60 exacta. In the Adioo Volo, our choice Marathon Day ($6.60) was third. We failed to hit the board in the consolation. Our tweets for the Arden Downs resulted in only one second, Chaxiraxi Hanover ($3.40, $2.60), with an exacta worth $13.60. Those races were very chalky.

    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

    O’Sundland, $7.40, $4.60, $3.20 (Exacta $22), Hoosier
    Request For Parole, $4.80, $3, $2.30, Mohawk

    Seconds

    Malak Uswaad N, $3.40, $2.40, Harrington
    Bunkerhill Bill, $3, $2.80, Running Aces
    Nefertiti Bluechip, $2.80, $2.50, Mohawk

    Thirds

    Oaklea Winfrey, $6, Georgian
    Amigo Ranger, $5.20, Saratoga

    News And Notes

    Qualifiers at the Meadowlands on July 26 began with Hambletonian favorite Father Patrick, his mile the only prep before next week’s Hambletonian. His performance was as sterling as expected, with driver Yannick Gingras steering him around the two turns in 1:52.

    The return of 2013’s champion three-year-old filly pacer, I Luv The Nitelife, was another feature of the Saturday qualifiers, winning after being nursed back from injury by trainer Chris Ryder with a smooth 1:53.2 mile.

    A pair of Meadowlands Pace finalists also sparred and Lyonssomewhere got the best of JK Endofanera in a 1:51.1 mile. Trainer Jimmy Takter put the speedy colt on the lead and stayed there to rebuff JK Endofanera’s closing move.

    The last of the season’s frosh divisions made up the rest of the events. Among the notables were Trond Smedshammer’s Yankee Glide colt Finish Line in 1:58.1 and his Andover Hall filly Chezando in 2:00.4. Jimmy Takter’s French Laundry, a Muscles Yankee colt, won in 2:00.1, holding off the impressive closing rush of the $175,000 Cantab Hall colt Colbert, making his very first start for Ake Svanstedt.

    Pacers featured ASAP Hanover by Somebeachsomewhere, winning for the third time in morning trials, this one in 1:52.4. Linda Toscano trains the colt. Trainer Tony Alagna had a good day beginning with a pair of his pacing fillies that went to the wire together. They were Martinique and Cashaway in 1:54.1. New Jersey Sires Stakes champion Artspeak won in 1:53.2 for Alagna and A Plus completed an Alagna hat trick by winning in 1:54.1. She’s an American Ideal filly. Ed Hart’s Cam’s Card Shark colt Dealt A Winner won over Alegna’s Rock On The Hill in 1:54.2.

    Last year’s Hambletonian champ, Royalty For Life, has been retired. While the four-year-old was getting ready to race in the “Cashman” he suffered a serious suspensory injury. Trainer George Duchame conferred with the owners and the decision was made that he should probably not race again. Since taking the Hambo crown, “Royalty” has had some problem or another.

    He missed the Breeders Crown Final last year with a health issue, took his hiatus, turned four and came back in the Hambletonian Maturity a few weeks back, racing poorly during traffic in the crowded field. That excuse being noted, he came back to finish third in an overnight and was going into the Cashman looking for his first win of the season against some of the toughest competition he had yet to face in his short career.

    With the passing of founder Bill Perretti this year, the future of one of harness racing’s most successful breeding farms is uncertain, according to USTA’s Ken Weingartner. Most of the farm’s mares and yearlings have been sold and 29-year-old Matt’s Scooter died in June. However, all farm properties are being maintained with the high standards set by Mr. Perretti and visitors are welcomed and expected during Hambletonian week to the Cream Ridge, N.J. spread.

    You can stroll the grounds visit the stalls of Rocknroll Hanover, Muscles Yankee, Matt’s Scooter, Windsong’s Legacy and others. You may take a guided tour, get an update on our active stallions Lucky Chucky and Muscles Yankee, enjoy a snack and view a collection of Hambletonian and stakes race memorabilia recording the legacy of Perretti Farms. Visitors can take home a Perretti Farms hat as a memento of their visit. Visitors are welcome from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 30, Thursday, July 31 and Friday, Aug. 1. Please contact the farm to arrange a visit. You can call 609-259-7555 or email nicolaa@perretti.com.

    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, click here

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED Jul 6, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    The crowd was sharper than us over the weekend, for the most part, but our skim horses-to-watch list (H2W) broke through with a decent percentage of winners and a monstrous place list. Check out the seconds in the review below; many of those place prices are more generous than a lot of win tickets offered in features and overnights.

    Friday’s frosh events at the Meadowlands for New Jersey state-breds were no bargain for our choices. One colt scratched and the other two finished fifth (38-1) and seventh (16-1), respectively. Saturday, July 5, we stayed put at the Meadowlands for the highlighted events, looking over at Pocono in Pennsylvania for a few soph-colt trotters on the Hambletonian Trail.

    The industry focused upon the Hambletonian Maturity’s debut on Saturday at the Meadowlands for reasons obvious to any harness followers. The 1 1/8-mile event featuring only four-year-old trotters pitted Bee A Magician against male foes—a dozen of them—in a field of 14. The unusual double-tiered field featured a few well-known names, including last year’s Hambo winner, Royalty For Life and the Kentucky Futurity winner Creatine, our choice.

    All of the handicappers we know faced the same problem we faced with a field that large and extra real estate. Traffic was expected and could not be predicted. To truly appreciate the French-harness-like configuration of the race before we write about it here, we offer you a look at the replay by clicking here.

    Bee A Magician was the favorite, Royalty For Life was 4-1 and our choice was 9-1. The first two quarters were deciding points for some losers, as “Royalty” went to the top in :25.4 and Creatine was parked three wide for that call and the :55 second call. Creatine took the first-over spot in that whirlwind while Spider Blue Chip took over. Then, “Spider” broke, ending chances for Royalty beside him. Before a blistering 1:23.2 third call, Your So Vain flew three wide to pass them all and take command. Creatine found a second spot inside but was a victim of the fiery fractions to three-quarters and was passed past the 1:51.3 mile point established by “Vain,” who stayed easily to the finish in 2:05.3. “Bee” was all out to finish second, having saved a ton of ground during the speedy quarters and ultimately she passed tired horses to complete the exacta.

    Ake Svanstedt is the driver and trainer of Vain. He adds this win to his ever-growing stable of hot horses, including Sebastian K. The Swedish horseman is all the rage this season. Oddly enough, we liked Creatine for class reasons and his trip demoted all chances to win the “Maturity,” but it was Vain that was beaten by Creatine in their battle at three on The Red Mile in the “Futurity.” Creatine finished fifth in the Maturity.

    In the Meadowlands Pace elims we gave you two of three in the first split, with JK Endofanera, at 1-5 this week, won ($2.80, $2.20, $2.10) and Lyonssomewhere third ($3). Doo Wop Hanover (7-1) finished fourth but made the final field. In round two, we were fourth with Jet Airway (12-1) as He’s Watching won off of a pocket trip.

    We won the Mistletoe Shalee elim mile with Sandbetweenurtoes ($5, $3.20, $2.60), with our second choice, Gallie Bythe Beach third ($3.20).

    The week’s results from the Hambletonian Trail blog come from Pocono Downs, where the soph-colt trotters in the Pennsylvania All Stars splits produced Jett Star second ($5.40, $3.40), who with the favorite delivered an exacta worth $18.60.

    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.

    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

    Rush Rules, $14.40, $8.90, $3, Buffalo
    Blissful Escape, $7.10, $4.40, $2.50, Buffalo

    Seconds

    Captain John Henry, $17.20, $8.60, Hoosier
    Best Risque, $13.40, $7.80
    Summertime Lea, $7.40, $3, Yonkers
    Rub N Tug, $6.80, $3.70, Mohawk
    Mary Rose Of Topaz, $5, $3.40, Scarborough
    Light N Shadow, $3.40, $2.80, Meadows
    Im A Lucky Man, $2.60, $2.20 (Exacta $4.60), Scarborough

    Thirds

    Nothinbutanallstar, $8.60, Hoosier
    Insane In Spane, $7.80, Yonkers

    News And Notes

    The $5 million Breeders Crown championships will return to Canada in 2015 after a two-year hiatus. Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) has signed a letter of intent to host all 12 events in the fall of next year, announced WEG Executive Vice-President of Racing Jamie Martin and Tom Charters, president of the Hambletonian Society, which owns and administrates the series. Woodbine hosted all 12 races in 2011 and 2012, handling more than $8.5 million and luring international stars Rapide Lebel and Commander Crowe.

    Champion racehorse and stallion Matts Scooter, 29, was euthanized in New Jersey last week. He had been residing at Perretti Farms, where he had stood at stud virtually his entire career. During his three-year campaign as a racehorse for trainer Harry Poulton, Matts Scooter won 37 times in 61 trips behind the gate, with earnings of $2,944,591. He was voted Horse of the Year in the United States in 1989 and was Canada’s Horse of the Year in ‘88 and ‘89.

    Lightly raced at two and ineligible for the Little Brown Jug and Cane Pace at three, Matts Scooter still managed to earn $1.78 million in 1988, winning 11 races and finishing out of the money only twice in 22 starts. He became the fastest pacer in the history of the sport that fall when he time-trialed in 1:48.2 at The Red Mile. Coming back to the races at four, Matts Scooter earned $1.14 million. His career stakes wins included the Meadowlands Pace, Messenger, Breeders Crown Open Pace, American-National, New Jersey Classic, Prix d’Ete, Nat Christie Memorial, Confederation Cup, Driscoll, Mohawk Gold Cup, Stewart Fraser Memorial, Cornell Memorial and U.S. Pacing Championship.

    During his 20 year career at stud Matts Scooter sons and daughters include numerous divisional and world champions. Mach Three ($2.17 million) was his richest performer and Royal Mattjesty (1:48.4) his fastest. His offspring earned $74.39 million and 210 were $100,000 winners. He also sired 358 1:55 performers and 792 with 2:00 marks. Matts Scooter was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Living Horse Hall of Fame in Goshen in 2006.

    Sid Alpert, a master innovator of raceway video and sound systems at a number of racetracks and a holder of a number of patents during the last half of the 20th century passed away at age 87. Alpert was a photographer at The Washington Times Herald with Jacqueline Bouvier (later wife of President Kennedy) as one of his protégés. Mr. Alpert became interested in harness racing and seeing a need for improved filming of races, formed his company, Electronic Race Patrol (ERP). Mr. Alpert began his career in racing by filming races in the 1950s at Maryland tracks. He teamed with the DuPont Chemical Company to develop a special film for use at night and was the first to film nighttime races.

    Alpert was the first to introduce live closed circuit race monitors at the tracks he serviced. He was first to show live races and replays on a split-screen. Next, he introduced color to showcase races on television. In the 1960s he was the first to bring live video broadcasting to racetracks in the Midwest. His company also made noted television broadcast advancements at the ill-fated Garden State Park. In 1977, with the track ablaze, Alpert was high atop the facility video-taping the disaster.

    Alpert fostered a remarkable project in 1989 that was ahead of its time. He visualized making full-card racing a staple on cable TV. His concept was to race entire programs at a track in Pennsylvania without anyone in attendance. The races would be shown on an all-racing channel offering wagering. Alpert envisioned having a daily early evening harness racing TV program in the fashion of the popular late night shows. Alpert’s concept included transmitting wagering information to fans at home via fax machine. Unfortunately, due to many reasons, he abandoned the project and then retired.

    The babies were at it again at the Meadowlands on July5. The star of the show wasn’t a two-year-old but a Hambletonain candidate at the very peak of his powers, Jimmy Takter’s Trixton. In a qualifier, Trixton waltzed around the oval in 1:53.3. He meets his stablemate Father Patrick in the Stanley Dancer Memorial on July 12. Perfect Alliance also got some work, touring the oval in 1:53.3 in preparation for the Miss Versatility leg next week.

    Baby trotters led off the card and a couple of fillies. Credit Winner-filly Crazy Beautiful and Lilu Hanover impressed with identical 1:58.1 miles. Takter drove the Cantab Hanover colt Walter White to a 1:59.4 win. Takter pacing pupil Bet You won his third straight non-betting race, this one in 1:57. He’s by Bettors Delight. Trond Smedshammer won a couple, taking the second race with Finish Line, a Yankee Glide gelding in 2:00. Trond also won with Crazshana in 2:01.4. This one is a Crazed gelding. Jonas Czernyson sent out a pair of winners, Alderbaran Eagle in 2:00.3 and a Muscle Hill filly Jolene Jolene in 2:01.

    Baby pacers started off with the speedy Sportswriter filly Yellow Mustang in 1:57. Joe Holloway trains. The cleverly named She’s A Hot Mess redeemed herself after last week’s miscue by beating a field of colts in 1:58. She’s an American Ideal homebred. The next group also contained some impressive colts. The winner was Major War, by American Ideal, in a 1:55.4 mile.

    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 ~ Find more fun Pye art at PYESITE

  • ‘Bee’ Vs. Boys In Hambletonian Maturity; Meadowlands Pace Elims Skirmishes

    POSTED Jul 2, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    It is not rare in standardbred racing that girls take on the boys in overnight races, meeting the conditions set and many times beating the boys with no particular hoorah. But only once in a blue moon, so to speak, do we find a situation when female stars meet male celebrities in major stakes events.

    The July 4th holiday weekend for harness fans presents a battle of the sexes that many have yearned to see, no less wager upon. Bee A Magician, 2013 Horse of the Year, will meet Royalty For Life, 2013’s Hambletonian winner, and four-year-old other males in the debut of the Hambletonian Maturity. Adding to the thrills of those two stars in the same field is the fact that the race is 1 1/8 miles. That’s July 5, on a program that also features two elims that decide the field of next week’s Meadowlands Pace and one elim for the Mistletoe Shalee.

    There are also Friday and Saturday New Jersey Sires Stakes (NJSS) at the Meadowlands for freshmen of both gaits and sexes.

    Pennsylvania All Stars at Pocono on July 5 feature soph miles for August classic campaiginers. See the analysis on our sister blog, the Hambletonian Trail. Don’t miss our exclusive coverage; click the link after you read this.

    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.

    Hambletonian Maturity Debuts

    We have been justly critical of Bee A Magician in these blogs after supporting her at two and early at three when she paid decently. But she won all 17 of her starts at three against the same group of fillies and her connections declined a shot at the boys in the Hambletonian.

    At four, we predicted she would have some problems facing older mares and we were right, cashing in on D’orsay at more than 50-1 against her in an Armbro Flight elim. Then, in the final, she finished ninth. It was her first off-the-board finish since going off stride in her second start at two in July 2012. Trainer Nifty Norman said “Bee” scoped sick following that race. Now she has won a qualifier and she will face the boys, including the colt she would have battled when he won the 2013 Hambletonian, Royalty For Life. In the $484,850 Hambletonian Maturity at the Meadowlands on July 5, “Royalty” makes his four-year-old debut. The event will be raced at 1 1/8-miles.

    “She’s acting fine,” said Norman. “I was really happy with her qualifier and [regular driver] Brian thought she was back to her old self, so hopefully we’re good.”

    Conditions for the Hambletonian Maturity allowed for up to 16 starters rather than the traditional 10; 14 in two tiers will start. Considering the size of the field, the extra distance and the vulnerability of the two big stars, this will be a difficult race to assign accurate chances, however, that just makes it more appealing to wager upon. Let’s check out the rest of the field:

    Your So Vain returns to race at four and was last alive during a heat of the Kentucky Futurity at three, so his current shape is in question. Sweet Justice doesn’t not belong in this group. Bambino Glide needs a lucky trip, having too much speed to win as he has over cheaper stock. Fico was improving last year en route to the Hambo but never quite lived up to the class of his division. Wheeling N Dealin, of course, was the disappointment of the division, as he came into his soph season the early choice to win the Hambo and could barely work up enough talent to get into it. If he is to do better at four, this is the spot to make his mark; he certainly has the style for the extra distance involved.

    Flanagan Memory was impressive at Mohawk and also has a style for this distance and can be considered a threat if he is coming into his top shape and last week was not a fluke. Spider Blue Chip has not returned with the spark he had last summer and you have to wonder why he qualified so much before breaking on June 27; a problem is at hand. High Bridge didn’t live up to his soph promises and still looks like a dud. Master Of Law is impossible to assess. Major Athens seems out-classed. Possessed Fashion needs a gift trip. And then there is Creatine …

    Creatine is a classy sort and may be the key to an upset. He developed into quite a colt in the last half of the season (our TwinSpires Players Pool hit him at 5-1 in a Hambo elim) and, of course, he won the Futurity. This year he cannot be faulted for his races against Sebastian K and the crowd will offer him as a huge overlay considering his class and the fact that no one wants to wager on his driver, Mike Lachance, any longer. We will be happy to support him here as our outside contender.

    Pacing Pals

    Two $50,000 Meadowlands Pace elims adorn the July 5 program and even though the first $1-million harness race has lost some of its financial punch, this is a major event and the major glamour boys are here to get a berth in the final.

    In the first elim we all know the damage that JK Endofanera can do since surprising many (not us, we supported him as a major overlay) in the North America Cup, so don’t expect 12-1 this time around. His prime contenders, however, may squeeze some valuable odds out of this affair.

    Doo Wop Hanover didn’t make the “Hempt” final but, as we documented here, he would be all over the consolation field at Pocono and he trounced them at 5-2, well worth the backing). He looms dangerous to “JK” here and may wind up the overlay.

    Lyonssomewhere was burned out early in the “Cup” and primed since then after a brief rest and a good qualifier. He may still be a top contender in this division for Jimmy Takter and he may offer better odds than he did in the Cup, as well as he may ration his wicked speed to work better for him in New Jersey.

    In the second split there should be no dominating factor in the wagering, since a few of these pace on equal terms thus far this season. There seem to be groups of fans for He’s Watching, Tellitlikeitis, Luck Be Withyou and Let’s Drink On It and no doubt each will make themselves heard in the win pool. But the outside contender Jet Airway doesn’t have a fan club and that will send him off with huge odds. Against this ilk in a Cup elim, he was 16-1 and flying, finishing fourth and missing the draw for the extra colt in the final. He has a JK style about him and in this field he could provide the late charge needed to cool down the speed burners of the popular colts mentioned. He is gunning for the final, where he may not be the best, but for this money he may show ‘em just who is boss.

    Sister Pace

    The filly-equivalent to the Meadowlands Pace, the Mistletoe Shalee for soph filly pacers, has one elimination, with the top seven advancing. Receiving byes were Uffizi Hanover, Weeper and Rock N Roll Xample. Drawing the rail in this tough race is Sandbetweenurtoes, who made her debut at the Meadowlands back in May, a 1:50.4 off-the-pace effort with a :26 kicker. She draws the rail and comes in off of a 1:51.1 qualifier behind Shebestingin and might be ready to tackle the better company.

    Gallie Bythe Beach is also a threat, coming off of a terrible trip in the James Lynch Final last week. There, she parked through fast fractions and faltered upon three-quarters. She has some maturing to do, but if she’s the right price, she’s also worth an investment.

    Freshman Fury

    The green brigade takes to the Meadowlands oval for the second time this season in New Jersey Sires Stakes (NJSS) beginning Friday, July 4, with a division each for the frosh colts and fillies.

    First, however, a simple $15,000 two-year-old frosh colt trot for the greenest of green guys opens the Friday card with three coupled entries and a mile’s worth of speculation about wagering. Although the cast has already raced, none of the events are official, though still calculatedly sound. As the public addresses those races in an ordinary manner, we will look for an outside contender that promises improvement by supporting Don’t Mind Me. Coming from a strong baby race win at Pocono and getting post 10 here, the Jim Rayner trainee is as blue-blooded as the rest here (Andover Hall) and is bound to be ignored by bettors. Driver Howard Parker is listed at press time and we like Howard as much as any driver here, though the Meadowlands public may not and that is a plus for us).

    Then the $40,500 NJSS leg for the colts gets rolling and we will take Muscle Blues right back after finishing fifth in a race totally dominated by French Laundry. That one was too much for all involved.

    Fillies are next for a $39,500 purse and again we support Southwind Cartier, who was a solid third at 50-1 last week. That proves all of our notions that ignoring connections, breeding and driver in the early frosh fights offers great value to those of us paying attention. This Chocolatier product, as we documented last week, has talent and will pay off when she is at her best (she paid $9.20 to show, folks). Stick with her.

    The opening NJSS colt division on Saturday features three colts making their debuts, with another five back from last week. Among the colts premiering is Badix Hanover, an Ake Svanstedt trainee. He qualified once, a 1:57.1 with a brush to command around three-eighths. With only one mile to his experience, Svanstedt appears confident in the colt’s ability to improve.

    The closing colt split features Dealt A Winner, who is the only one returning for round two that was victorious in round one. This episode also features colts debuting, one being Rock On The Hill. The Tony Alagna-trainee has two qualifiers under his belt, one a fourth-place effort in 1:57.2 and his latest a 1:56.3 effort on the lead. That effort was eye-catching, as his first outing was an off-the-pace performance. Consistently closing in :26 and change, he should be sharp enough to challenge Dealt A Winner.

    The lone race for the fillies is highlighted by Stacia Hanover, who effortlessly slingshot passed The Show Returns to win with a final quarter in :25.4. Since she drew the outside this week, now’s a good time to abuse the public’s interest. Finishing second to Cashaway in the other split last week, Ideal Nuggets might be the gal to defeat the likely favorite. In her debut, she made a move after the pacesetter approaching three-quarters and came a neck short of victory in 1:55. She responded well in her debut, which shows that her second start should be even better.

    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
    7/5/14, Rush Rules R5; Zipintheruthehall R7; Blissful Escape R12

    Hoosier
    7/3/14, Captain John Henry R13
    7/5/14, +Terracina As R1; +Nothinbutanallstar R10

    Maywood
    7/4/14, +Pownal Bay Magic R4; +Big Turn On R6

    Meadows
    7/3/14, Bootswiththefur R8; +Light N Shadow R4

    Mohawk
    7/4/14, Best Risque R7; Somethinincredible R10; Rub N Tug R11
    7/5/14, Marlee B R2

    Ocean
    7/3/14, Yacht Party R2

    Plainridge
    7/5/14, +Vanyar Hanover R6

    Pocono
    7/4/14, +Joltin Colt R7
    7/5/14, +R Caan R15
    7/6/14,  +So Reserved R4

    Saratoga
    7/5/14, All Powerful R2; Grab A Crab R7
     
    Scarborough
    7/4/14, +Im A Lucky Man R6
    7/5/14, +Mary Rose Of Topaz R9; +Heaven Touched R11

    Scioto
    7/3/14, +Nutmegs Gigalo R4

    Vernon
    7/5/14, Choke Hold R2

    Yonkers
    7/4/14, +Eagle Now R1; Wishing Stone R6; Summertime Lea R7; +Rossini R8

    Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition.      

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED Aug 25, 2013 By Frank Cotolo

    A mildly successful harness-betting weekend resulted from our Thursday blog, though certainly not one of our more prosperous efforts. This weekend’s choices spilled over into Sunday night, which is why this blog was posted later than usual. 
     
    At Vernon on Sunday many of the Hambletonian characters from both sexes met for consolations and finals in the traditional post-Hambo “Zweig” stakes. 
     
    The glamour-boy trotters went to post in the $360,000 Zwieg Memorial, with Hambo-winner Royalty For Life getting the worst outside post, 8, as he has in three of four of his recent starts (he won the Hambletonian elim heat from post 8 and the final from post 1). 
     
    With no trouble getting to the top and no certain challenge, Royalty For Life won the Zweig at 6-5. Our choice, Aperfectyankee (14-1), was off the board. 
     
    The filly Zweig final was handed to you in the entry of Mistery Woman and Shared Past. The stablemates finished first and second, respectively, to pay $3.60. 
     
    Miss Steele, our choice, was third in the filly consolation and Hamdalla was last in the colt consolation. 
     
    The Mohawk elims for next week’s major stakes—there were five—produced a few profitable situations. Our Metro Stakes elims featured a single winner in three miles with Arthur Blue Chip, who paid $4.20. We gave out this horse in last week’s Nassagaweya when he paid $17.20, this week the crowd caught on and dowsed any chance of a good price. 
     
    Though we did not hit a winner in the Shes A Great Lady elims, we were second to dead-on favorite Precocious Beauty in the first elim with Bahama Blue. Our choice went off at 75-1 and paid $24.20 to place and $7 to show. With the $3-win favorite, the exactor paid a whopping $90.50. 
     
    In the elims for the Canadian Pacing Derby for older male pacers, we were second with Sweet Lou (2-1) and off the board with Pet Rock. The Pet Rock elim featured a startling return to form for A Rocknroll Dance, whose soph career was well documented here along with a few big wins we endorsed, including the 2012 Meadowlands Pace. He has had a great deal of problems beginning with the latter part of his soph season and was dull starting his four-year-old season. He won off a fast pace at Northfield a few weeks ago but at Mohawk in the second “Derby” elim he won in a remarkable 1:47.4, a Canadian- and world-speed record. The crowd had much more confidence in him than we did and sent him off at 3-2. 
     
    The first elim also surprised us as Bolt The Duer scored in a rare wire-to-wire victory. Both of these steeds meet Foiled Again, Aracache Hanover, Heston Blue Chip and Atochia, none of which needed to qualify in elims, in next week’s huge final.
     
    The Breeders Crown Countdown blog, the Hambletonian Society and TwinSpires’ bettors’ aid for handicapping top contenders’ events heading toward the October classics, is live. Check it out each week in league with our Thursday TwinSpires blog. 
     
    H2W
     
    $6.90 EL Rock, Yonkers
    $3.00 Ma Chere Hall, The Red Mile
    $3.00 Gift Of Honor, Running Aces
     
    The following are the horses that finished second or third along with their post-time odds. Special notes on those finishes follow.    
     
    Seconds:
    There were no seconds this week.  
     
    Thirds:
    Steph’s Place (5-1), Running Aces; Native Roots (5-1), Batavia 
     
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     
    News And Notes
     
    There are still many decisions to be made by connections of glamour-boy pacers as to which of them will be going to Ohio for the Little Brown Jug in September. Sunshine Beach’s trainer, Mark Steacy, told reporter Gordon Waterstone the colt might not drop into the box for the classic. However, the fact that he beat Captaintreacherous at Pocono has team Steacy thinking twice.
     
    Captaintreacherous remained atop the list of possible contenders, of course, but there was very little interest, according to sources, about the champ taking on the fair track’s four turns in a pair of heats. But that was never the reason for not wanting to go; his connections site a very busy stakes schedule aside from the “Jug.”
     
    Without those two, the Jug fields could still be filled with the most talent to drop in the box in a few seasons. Possible but not commited colts include Adios-winner Sunfire Blue Chip; Rockin Amadeus, Twilight Bonfire; Johny Rock, Mach It So; Vegas Vacation, Odds On Equuleus and Wake Up Peter.
     
    Harness racing will return to Freehold Raceway on Thursday, Aug. 29. Racing will take place on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays plus a special holiday card on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2. First-race post is 12:30 p.m.
     
    The new addition to the wagering menu is a 50-cent trifecta. Freehold will participate in the USTA Strategic Wagering Program with a $5,000 guaranteed Early Pick 4 pool (Races 2-5).  
     
    The Freehold stakes program for August through October features New Jersey Sire Stakes Green Acres divisions for all ages and gaits, the Lou Babic paces and the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey-sponsored Helen along with the Charles Smith trots and Marion and Harold Dancer trots and New Jersey Futurity Stakes.
     
    Alberta, Canada’s major standardbred sire, As Promised, passed away at the age of 24. For many years, As Promised was a champion the racetrack and in the breeding shed. Purchased by Keith Clark and partners in 1990, As Promised was well-bred but not a perfect standardbred specimen. Clark, a top Alberta trainer and driver, said, “He had a crooked hind leg.” Crooked or not, As Promised went on to win nine of 10 races as a freshman and $32,800. The colt came close to dying in California early in his sophmore season but recovered to dominate the Alberta circuit.
     
    “He was pretty much unbeatable at home,” said Clark.
     
    Running out of competition in Western Canada, As Promised was shipped to the Meadowlands where he took his lifetime best 1:50.2 win mark. Clark campaigned As Promised through the age of seven when he retired with 71 wins, multiple stakes titles and earnings of over $669,000. Clark ended up selling him because the stallion was getting busy as a stud and “I just didn't have time for him. 
     
    In 2003, As Promised was the leading sire of three-year-olds in North America in the category of average earnings with $71,238. His popularity as a sire propelled him to be Canada’s most prolific stallion, breeding 307 mares in 2005 for a North American record.
     
    Extraordinary Extras
     
    Indulge in many standardbred topics at my Hoof Beats blog titled Vast Performances. 
     
    Connect to Twitter and follow Frank and Ray Cotolo for up-to-the-minute suggestions on wagers at many harness raceways. Then, wager from your TwinSpires accounts.  
     
    Ray Cotolo contributed to this blog. 
     
     
     
    Cartoons by Thom Pye

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED Aug 4, 2013 By Frank Cotolo

    The big weekend is over and we are happy to say it was a terrific theater for racing and wagering as we covered the sport’s huge features on site at the Meadowlands. 
     
    In league with Hambletonian Society’s press and public relations corps, my son Ray and I were embedded in the press box at the historic track for Friday and Saturday’s programs. In our usual spots the first weekend of August (this was Ray’s fourth visit as the youngest working journalist in harness; he came first at 11-years-old) we worked alongside some veteran harness writers and publicists, many whom I connected with during the ‘90s as an editor of an industry magazine. But for the last decade I have been reporting on the big weekend for the bettors, through YouBet and then TwinSpires. This year we enjoyed our most munificent string of race successes, some which rattled the traditional writers on the scene, and all of which were well appreciated by our harness bettors at TwinSpires. 
     
    The TwinSpires Players Pool was developed only 24 hours before it was sold out, capping at $10,000. We set out to hammer some big bets and get some big prices on Saturday. But first, we covered Aug. 2, mostly through last week’s blog, and we had a decent evening of profits based on the pre-Hambletonian features. 
     
    We struck first with Exemplar, a trotter we thought would offer a larger price than what developed. He turned out to be the even-money choice, won and paid $4. However, we offered two contestants as exacta partners and one of them, Deadliest Catch, took second at 39-1, igniting a payoff of $88.20. 
     
    Of the three contenders we offered in a filly trot, Cupcake won and paid $9.80, followed by another suggested exacta partner, Silver Credit, and that combo came back with a price of $30.80. 
     
    Saturday’s program began before noon and the Players Pool (PLP) was launched from the starting race. We urged everyone to follow our tweets at TwinSpires for any alterations in the blog text on the Hambletonian-day card. The blog hit the first winner, I Luv The Nitelife ($2.80) with Ms Caila J Fra second (exacta $7.20), while the PLP went for Jerseylicious, who finished fourth. 
     
    The second race was a disappointment for PLP and blog-followers as Heaven’s Door made two costly breaks at 9-2 and was eliminated. The blog’s second choice, Lifetime Pursuit (2-1) finished second to the huge favorite. 
     
    Then, the PLP exploded with its and the blog’s choice winning Race 3 at 17-1. D’orsay (photo on right by Ray Cotolo), predicted to put in a big winning mile, broke the World Record for sex, age and gait, smashing the powerful mare-trotter field in a stunning 1:51.4 victory that left her foes shuddering. She paid $36.60 to win ($13.40 to place and $7 to show, wagers included in PLP). PLP investors were also treated to the trifecta, which paid $181.20 (which we had multiple times [mx]).
     
    Rocklamation was third in the next event (PLP picked up the $32.80 mx). The next race got PLP a $14.60 favorite-full trifecta (mx) with Southwind Spirit, the blog choice, third. Take My Picture, as our choice, lost in the next race, souring our exotics. 
     
    The Hambletonian elim heats followed and Smilin Eli was second, with PLP cashing on place and show. Tweeting the next elim, we went with Creatine for the PLP and he won, paying $13.80 and $5.80 for our place wager. We nailed that exacta for PLP with Wheeling N Dealin second, paying $44 mx. We were out of all bets in the last Hambo elim. 
     
    Twitter followers then got the word that the horse to go with in the John Cashman, Jr. stakes for older male trotters was Sevruga. Our blog choices contributed to the exotics as Sevruga won, paying $21.60. The exacta paid $152.80 mx and the trifecta came in $479 mx. 
     
    We nailed the Hambletonian Oaks Final with Bee A Magician and 15-1 shot Classic Martine, adding to the PLP profits. 
     
    We did not win the Hambletonian Final. The dead-on favorite, Royalty For Life, which we admittedly played down as a major contender in the Hambo fields, won the conclusive heat easily at 4-5.
     
    Finally, place and show on our PLP choice, Malak Uswaad N, in the season’s finale race, completed a highly successful run of winning tickets for the PLP participants. We thank everyone that put their confidence in our PLP selections through the afternoon and hope to take part again in another harness Players Pool. 
     
    Remember that the Hambletonian Society web site has archives of all stories from the Hambletonian Trail and coming in the next few weeks we will begin the Breeders Crown Countdown into the elims and finals this October, where we will be on site at Pocono Downs for harness bettors through TwinSpires. 
     
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     
    News And Notes

    Our stay in the Meadowlands press box was poignant as well as productive, since the main structure of the facility will meet its doom in early 2014. The press corps peered at the new grandstand building from the large glass windows of the press box, knowing it was our final visit to the original building. The new grandstand, being constructed on the backstretch, is nearly completed.

    Turning the composition of the Meadowlands facility around also eliminated the stable area, so when the track opens in November with its new face, competing horses will be ship-ins.

    On Friday morning, Aug. 2, the last of the qualifiers for the 2013 season and the final to be held in front of the old grandstand, featured a mile by the sport’s current well-deserved superstar Captaintreacherous. The monstrous pacing machine put on a display by presenting an easy but dazzling 1:50.1 mile, closed by a 25.4 final quarter. 

    The pride of Captaintreacherous Racing, trained by Tony Alagna and managed by Myron Bell, is reportedly going back to Pocono for his next stakes appearance. It should be as a part of the track’s Super Stakes Saturday on Aug. 17, in the Battle of Brandywine. 

    In Ontario, friends and workers at Flamboro Downs are more concerned than ever, as the facility remains empty and the slots continue to operate. An insider said, “The only people who have been hurt is the horse people.” This is the first summer in many years that Flamboro has not held harness racing and Brian Tropea, president of the Ontario Harness Horse Association says that has greatly affected horse people.

    An Ontario news report indicates that former Agriculture Minister Ted McMeekin, who established a horse racing transition panel many months ago, is still attempting to finalize a plan to help keep the horse racing industry in the province from being completely decimated. To read the full story, please click here.  

    Extraordinary Extras

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

    Connect to Twitter and follow Frank and Ray Cotolo for up-to-the-minute suggestions on wagers at many harness raceways. Then, wager from your TwinSpires accounts.  
     
    Ray Cotolo contributed to this blog. 
     
     
     
     
     
    Cartoons by Thom Pye

  • Amazing August Action On Tap

    POSTED Jul 31, 2013 By Frank Cotolo

    It’s time for one of the biggest weekends of the season in the standardbred racing industry for insiders and players, for fans and spectators, as the Meadowlands hosts two days of huge stakes programs featuring some of the greatest pacers and trotters of our time. 
     
    TwinSpires bettors have some great advantages. First, we will be reporting on all of the stakes action live from the Meadowlands on Friday, Aug. 2 and Saturday, Aug. 3. Tune up now miss following us on Twitter as well as ingesting our Aug. 1 blog. Be ready for up-to-the-minute news items, handicapping tips and anything else a bettor needs to address the two programs with the brunt of your bankroll. Don’t forget to refuel the funds—now is a good time—so you can be ready for the weekend. 
     
    Second, the Hambletonian-day Players’ Pool is now open. Capped at $10,000, we are going after some of the best prices the Aug. 3 program will offer, including exotics. Get on the team with a buy-in and follow all the action, beginning at 11:50 a.m. on TwinSpires, as well as Twitter. 
     
    The Hambletonian elims and the Hambletonian Oaks are covered on the Hambletonian Trail at the exclusive blog. The remainder of the programs, including Friday night action, are analyzed below. Our exclusive harness horses to watch (H2W) list from tracks around North America will reboot next week.
     
    Merrie Annabelle
     
    The $321,700 Merrie Annabelle Final (frosh-filly trotters) is set to complete the Daily Double on the Hambo card. Lifetime Dream will look to keep her win record perfect at four races as she faces her biggest challenge of her career. Meeting up with her this week is our choice from the eliminations, which looks the next most impressive in the event. Heaven’s Door comes into the final with one start under her belt and a post that will allow her to race near the front. She raises some questions with last week’s break to the quarter but she seemed to be working too hard to get the front—and she did recover well. With a filly to her inside that cannot leave, “Door” may get away well and sit a perfect trip to pull off an upset. 
     
    Ima Lula 
     
    Last year’s sophomore-filly-trot rivalry between Check Me Out and Maven is renewed on the very day they both suffered defeats. This year they meet in the $55,000 Ima Lula Final. Both preliminaries contained upset winners in Real Babe and One More Ginny, making the final a much wider affair than some may think. 
     
    Constantly, Jonas Czernyson’s other filly D’orsay (Jonas conditions Maven) gets caught in hellish trips, mostly being parked without cover. That occurred in leg two of the “Lula,” being covered to the quarter but fighting on to try taking the top. Her game attempt to hold on to the lead she cleared in the stretch increased our confidence on a sublime performance possible here. She is peaking at a good point to get a good trip and shake the tote board. 
     
    Lady Liberty 
     
    Anndrovette returns to the states off a Canadian record of 1:48 in her Roses Are Red victory. She comes into this race for redemption, going off the second choice in last year’s edition and finishing in defeat after falling victim to exasperating fractions. Another mare from last year’s edition looks for solace in victory and has improved enough to get the job done. From the Ron Burke barn is Rocklamation, coming off two game efforts in the Roses Are Red elim and final. 
     
    She closed perfectly in the Roses Are Red elim, losing by ½ length in her first start off a layoff to Anndrovette. In the final, she was used harder at three-quarters than she should have and didn’t have her usual strong kick into the stretch. She should get off the gate moderately fast enough to stalk the front and weave her way to the wire first. 
     
    Peter Haughton 
     
    The $280,500 Peter Haughton Final (frosh-colt trotters) appears to be a two-horse race on paper; a rematch between elimination dazzlers Nuncio and Father Patrick. The favorite of the two looks to be Father Patrick but Nuncio is as equal a threat as “Pat” may ever face. Looking to Nuncio’s debut, he defeated Father Patrick at the wire in 1:56. He dug in tremendously in the Peter Haughton elim but was a head short. Don’t think that it will be a Nuncio-Father Patrick exacta, though, as there are two other horses that are absolute musts in exotics. 
     
    Southwind Spirit is the other elim winner, doing it in first-over fashion in 1:57.3. Though it appears unimpressive compared to Pat, he displayed endurance in that start. Most likely it won’t be as fast a mile as it was in Pat’s elimination, allowing for upsets to be possible. Ray Schnittker’s Derby is also a player in this field. He is making his third start and seems to improve with each mile. He can fill in the exotic area and perhaps pump up the price as well. 
     
    Vincennes 
     
    The $75,000 trot for elders, named after the famous racetrack in Paris, home of the Prix d’Amerique, we have what appears to be the most wide-open race on the card. The Vincennes Invitational Trot draws a field of 11, with many horses having good cases to be major threats to the others. However, Take My Picture is beginning to show positive steps in his American return and may be a notch above the rest. Before he left for the Elitlopp, he was dominating on the Ontario circuit. As expected, he still had some fine-tuning to do to return to winning form off of a disappointing effort in Sweden’s Elitlopp. He is making his third start off a layoff and could peak for a victory at home today. 
     
    ‘Cash’ Man Trotters 
     
    The top older male trotters will thump together in the $318,350 John Cashman, Jr. Memorial, formerly the Nat Ray Stakes. The expected favorite is last year’s Hambletonian champ, Market Share. He is the first Hambo winner to return at four and take part in this event since the great Mack Lobell, 25 years ago. 
     
    Market Share just beat most of these last week and was a giant favorite coming off a qualifier that was as faster as any win time by these foes. He won the Maple Leaf Trot and did so from the 8 hole at Mohawk. Here he has the 9 hole but there is a lot of speed on the inside that can configure the closing speed he can generate. But these are some powerful players and among them may be an overlay in Mister Herbie or Wishing Stone. Cases for them can be made in upset scenarios, with the latter probably offering the best price and certainly they belong in exotics with Market Share, and in that order of preference. 
     
    New Jersey Classics 
     
    The $250,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic hosts the day’s glamour-boy pacers, all state-breds. We suspected Real Rocker to show improvement with victory in the prep last week but an odd break at the start didn’t give us the race we wanted from him. He is up against a bigger challenge this week, with classy horses like Word Power and Rockin Amadeus playing major roles in the development in the race. But a good draw for Real Rocker should allow him, as long as he minds his manners, to show us what he’s got.
     
    There is little to say about the filly "Classic." I Luv The Nitelife has towered over her soph-filly pacing competition and the Hambo-day program should open with a fiery mile from her that could defy her own speed badge. If you are looking for exactas, back her up with Ms Caila J Fra and Ideal Ginny; both could pump up the price a tad. 
     
    U.S. Pacing Championship 
     
    Yet again, the free for all pacing division has mapped another handicapping puzzle, this one the U.S. Pacing Championship, worth $213,650. There looks to be four likely favorites, providing a wide-open betting board. Though, A Rocknroll Dance may have not convinced some that he is the real deal. As we predicted in the William Haughton elim, he has come off of a layoff incredibly sharp, topping it off with a first-over bid to finish third. A lot of buzz is around him but don’t expect high odds. As well, there is one horse that plays a major danger and bettors may not see it. 
     
    Hurrikane Kingcole is a monster on certain occasions, especially when looking back to Hambletonian day last year. He was the favorite heading into the New Jersey Classic and used up all his energy for the first three-quarters, going to defeat by Panther Hanover, to whom he afforded the great opportunity of victory by burning up three panels. The “Kingcole” appears to be dangerous when the Sun’s rays bathe an afternoon; we saw it when he crushed A-1/free for all horses while the Sun was still up on Meadowlands Pace night. 
     
    Most handicappers will instantly throw him out after a perfect trip last week where he didn’t gain ground. That provides us with greater value on a win price. Be mindful, though, that A Rocknroll Dance is peaking at the moment and poses the biggest threat, so including both on across the board and exotic wagers looks to be a must. 
     
    Also-Trots 
     
    Many of the soph colts that did not drop into the box for the Hambletonian for one reason or another will headline Friday’s two Townsend Ackerman (TA) miles at $50,000 each. The first episode features a field of 10 with all but two eligibles. 
     
    Bluto is here and remains a strong part of Team Takter but is a second-stringer since High Bridge became hot. Here, Bluto may rule and not as the choice, since Major Athens is looking like he will get the bulk of the win-pool dough. On the outside, Fico could make this mile complicated, since he has been improving and most of us thought he would drop into the Hambo box. 
     
    Originally assigned the 10 hole in the second TA, Banco Solo scratched and dropped into the Hambo box. This leaves 10 colts, all eligibles but for a pair. It’s tough to say how well Per Henrikson’s Exemplar can race but this field should test his ability, which has been improving at Mohawk in conditioned affairs. Per’s Hambo hopeful couldn’t get in the swing of it in time to take on the top tier but he may be positioned well here and deserves attention while he may still pay a great price. Linda Toscano’s Raven Victory will get a lot of play and should be tough from the rail, while the third choice with a chance and a price has to be Deadliest Catch, who shows sleek improvement and is the freshest of them all. 
     
    On the filly side, there are two Duenna splits worth $30,000 each. These fillies didn’t make it into the “Oaks.”  
     
    Split one finds our support with Southwind Cocoa, who had a rough time in her Oaks elim, surrounded by traffic and breakers. The crowd should go for True Day Dream, who has been stakes placed in her last five outings. She may rightfully be the choice but “Cocoa” may go back to her Tioga-win form, a race where she was good enough to be backed in the Oaks. 
     
    Split two is weaker than the first and has only one filly with a pair of victories. On the wood, Perfect Alliance comes off a dull effort where she was close to being the choice based on keeping some tough company. She will be overlooked for top choice again, with Silver Credit and Cupcake getting the most attention. 
     
    Ray Cotolo contributed to this edition.