Showing posts with label Rosecroft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rosecroft. Show all posts

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED Aug 10, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    A timid weekend in the price department resulted due to massive public choices winning. We had some of them since some of them, we felt, deserved the attention. So, we begin with the headlining Dan Patch Invitational Aug. 8 at Hoosier Park.

    We made a call that we did not feel was bold when we added to the fact that Sweet Lou would win the Dan Patch he would also put together Hoosier’s quickest mile in its harness racing history. There was a lot of hype about Dancin Yankee, a foe in the Dan Patch and the only horse this year to defeat “Lou,” but we dismissed it.

    Sweet Lou ($2.40, $2.20, $2.10) became the fastest horse in the history of Hoosier Park when he won the $258,000 Dan Patch Invitational in 1:47.2. To our dismay, Heston Blue Chip (33-1) put in a giant mile first over but could not sustain the place position, quashing our hopes for a strong exacta price.

    “I really didn’t think we were going that much,” Pierce said after the record mile. “I saw the splits and I was amazed.” He voiced some concern for second-place Bettor’s Edge. “He just kept coming and coming and coming and coming. This is a very long stretch but my horse raced great again.”

    Bettor’s Edge has, however, been second to Lou a number of times this season and always appears to be coming and coming and coming but never gets there, so Pierce may have been overly concerned.

    That night in frosh Indiana Sires Stakes (INSS) finals, we delivered one winner in four events, Airman Batten ($2.80, $2.20, $2.20 ok). In another INSS final we were second with Feetonthedashboard ($4, $3).

    At the Meadows on Friday we scored with the first of two Currier & Ives splits for soph-colt trotters. The winner was Wheelsandthelegman ($4.60, $2.20, $2.20 ok). In the second split we had the two trifecta participants, Skates N Plates ($3.20 n/s) and Southwind Sprit (n/s). With the favorite, Il Sogno Dream, on top, the trifecta paid $10.60, the exacta paid $5.40.

    The first Gold Cup & Saucer trial found us second, as Bigtown Hero ($2.10, $2.10 ok) raced strongly against the favorite (Exacta $8.10). The second trial is Aug. 11, after press time, and we are looking for Mach Wheel to win it.

    Saturday night at Hoosier we had one winner in the INSS finals for sophomores. It was no surprise to anyone that Always B Miki ($2.20, $2.10, $2.10 ok) won the colt pace. Our other three INSS final selections were off the board.

    Sunday at Tioga, Hes Watching defeated our choice Jk Endofanera again in the Empire Breeders Championship. We were second ($2.90 n/s) and the exacta paid $4.90. We had a soft choice in the filly split (5-2), finishing fourth.

    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 20 on the H2W list.

    Winners

    Ok Amelia, $12.80, $4.40, $4, Ocean

    Seconds

    Whipmeintoshape, $3.70, $5.30 ok, Batavia

    Thirds

    Tellitlikeitis, $2.10, Philadelphia

    News And Notes

    Rosecroft Raceway’s 27-date meet starts Saturday, Sept. 13 with live racing every Tuesday through Saturday through Dec.13. A purse increase of approximately 5 percent will be part of the fall purse structure, bringing the overnight purses to an average of approximately $65,000 per race date. Rosecroft will continue to provide additional incentives for Maryland racing participants including entry preferences and a 15-percent purse earnings bonus for “Maryland Preferred” horses and horsemen. “The racing program at Rosecroft continues to improve and Maryland horsemen and horses are the biggest beneficiary with over eighty percent of the starters and purse earnings going to Maryland owners, trainers or horses bred, sired or foaled in the state,” said Chris McErlean, VP of Racing for Penn National Gaming, parent company of Rosecroft.

    As a precursor to the return of Yonkers Raceway’s International Trot next season, the Raceway is planning to host an Invitational Trot this fall, according to track publicist Frank Drucker. The date is Saturday, Oct. 25, the evening featuring the finals of the Yonkers Trot and Messenger Stakes (along with their companion filly events). “The purse would be commensurate with the quality of the field,” Drucker said. “We are gauging the interest of bringing the best trotters on the continent here,” COO Bob Galterio said. “We feel the date is perfect, a few weeks after Lexington and a few weeks before the Breeders Crown.” Yonkers will be getting in touch with the connections of elite trotters in the United States and Canada. As for the International, first held at Roosevelt in 1959 and last contested at Yonkers in 1995, there is no date set for its presentation in 2015.

    Trainer Bob McIntosh’s Go Daddy Go won Grand River Raceway’s premier event, the $217,140 Battle of Waterloo, on Aug. 4. John Campbell, fresh off finishing second in the Hambletonian with Nuncio, drove the pacer. McIntosh hired Campbell to return to southern Ontario, where both the horsemen got their starts in the business, and Campbell averred, winning the final at a juicy 7-1.

    Sectionline Yankee, twice a winner in overnights for our H2W list this season, became much faster on Aug. 8. The five-year-old mare equaled the track record of 1:50.4 for older pacing mares in a $15,000 conditioned event at Scioto Downs. You may have noticed that some higher class horses are being added to the H2W list. These are pacers and trotters that have stepped down into conditioned and Open events for lack of more stakes races available to them. Keep an eye out for some names that have been popular in the stakes coverage of divisions this season as they hit the H2W list. Horses we have chosen to win bigger events but lost have gone on to win less classy affairs, including Monkey On My Wheel, Let’s Drink On It, The Lunch Pail, Stevensville and Rossini, to name a few.

    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 Mar 30, 2014 By Frank Cotolo

    It was a decent weekend for our contenders, highlighted by wins and exactas from the horses-to-watch (H2W) list. In the past two weeks we have either contributed to winning exacta combinations (the H2W horse coming in second with the public choice winning, at the most, a boxed investment) or handed winning combos to the player cold (two H2W horses listed in the same race, also based on a boxed investment).

    This week’s cold exacta, at Saratoga (see Tyler below in list of winners), paid $107.50. Also at Saratoga, a contributor (see Village Jackson in row of seconds below), created an exacta worth $71.50. There were five other exacta-contributing H2W horses.

    Our biggest winner of the week was Well Done Hanover at Pocono, paying $41.20. Since the list started for 2014, Well Done Hanover is the fourth horse to pay from $40 to $50.80.

    The 50-cent bonus Pick 4, a weekly play offering a 10-percent-bonus on winning the exotic, was a failure on our part last Wednesday. We offered five suggestions to consider in your ticket and only one finished third.

    The Pick-4 is offered from the fifth to the eighth races every Wednesday evening. We assist with suggestions for your ticket via Twitter -- @FrankCotolo, @TwinSpires and @BuffaloRaceway and implore you not to pass the less-than-obvious contenders in your ticket and as win, place and show possibilities.

    Our contenders in the second leg of the “Levy” and Matchmaker series at Yonkers were involved but unable to win.

    In the quartet of Matchmaker divisions on Friday we were second with Krispy Apple ($2.20, $2.20 ok) and in that same division third with Let’s Go Higher ($5.40). We were out of the money in two other Matchmaker field battles and third with Shelliscape (no show wagering).

    The Levy splits were also unkind, though we missed the 30-1 shot that won a division. Our choices were only good for one exacta contributor when Word Power was third to the favorite entry winner (first and second), presenting an exacta worth $6.50.

    Over at the Meadowlands we scored late with the Horse & Groom Final winner, Hldontghttoyurdrms ($9.40, $6.40, $3.60). Though many of the trotters considered more competitive than our choice broke and were eliminated from contention, our choice was unaffected, going wire to wire smoothly.

    We were fifth in the Clyde Hirt final with Berkentine Hanover at 15-1..

     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

    Well Done Hanover, $41.20, $14.20, $9.80, Pocono
    Tyler, $17, $7.80, $4.70 (*Exacta $107.50), Saratoga
    Shax, $8.80, $3.40, $3.80 ok (Exacta $9.20), Cal Expo
    Dreams Are Real, $7.20, $3.80, $2.80 Freehold
    Waywatcher, $7, $3.40, $2.80, Freehold
    Espirit De Kayjay A, $5.40, $3.40, $2.80, Freehold
    Mystical Diva, $4.30, $2.60, $2.30, Yonkers
    Dream On Shorty, $4.20, $3.40, $2.40, Miami Valley
    Mystical Danica, $2.70, $2.10, $2.10 ok, Saratoga

    Seconds

    Notreadytobenice, $12, $7.20, Meadowlands
    Pacific Escape, $10.60, $4, Freehold
    Ideal Choice, $6.60 (no show wagering, Exacta $21.60), Pompano
    Milliondollartorch, $5.80, $3.40 (*Exacta $107.50), Saratoga
    Chepachet, $4.80, $4.60 (Exacta $14.20), Rosecroft
    Chipoffablueblock, $4.80, $3.60 (Exacta $23.60), Dover
    Village Jackson, $4.70, $3.30 (Exacta $71.50), Saratoga
    Kings Point, $3.80, $2.40 (Exacta $16.40), Freehold
    Wild About Eagle, $3.80, $2.60, Cal Expo
    Veto Hanover, $2.90, $2.50, Buffalo
    Doctor Gates, $2.10, $2.50 ok, Buffalo

    Thirds

    TN Starbuck, $4.40, Rosecroft
    Macho Mcgraw, $3.80, Rosecroft
    Lone Raider, $3.20, Rosecroft
    Me Tarzan, $3.20, Cal Expo
    Sentosa Island, $2.40, Meadowlands

    News And Notes

    Seventy three-year-old pacing colt nominees for this year’s North America Cup remain after seven dropped out in the one month between payments. The $1-million final at Mohawk is scheduled for Saturday, June 14. Still sitting on top of the list of nominees is Hes Watching, who set two world records last season along with six track records for trainer David Menary. Though the colt was undefeated last season, he beat no frosh standouts, making his mark on the New York Sires Stakes circuit. Some of those champs never facing Hes Watching are still on the docket, including Arthur Blue Chip, Luck Be Withyou, National Debt  and last year's Metro winner Boom Boom Ballykeel. Another top rookie from last season on the list is Western Vintage, trained by Nancy Johansson. The Pepsi North America Cup eliminations are set for Saturday, June 7. 

    Jim Morrill, Jr. has been banned from driving at Pocono. No specific incident was given as a reason, the powers-that-be just announced his departure. Morrill, who was the third leading driver last year at the racino track, said he has heard no explanations from track management and the only way he knows he is not welcome is because trainers have told him that every time they try to enter a horse with him down as the driver the racing office tells them they must choose someone else.

    As Captaintreacherous gets ready to compete at four in the older division of pacers, trainer Tony Alagna is pleased. Captaintreacherous returned to Alagna’s stable in February after two months of rest at Brittany Farms in Kentucky and is being aimed at a big season beginning in June. Alagna says the colt has matured and put on some more muscle tone. “We’re shooting to qualify sometime at the end of May,” “We’ll set up his schedule after we qualify [in late May],” Alagna said, “but we’ll probably aim for the Meadowlands Maturity [on June 13].”

    Though the “Captain” joined Rocknroll Hanover and Gallo Blue Chip as the only horses to win the Breeders Crown, North America Cup and Meadowlands Pace in the same season, as well as becoming the second horse to win back-to-back Pacer of the Year honors (since Jenna’s Beach Boy), as well as he and joined Niatross as the second horse to accomplish the feat at two and three. But Captaintreachers, clearly one of the best sophomore pacers to hit the track in recent memory, was denied Horse of the Year awards mostly due to a myopic band of industry voters more impressed with soph-trotter Bee A Magician. The stunning filly never lost a race in 2013 by passing all chances to race with the trotting colts and beating the same group of fillies in her division.

    Only a handful of industry journalists, including myself, were disappointed. Even Alagna said the colt deserved the honor. It was a year where arguments could have been made for two other stupendous performers, Father Patrick and I Luv The Nitelife. While covering the major events for TwinSpires and the Hambletonian Society, we coined this quartet The Four Horses of the Apocalypse, dramatically emphasizing what an earthshaking season was presented with four unique talents in it.

    The 2014 stakes schedules for Balmoral and Maywood is finally here. The first major state-bred (ICF) stake will be on May 18 with soph pacing fillies in the $45,000 Violet Stake at Balmoral. There will also be Violet and Cardinal Stakes ICF pacers and trotters on May 25, May 28 and May 31 at Balmoral. Maywood’s first big event will be the $100,000 Filly Maywood Pace for ICF soph fillies on June 13. The $100,000 Maywood Pace for ICF soph pacing colts is on June 20. The first Hanover Stakes at Balmoral will feature a pair of events for soph trotters on June 7. Locals battle in the Southland Festival of Racing at Balmoral on July 26 and July 27. A pair of $50,000 Hanover Stakes for frosh filly pacers go on Aug. 2 at Balmoral, while a pair of $60,000 events for frosh trotters go on Aug. 3. Balmoral hosts ICF champs again with Super Night, on Sept. 13. American-Nationals kick off on Sept. 17.

    October presents the $100,000 Lady Lincoln Stake for frosh trotting fillies (Oct. 1), while their male counterparts battle in the $100,000 Lincoln Land Stake (Oct. 5) at Balmoral. Maywood hosts the $60,000 Cardinal and Violet Stakes for frosh colt and filly pacers on Oct. 3. Saturday (Oct. 11) and Friday (Oct. 17) present some of the best pacers and trotters in the country with the $250,000 American-National soph colt pace, $225,00 American-National soph colt trot, $200,000 American-National Open pace, $180,000 American-National Open trot, $175,000 American-National soph filly pace, $150,000 American-National 3 soph filly trot, $125,000 American-National frosh colt pace and $125,000 American-National frosh filly pace.

    Maywood’s biggest card of the season is just six days later on Oct. 17 with the $225,000 Windy City Pace for soph pacing colts, the $130,000 Abe Lincoln Stake for frosh pacing colts, the $110,00 Galt Trot for soph trotting colts and the $100,000 Cinderella Stake for soph pacing fillies.

    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

  • ‘Levy’ Brigades Begin Battles At Yonkers

    POSTED Mar 19, 2014 By Frank Cotolo
    Damn the weather, spring is here because Yonkers Raceway launches the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series and the Blue Chip Matchmaker this weekend. It’s a six-week Free-For-All feast for older pacers, the ‘Levy,’ and pacing mares, the Matchmaker.

    The Matchmaker mares begin their journey with four divisions ($40,000 each) on Friday, March 21, and the stalwart male pacers cross paths with five divisions ($50,000 each) the following night. Be with us each week for analysis and suggested contenders in one of the more contentious series of the season, complete with upsets and striking star action as the divisions narrow down to the final in April.

    Meanwhile, from the Meadowlands on Friday and Saturday, the Horse & Groom trotters and the Clyde Hirt pacers continue their series.

    Even with the feature menu full, the horses to watch (H2W) list, presented exclusively for TwinSpires harness blog readers, send up flares for probable across-the-board and exotic contenders that can cause cashing. Please note that horses from our featured overnight events the week before appear on the H2W list as second-time members if they did not win when we highlighted their previous race.

    ’Levy’ Lancers

    Yonkers Raceway’s Saturday night program gathers 36 opening-round Levy lancers for races 2.4,5,9 and 11. Ten of the warriors carry the Ron Burke training flag, including two-time Levy champ Foiled Again (second last season). He is, of course, the sport’s highest money earner ($6,030,968).

    Race 2
    It looks like a pace-away romp for Dancin Yankee but for a few unknowns, like Word Power. Just how much better has he gotten after waking up late last season? It remains to be seen. It would be a huge surprise if he got to “Yank” here but he is worth a shot other than a pass and an exacta with Yank.

    Race 4
    Ron Burke and P J Fraley (a combined six entered in the opening round) each have coupled entries in the second division, where double-millionaire Sweet Lou (post 5) makes his five-year-old debut. “Lou” ended his 2013 season with a handy win in an Open Handicap at this oval and he comes off of a fiery 1:51.1 qualifier on the mile. Fraley’s Here We Go Again and Fat Mans Alley will get some play, but this division wreaks of low returns. If you feel Lou is best, try him atop Pan From Nantucket and Sapphire City, both of which may sneak into a pay spot if the traffic gets thick midway.

    Race 5
    A huge favorite, AJ Corabelli, leaves from the golden post 1 and the Burke duo from posts 3 and 7. Bet On The Law will have an outside chance as a contender returning to start his season and may get a charmed steer from Brian Sears to edge by the obvious members of this group.

    Race 9
    Doctor Butch, a state-bred standout and last season’s Art Rooney Pace champ, begins his four-year-old season in this division. Trainer Linda Toscano may have him ready but he will have to work for it since this group already has some decent earners. Burke’s pair will be hammered but here, again, Sears is aboard an outsider, Malak Uswaad N, that could take advantage of the suspicious talent involved.

    Race 11
    Foiled Again draws in with the red-hot Apprentice Hanover, who has won nine consecutive races (five this season) for trainer Ben Wallace. If he is going to make it six, he will have to outshine “Foiled,” who is coming off of swift qualifying miles. And look at the morning-line odds, gracing Hillbilly Hanover at 6-5 for his return to the races. Dare we look for another Sears-upset? Why not? Texican N is fast and is the second highest earner in the group. Go for it.

    Matchmaker

    Friday, March 21, Yonkers’ Blue Chip Matchmaker begins Friday with 29 Free-For-All pacing mares going in races 4,6,9 and 10. Defending series champion Feeling You goes in the third event, from post 5 for co-owner driver Tyler Buter. She comes off a 12-win, $407,000-plus season in 2013.

    Race 4
    Shelliscape debuts, her 2013 bow being a Breeders Crown win. She faces Burke’s Rocklamation and Camille and the hot Angels Delight in the seven-mare malaise. This is a good shot for Cheyenne Miriam to prove she will make noise in thie series. The Siegelman barn has her sharp for this, which could be her first win of six tries already this year.

    Race 6
    One of Burke’s two in this split is the in-and-out Androvette. She is a terrific contender but can have her carefree moments when she disappoints as the choice and here she should be the choice. Perhaps overlooked will be Uf Dragon’s Queen. Trainer Mark Ford may have her primed to open with a strategic trip against suspicious speed here, upsetting with a price, for sure.

    Race 9
    Here’s a set up for a closer, with a rash of speed that could be too much by three-quarters. Feeling Good will try to steal her first outing with hopes of sweeping another championship; Somewherovrarainbow will be in hot pursuit of the lead and Burke’s Charisma Hanover won’t easily give up the rail spot in an attempt to command the fractions. This could open a path for Campanile, who has only two starts and one of them a win. In a speed-dueling scenario she is the late flyer and should bring with her a rewarding price.

    Race 10
    Economy Terror may be the best from past battles but will that allow her to pay well enough? She may work as a key in exotics better, especially if Rockaround Sue makes a late statement.

    Meadowlands In Motion

    Friday, the trotters in the Horse & Groom Series are on board for another leg. In the first division we are going to go with our choice from last week, Crosbys Calm Bake, who was scratched. All the same reasons hold up here, as his Meadows’ races make him look ready for the fight. Why he scratched may not matter.

    In the second division, we hope the crowd sticks with the obvious choices and lays off of Banker Volo. In his defeat against this race’s probable favorite Amigo Ranger (6-1 last week but not expected to have that value here), “Volo” broke out of the gate and made up a ton of real estate to finish fifth. He was well supported then, so we look for a fickle betting public to hold that break against him and raise the odds. He certainly appears ready to fly if he stays flat.

    The Clyde Hirt Series ensues Saturday and in the first division we see an outside contender in Burkentine Hanover. We aren’t going to let the 10-post start bother us, it should only increase his odds. He is in fine shape and cuts the mile with the best of his competitors, so value should ride the mile with him against no particular dynamos.

    After a frustrating sophomore season, Wake Up Peter woke up around New Year’s Day for trainer Larry Remmen and is in perfect shape, having not lost one in four starts. Why should he be beaten here when it is looking like he can sweep the series? Judge the value yourself but if you want any upset chance, go with Nathaniel B, who lost for us last week but put in a great race at 54-1. Could be an exacta booster, too, with “Pete” either way.

    H2W Legend

    Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track. These are possible contenders we have judged from reviewing races. The horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track after the date they will be racing. The race in which they are entered (R and race number) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name it means it is appearing on the list for the second (and last time) because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “AE” signals the horse is entered but on the also-eligible list. 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
    3/21/14, +RA Shakenbake R6

    Cal Expo
    3/21/14, Love Live Laugh R4; +Lust R7; +Mystically Mine R7; +Missys Diamond R8; +Cordealia R8; Wild About Eagle R10; Skyway King R13
    3/22/14, Scarboro Hanover R12

    Dover
    3/23/14, +Snowball’s Keeper R5; Briteolive R7; Chipoffablueblock R11

    Freehold
    3/20/14, +Lemon Drop Hall R6
    3/22/14,+Docdor Laughing R1; Waywatcher R1; +GW Gizmo R4

    Meadowlands
    3/20/14, +Sturdy As A Hall R4  
    3/21/14, +Handoffmycupcake R5; Grey Ice R9

    Meadows
    3/21/14, +Hawaii And Son R6; +Nottin To Much R10; +Truth To Power R12

    Miami Valley
    3/20/14, +Alluring Art R4; +B Quite Marvelous R6; Dream On Shorty R7; Camilla The Terror R11

    Pocono
    3/22/14, +Quinnman R4; +Danishdujour R13

    Pompano
    3/22/14,+ Premier R3; +Avantage R4; +Waldy Jimmy R6; +Skad’s Winner R7; 

    Rosecroft
    3/22/14, Lone Raider R1;+Doomsday Hanover R3; +Wicked Persuasion R4;+Nuclear Standoff R7; Gamblers Vacation R10; +Caviat Lindy R11; Nothing Wrong R12

    Yonkers
    3/21/14, Coraggioso R11

    Ray Cotolo contributed to each Thursday 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

  • Our Old Kentucky Home

    POSTED Sep 25, 2013 By Frank Cotolo

     
    The harness scene changes this month’s end to the prosaic, pastoral Kentucky, adorned with golden plumes of wildflowers and deep with equine history. Some of the year’s best pacers and trotters ship to Lexington for the traditional Grand Circuit meeting at The Red Mile. It’s the last stop before the Breeders Crown and the stars are coming south for the big cash events on the two-turn mile with the clay-colored surface. 
     
    We pick up the action for week one on Friday, Sept. 27 and guide you through Sunday, Sept. 29 as week one presents Bluegrass Stakes for two- and three-year-olds and Allerage Stakes for the older set. The Sunday, Sept. 29 contenders’ list appears in the H2W list under The Red Mile below.
     
    Don’t forget to check out the horses-to-watch (H2W) list below for live contenders in overnights all over North America. The exclusive list is hot with possibilities for win, place, show and exotics—however you use them, use them. The H2W produces some mighty prices and excellent exotic elements that boost combo prices.
     
    TwinSpires offers special bonuses for Hoosier Park throughout the harness meet. Check out the Hoosier details here. 
     
    Our featured Breeders Crown Countdown event this week is coverage of eligibles from the Sept. 28 New York Sires Stakes Champion races at Yonkers Raceway. For that analysis to help you with your wagering decisions, Go to Breeders Crown Countdown.

    Friday’s Bluegrass

    Three divisions each of the Bluegrass Stakes for frosh-colt trotters and filly pacers adorn the Sept. 27 program. The top stars of the divisions are on hand to compete for total purses over a half-million dollar. 

    The colt trotters’ trio of stakes each has a seven-colt field for a purse of $90,100. 

    In the first split, Father Patrick, one of the season’s top division-dominating steeds, comes off of two spectacular races, both wins (William Wellwood Memorial elim and final at Mohawk). He has lost only one of eight starts in his career and that was a photo-for-win second in an overnight at The Meadowlands. He is simply the best of the young trottin’ boys and impossible to bet on or against. Look for exotics. 

    In round two for the colts, six foes try to beat the obvious public choice, Exodus Hanover. He is worth aiming at with an upset, preferably Odds On Amethyst. He has speed and does not have to face “Patrick” here and may go wire to wire at a decent price.

    In the colts’ finale, we have to look for Outburst to overcome Southwind Spirit. The latter may offer no odds to whet a bet while Outburst is improving and could take the winner’s photo for trainer Noel Daley.

    The pacing fillies will race for just shy of $260,000 in their triptych. Precocious Beauty is the star of the first split and she will leave from post 8 to continue a recent ruling of this division. Her 1:50.2 speed badge is almost creepy for this division. However, due to post 9, Somethinincredible may be the overlooked contender and therefore the best bet in a strong field that will test Precocious Beauty to her limit. 

    In the second filly pacing round, Caviat Shelly is a budding daughter of Somebeachsomewhere, whose frosh product in both sex categories are doing far better than most are being wagered to do. Take her here, her post only increases the value.

    Finally, split three leads us again to an outside post as we give Bahama Blue another chance to join the Somebeachsomewhere-winning-frosh club and, again, with a near-guaranteed double-digit price for the support.

    Saturday In The Bluegrass 

    Somewhere Fancy won’t take as much money as he should but this frosh-colt pacer is ready for prime-time action. His recent Mohawk mile is monstrous, though he lost, but it shows that trainer Linda Toscano has high hopes for this good colt.

    Next on the frosh-colt pacing agenda, we have to go with Let’s Drink On It. Coming off two brutal trips, he may race back to his Metro elim win, which is a race that beats them all here. He might not fool many bettors for all his class, so you may wish to key him on top in exotics if you don’t like the win price, especially since chaos rules in all that follow him home if he is first.

    Again for $77,000-plus, the third frosh-colt pace offers a possible outsider with the Tony Alagna-trained Gold Rocks. He is in great form but may not be given the respect he deserves for winning the Lou Babic elim and final, no less his big race at Freehold before coming here, where he was third as the dead-on choice after a horrid trip around four turns. He has the breeding, for sure, and should offer the price we like.

    Speaking of prices, next for this division comes Carracci Hanover. Bound to be a longshot, he has not proven unworthy of his second place finish two back at 36-1. His Champlain Stakes fifth was not a bad race and the bettors knew it, reducing him to 13-1. Watch out for him here, he could surprise and leave maiden status.

    Soph-filly pacers are also in flight with with a single $122,000 event. There are no easy pickings in round one for these gals. A case can be made for many of the 11 involved. That being written, judge the value of Aunt Caroline for yourself. She is in fine fettle for this and shows signs of being a good earner.

    Soph-colt pacers, those glamour boys, also go at it again, this time in two $95,500 Bluegrass Stakes this Saturday. What we have here, of course, in the first split for them is another arena for the fabulous Captaintreacherous. It’s a far better field to conquer than last week’s timid group at Hoosier but this year’s soph colt pacer has added glitter to the glamour division and should be able to handle them with little effort. Can you scrape up a worth exacta or triple from his highness? That’s your business; we are going to watch and revel in the magnificence of this guy.

    Split two is another shot for one of our “Jug” choices, Wake Up Peter. Still looking for his first win this season he has been batting with the big boys as trainer Tony Alagna’s other colt, pacing in the shadow of Captaintreacherous. Toss out his Jug from post 8 and give this guy another chance to pace his Cane Pace mile, which here would win it over these and pay off well.

    H2W Legend

    Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track. These are possible contenders we have judged from reviewing races.

    The horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track after the date they will be racing. The race in which they are entered (R and race number) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name it means it is appearing on the list for the second (and last time) because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” signals the horse is entered but on the also-eligible list. Types of wagering on any of the H2W listed horses are based on your judgment. If you have any questions, email us at TwinSpires.

    H2W

    Batavia
    9/27/13, Armbro Barnes R1; +Mythical Hall R4; +Haste R4
    9/28/13, Blackwalls R5

    Freehold
    9/28/13, +Useful Hanover R5; +Saywhatuneedtosay ae R8; +Newsam R9

    Lebanon
    9/27/13, Moira’s Bliss R13
    9/28/13, +Livelikeurdying R9; +Surf La R12

    Maywood
    9/26/13, Greg And Flex R3; Skyway Titan R7
    9/27/13, Zeller’s Island R8

    Meadows
    9/27/13, +Bohemian Spell R12

    Northfield
    9/27/13, Flying Lucia R1; +Bench’s Beauty R2; Iemma Machine Baby R3; Twinky R4; +Masked Lover R8; +Blissfull Jessie R9; Felicia Hall R10; Twin B Shasta R13

    Red Mile
    9/29/13, Shared Past R5; Mister Herbie R7; Clear Vision R9; Mistery Woman R10; Deadliest Catch R11; Lindy's Tru Grit R12; Lauderdale R13

    Rosecroft
    9/28/13, +Hit The Hill R4; Techno Paysan R4; Crown Time Yooray R7; +Littlebitofthunder R12
     
    Vernon

    9/28/13, +St Lads Speedy ae R3

    Ray Cotolo contributed to this edition. 

    Top photo by Thom Pye

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED Sep 21, 2013 By Frank Cotolo

    Before the weekend results and news, here is how the best of our suggested contenders did at the Delaware County Fair meet from Sunday, Sept. 15 through Thursday, Sept. 19 (Little Brown Jug day). All horses are in order of price paid, highest to lowest amounts, with show prices included for place horses. 

    Winners:

    Kennairnmachmagic, $18.60
    Supreme Day, $8.40
    Lismaraslady, $7.80
    Future Night Train, $5.60
    I Luv The Nitelife, $3.20

    Seconds:

    Jerseylicious, $5.40, $3.80
    Crown Time Keeper, $5.00, $5.00
    Coffeecake Hanover, $3.20

    Thirds:

    Emeritus Maximus, $5.00
    Wake Up Peter, $3.80
    Mannerism, $3.60
    Sailer Eddie, $3.60
    Zambrano, $3.00
    Milliron Pete, $2.60

    Our highest priced winner, if played with the race favorite in an exacta (perfecta), paid $48.20. The Jugette first elim heat exacta paid $9.60. 
     
    With the bridge-jumpers out in full force—$215,000 in the show pool—Captaintreacherous swayed home wire to wire at Hoosier on Sept. 21 in 1:49.4. The brilliant pacer faced practically nothing like the talent he has beaten this season in a display much like a qualifier. 
     
    We supported two trotters to strongly contend the Centaur Trotting Classic at Hoosier and the better-paying steed won. Uncle Peter was all out late and won, paying $15.40. 
     
    At our The Breeders Crown Countdown blog we analyzed the Milton Final at Mohawk with aplomb, nabbing Rocklamation with a correct scenario of failed speed late. The crafty closer paid $27.10. 
     
    The countdown blog, in cooperation with the Hambletonian Society and TwinSpires, is your exclusive bettors’ aid for handicapping top contenders’ events heading toward the October classics.  Check it out each week in league with our Thursday TwinSpires blog.

    H2W RESULTS

    $15.20 Lady Ashlyn, Northfield
    $4.60 Shadowonthebeach, Rosecroft
    $4.40 Painite, Vernon
    $3.00 Michael’s Dream, Rosecroft 

     

    The following are the horses that finished second or third along with their post-time odds. Special notes on those finishes follow. 

     

    Seconds:
    Townline Kriss (9-1), Northfield; Livelikeurdying (5-1), Lebanon    

     

    Thirds:
    Masked Lover (22-1), Northfield; Caveat Empton (8-5), Vernon; Leg Up (10-1), Freehold 


    Oddly enough, one of our list members at Lebanon, Big Ben’s Canyon, was beaten by Milliron Pete, who you can see above was one of our Ohio contenders. Also, “Canyon” went off higher than any horse we ever included on the H2W. Canyon finished seventh at 385-1. 
     
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     
    News And Notes
     
    A horse we gave out last year when he won and paid the best price to date of his career (winning the Art Rooney Final at Yonkers) is now the fastest winner on a half-mile track in the history of the sport. At the Delaware County Fairground, on Little Brown Jug day, Pet Rock nipped A Rocknroll Dance to win the Winbak Pace in 1:48.1. Now a four-year-old, Pet Rock holds the world record for a mile, five-eighths and half, all established within the past two months. 
     
    The connections of Hambletonian-winner Royalty For Life skipped action in Ohio and announced the colt will compete at The Red Mile in the Kentucky Futurity on Sunday, Oct. 6. 
     
    Trainer George Duchame told Kathy Parker of Horsemen & Fair World about the plans. After the colt won the Hambletonian, Ducharme mapped out a conservative schedule for the trotter, with a start in the Bluegrass the first week at Lexington and then skipping the Kentucky Futurity. Royalty For Life’s powerful victory in the Canadian Trotting Classic prompted the change in plans. 
     
    Trainer Chuck Sylvester also plans for Pennsylvania Sires Stakes champion and Hambo third-place finisher Spider Blue Chip, who lost in Ohio, to compete in the “Futurity.” And Creatine, who we supported in the TwinSpires Player Pool when he won an elim for the Hambo at 5-1, will also start in the Futurity.
     
    Googoo Gaagaa, last year’s trotting star with a pacing sire, was upset in a FFA trot at Maryland’s Great Frederick Fair. Cool Colby defeated “Goo,” whose owner-trainer is Richard Hans (he also drove Goo). The 2012 sensation, who was defeating all the Hambo contenders before August (not having a trotting sire, Goo was never eligible to the classic race), Goo had health issues that dowsed his sophomore season. At four he has not had much success, racing mostly in his home state of Maryland. 
     
    Last Sunday was the final night of live harness racing at Toledo’s Raceway Park, an historic half-mile track actie since opening in 1959. Among various events throughout the evening were guest announcers who had called the action at Raceway Park, including Sam McKee, Steve Cross, John Pawlak, Ayers Ratliff and Ron Sobczack. Two brand new harness tracks are being built in Ohio and will offer better purses and increased opportunities to the Ohio horse industry than had Raceway. The 2014 racing season will be held at a brand new facility, Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway.
     
    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

  • The After-Party; Captaintreacherous Returns

    POSTED Sep 18, 2013 By Frank Cotolo

    The Little Brown Jug for this year is history – however, press time for this blog comes before the races at Delaware, so watch for our Sunday recap, which includes how we did for the meet with our suggested contenders as published here in our special midweek blog.
     
    The weekend racing agenda elsewhere is light with stakes since many of the divisions’ top members raced in Ohio during the week. The “Jug” after-party of racing shall be timid, at best, but there is still plenty of racing over the weekend.   
     
    The autumn menu of raceways is full and the features include an appearance by Captaintreacherous at Hoosier. I have included in this blog an essay about the colt and his absence from the Jug.
     
    Don’t forget to look through the horses to watch (H2W) list below for live contenders in overnights all over North America. The exclusive list is hot with possibilities for win, place, show and exotics—however you use them, use them. The H2W produces some mighty prices and excellent exotic elements that boost combo prices.
     
    TwinSpires offers special bonuses for Hoosier Park throughout the harness meet. Check out the Hoosier details here.
     
    Our featured Breeders Crown Countdown event this week is the Milton Final and for that analysis to help you with your wagering decisions, Go to Breeders Crown Countdown. 
     
    Captain’s Courageous   
     
    The critics of Captaintreacherous’ connections find this Saturday’s Open Pace (Jenna's Beach Boy) at Hoosier an insult to the sport because Captaintreacherous, arguably one of the best pacers of all time, will be racing in the $50,000 affair as opposed to resting from a battle for the Jug championship.  
     
    Some critics sited the half-mile and heat format as reasons for re-routing “Captain” from Ohio to Indiana. Neither of those elements could be evidence for a case against the Captain if one was objective about the pacer’s prowess. Because pundits would not be satisfied even if the Captain went to the Jug and devoured all opposition. Plus, if he lost, and that would have taken a great deal of pressure that by no other colt or gelding in his crop could sustained, Captain-haters would have swooned their “I-told-you-so” song, as if it negated anything the Captain ever accomplished. 
     
    In another sense, The Little Brown Jug has become more of a traditional event than a test of stamina or speed. Over the past decade, few of its champions have been champions in many other contests and they have won it against lesser competition than they fail to defeat on other occasions. The Jug has always been a strange little theater for one-hit wonders like Nick’s Fantasy, Shadow Play, Mr Feelgood (who we predicted would win months before the race), P-Forty Seven, Astreos, Shady Character and Tell All. These were fine pacers, for sure, but they were not all-out champs and were not in a category that would include the Captain. 
     
    You could say, and I would, that there is nothing much left to prove for this marvelous colt. He is one of the greats and all the denials fall short of mere sourpuss behavior. My opinion was documented even before he scourged his foes early this season (click here to read essay). I didn’t get on a bandwagon, I was riding shotgun on it. If you haven’t already gotten on the Captain bandwagon, however, there is still plenty of room and the ride through the Breeders Crown and into 2014 is bound for glory.
     
    Hoosier Hellfights   
     
    Also on the Hoosier program Sept. 21 is the Centaur Trotting Classic with a purse of $230,000 for some of the top older square-steppers. The stars are here for another rough and tumble mile of speed and audacity. The menu includes probable favorite Market Share, last year’s Hambo winner, who has backed off of an early role as dominator of the division.  
     
    The ever-enduring Wishing Stone should be second or third choice here and we will be happy with that status. Uncle Peter should be in the hunt late for exotic purposes. These first-level elders should dominate the mile.
     
    Complementing the big night are a pair of $138,000-plus Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes, traditional miles for freshmen this season that have made Indiana their home. These two splits are for filly pacers.
     
    The first division may offer a longshot if the morning line holds up. From the prolific crop of Somebeachsomewhere, Secluded Beach, trained by Tony Alagna, may be best. In the second, Jimmy Takter’s Ravinia Hanover may be in the perfect spot for an upset. If driver Ron Pierce chooses the favorite to drive (he is listed on both at press time), we could get a strong price on the Takter student. 
     
    H2W Legend
     
    Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track. These are possible contenders we have judged from reviewing races.
     
    The horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track after the date they will be racing. The race in which they are entered (R and race number) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name it means it is appearing on the list for the second (and last time) because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” signals the horse is entered but on the also-eligible list. Types of wagering on any of the H2W listed horses are based on your judgment. If you have any questions, email us at TwinSpires.  
     
    H2W
     
    Batavia
    9/20/13, Romeo Star R2; Mythical Hall R8; James Bonds Girl R11
     
    Colonial
    9/21/13, Vesper As R4; Somecam R6; Hillbilly Charmer R10
     
    Freehold
    9/21/13, +Allstar Blues ae R5; +Leg Up R6; +Saywhatuneedtosay ae R8
     
    Lebanon
    9/21/13, Surf La R1; Big Ben’s Canyon R2; Lookout Macatoo R6; Livelikeurdying R7; Ally-con R8

    Northfield
    9/20/13, Townline Kriss R2; Bench’s Beauty R3; Blissfull Jessie R9; Masked Lover R9; +Lady Ashlyn R10
     
    Rosecroft
    9/21/13, Michaels Dream R1; Iz A Rocket R3; Shadowonthebeach R3; Hit The Hill R4; Littlebitofthunder R10 
     
    Vernon
    9/20/13, +Wesleys Fortune R1; St Lads Speedy R1; +Skyway Poncho R4; Painite R4; Caveat Emptor R6
     
    Ray Cotolo contributed to this edition.

  • Springing Into Stakes Season

    POSTED Mar 13, 2013 By Frank Cotolo

    This weekend the New Meadowlands offers a pair of seasonal series finales while the casts for Yonkers’ late-March battles continue with more on the horizon. Along with the stakes we continue to bring you TwinSpires’ exclusive harness horses to watch (H2W) list from tracks across the continent. The H2W continues to present mega-wins and great additions to exotic-wagering plays.

    Also, TwinSpires’ 10-percent bonuses on winning Pick 4s at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday nights and Woodbine on Saturday nights continue through March.

    Check out the details for Woodbine here.

    Check out the details for Buffalo here.

    We contribute by adding our suggestions for Saturday’s Woodbine Pick-4 events, tagged with a TwinSpires bonus, and hope to help you build a ticket with other than the obvious dead-on public choices. Check back later if that information is not printed below, as we have to add it after press time.

    Finales Firing

    Two series finals are the next rounds of winter series at the New Meadowlands. For four-year-old Open pacers there is a $57,000 bounty in the Aquarius Final and for three-year-old-and-up Open trotters the prize is $50,000 in the Horse & Groom Final.  

    In the Aquarius we are going right back to Yo Cheyenne Rocky. With a few tough trips since we nailed him in an earlier series the crowd may dismiss him. That will be good for bargain odds on a pacer that is nowhere near peaking in this class.  

    The Horse & Groom also brings us back to a horse we have been following and could peak when the dollars are best. That is Volare De Vie. Having been second at 10-1 in the first leg he will be all but forgotten on the toteboard and could pull of a decent upset here against a giant probable favorite who is all but a lock.   

    Burke’s Brigade


    Ron Burke has his stable locked and loaded for Yonkers Raceway’s two classy pacing series featuring older male and female pacers. There will be the $1.5-million (est.) George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series for the fellas and $1-million (est.) Blue Chip Matchmaker for the gals. The series, which begin Friday, Mar. 22 with the Matchmaker and Saturday, Mar. 23 for the “Levy” with five preliminary rounds. Every Levy event goes for $50,000; the Matchmaker contests go for $40,000 each.     

    Leading 50 Levy nominees for the men is two-time (2009-‘10) series champion Foiled Again. The nine-year-old gelding with the $4.6 million bankroll is the richest pacer of all-time. He missed a head to stablemate Atochia last year and shares with Atochia a third of trainer Ron Burke’s six Levy eligibles, which also include Annieswesterncard, Clear Vision, Something for Doc and Stonehouse Adam.  

    Defending Matchmaker heroine Rocklamation is among 40 lasses with nine trained by Burke, including Lady Maud-winner Bettor B Lucky. Two-time millionaireand state-bred standout Anndrovette is also part of Burke’s list along with $1.7-million winner Ginger And Fred and Handsoffmycookie.  

    Both finals, and their consolations, are scheduled for Saturday, Apr. 27. As we have done for almost a decade, we will be covering each leg’s divisions, looking agein for the upsets that have rattled the series with payoffs (never forget our Tarver Hanover score a few years back, paying 25-1 in a six-horse field).    

    Yonkers’ five-night-a-week live schedule continues with first post every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 p.m.   

    H2W Legend


    Here once more is the H2W legend, published weekly. Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track to decide how you will use the information.

    Before the horses’ names is the track, followed on the next paragraph by a date it (or they) will be racing, with the race in which they are entered (R and race number). If a + is in front of a horse’s name, it means that horse is appearing on the list for the second (and last time) because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” means the horse is on the also-eligible list and needs a scratch to get into the race. Sometimes up to three horses are listed in the same race; it is up to you how to deal with the situation (note that in the past this situation has resulted in exacta and triples). 

    If a horse that has appeared on the list but was scratched or is not racing its second week consecutively, you will see a N/R after its name and will appear on a separate line from dated entries. If a horse shows up at another track in its second week of being listed, it will display the plus sign as indicated above. There is a margin of error, of course, so we encourage you to monitor our list to be sure our H2W is free of mistakes and you can take advantage of the entries.

    Wagering on any of the H2W listed horses is based on your own judgment of value. Your handicapping skills should include decisions to wager to win, place, show or in exotics. If you have any questions about the H2W list, send them to us through the TwinSpires blog channel.

    H2W


    Balmoral
    3/16/13, +Whistle Pig R8; +Lennox Blue Chip R9; +Shipps Con R12
    Bucks Luck N/R; Ohyouareonetoo N/R

    Buffalo
    3/15/13, Imbadimnationwide R1; Lutetium R2; Redford Hall R7; Yukons Luck R9; Urban Art R11
    3/16/13, +Linnea P R3; +In Good Hands R12

    Cal Expo
    3/15/13, +Windy City Paige R1; Bubba Mcgee R10
    3/16/13, Barona Destiny R10; Glad To Be Here R15
    Lucky Asset N/R; Style Element NR
     
    Freehold
    3/15/13, Zapata R1; Hot Cha Cha R5; Big Sky Bats R7; Monet’s Lily R9
    3/16/13, Millionare Cam R1; Love To Rock 

    Lebanon
    3/15/13, Hesagreateclipse R4
    3/16/13, +Sir Johnny Colt R5; Sterling Chris R6; All Over The World R8; Buddy Lou R10; Worker C R10; +Dontstiffthevet R11

    Maywood
    3/15/13, Masterchargeit ae R1; Jimmy Rip R2; + Frostonpumpkin R7; Wes Mantooth R7; Guts N Glory R11; Bubs Desier ae R11; Polar Bear R13; Dan Lowe R14 

    Northfield
    3/15/13, Caribbean Girl R1; American Bandita R2; I Think I’m Dreamin R3; Just Got Lucky6 R5; Cute And Cruising R5; I Love Being Right R6; Whats Your Fantasy R13; +Western Hope R14 

    Rosecroft
    3/16/13, Ms Ed R2; Chiselled R9; Pegasus Man R9; Caviat Lindy R10

    Ray Cotolo contributed to this edition.

  • Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

    POSTED Dec 29, 2012 By Frank Cotolo
    Last week we released our TwinSpires Harness Players’ Horses of the Year, along with all the other winners we posted this year up until that blog. With a weekend left in 2012, we had no chance to add any winners afterwards. Below you will find some additions to the 2012 list, including a bomb at Cal Expo, all extracted from our horses-to-watch list (H2W) that dominates this time of year. 



    H2W


    Here they are from the highest paying to the lowest paying winners from the list on our blog last Thursday: 

    $49.80, Comeshomeearly, Cal Expo
    $12.20, WH Scooter, Cal Expo
    $11.40, Stormin Rustler, Meadowlands
    $8.60, Boo Coo Blush, Cal Expo
    $5.40, Georges Ztam, Maywood

    Here are the horses that finished second and third that will return to the H2W list next week and how they finished, along with their post-time odds. Special notes on their affects in those positions follow.

    Seconds:
    Three New Dawns (7-1), Meadowlands; Cien (2-1), Northfield; Harmony Oaks Rebel (8-5), Northfield; Red Star Brooklyn (6-1), Fraser; Lucky Sniper (5-1), Pompano; Whirlwinddiplomacy (3-1), Balmoral; She Sell Cruise (8-5), Northfield

    Thirds
    Arctic Fire (49-1), Meadowlands; Custers Last Stand (11-1), Northfield; Perfekjehlmnkalfas (6-5), Northfield; Cams Princess Wave (4-1), Maywood; Rd Lou (4-5), Cal Expo; Cherry Tree Nicole (9-5), Cal Expo; Succulent (1-1), Fraser; Milbanks Ariel (14-1), Fraser; Another Opinion (5-2), Fraser; Cam On Mink (3-1), Fraser, Major Najor (-), Pompano; Gilly Ho (4-1), Balmoral; Sporty Gypsy (6-1), Balmoral

    All adjustments for returnees to the list and additions will be in the Thursday blog.

    News And Notes

    Tim Tetrick (photo) won the Harness Driver of the Year award as the favorite to do so based on a productive year. Aside from being the exclusive guide for the Horse of the Year, Chapter Seven, Tim pulled off a minor upset in the Hambletonian with Market Share and continued to keep that colt at the top of the soph-colt trotting ranks through the second half of the season. Linda Toscano trained Market Share and the Horse of the Year, so it was no surprise she was voted Trainer of the Year.

    The Meadowlands began its “new era” with classified racing, some new faces in the bikes and a couple of pari-mutuel bombs on Dec. 28. Carolstern, a pacer chipped in from Freehold, paid over $240 to win. That caused a Pick 5 carryover of over $16,000. Later All About Justice scored, paying $107 to win. That victory caused a Late Pick 4 payout of over $10,000 following an Early Pick Four that returned over $18,000. We supplied the 9-2 winner (shipping from Yonkers) of the first night’s nightcap (see list above).

    The handle of $2,691,107 was an increase of 24 percent from what was bet opening night a year ago. All three of the Meadowlands guaranteed wagers were very well received, including the brand new early Pick 4, which carried a pool of over $42,000 with a special TwinSpires feature.

    Rosecroft Raceway’s 29-night fall-winter race meet showed significant gains in overall handle versus the 2011 meet. Total wagering on live races for the meet increased 70 percent over the 2011 meet. The 2011 season featured live racing after a nearly three-year hiatus.

    Extraordinary Extras

    Here’s a free ride for my column in Hoof Beats (the analog mag). With the New Year approaching, my January, 2013 column offers a way to become an organized harness racing investor. Check it out my clicking here. It’s the featured article of the issue and the best advice you will get all year about your wagering campaign. 

    Indulge in many standardbred topics at my Hoof Beats blog titled Vast Performances. Every weekend as part of that blog we we offer Balmoral Pick-4-and-win picks at the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program page which includes suggested win bets.  

    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.

     


    Cartoons by Thom Pye