As September enters its first weekend, we stay in Canada for
a number of Grand Circuit (GC) stakes at Mohawk. There are numerous co-stars
this weekend; all in the U.S., with sires stakes championships from Indiana and
Pennsylvania (there are others, such as Ohio, but selections for those are
included in the horses-to-watch—H2W—list below).
Champlain and Simcoe GC events for Sept. 6 at Mohawk will be covered on our exclusive blog,
this year’s
Breeders Crown Countdown, now on line. We
link to it from this main blog for coverage of races through the rest of the
season leading to the championship events in November, in cooperation with the
Hambletonian
Society and
TwinSpires.
Check out TwinSpires-Hoosier Park’s
10-percent bonus for hitting Pick 4s every
night there is racing at the Indiana track. And, of course, our horses-to-watch
list (H2W) offers live contenders for win, place, show and exotics from tracks
across the continent.
Of course, the H2W list rolls on through the ninth month with suggested
contenders that may complement your win, place, show and exotic combos at many
harness tracks across North America.
The ‘Wellwood’ Gang
Last week’s Metro Pace highlighted the frosh-colt pacers with their biggest
purse and strongest challenge to date. This week, on Sept. 5 at Mohawk,
frosh-trotting colts go in a pair of $30,000 elims to meet their greatest
challenge yet, the William Wellwood Memorial (WWM) Final, next week.
There are only six colts in the first elim but none in the sextet can be easily
dismissed. They are green and relatively unpredictable but not without their
strengths already displayed through the first half of the season.
Jimmy Takter’s Uncle Lasse is bound to get a lot of win coverage and not just
for the trainer’s reputation. In the Donato Hanover product’s recent race he
won smoothly at Pocono after strong battles (finishing second) with Centurion
Atm in the “Haughton” elim and final at the Meadowlands.
Ron Burke’s Habitat has won three of five on a road tour, including a Champlain
at Mohawk, a Tompkins at Tioga and a Kindergarten at the Meadowlands. There
will be pennies between the odds of these two, leaving some breathing room for
an improving member of the division, who we liked last week in a Champlain,
Wheels Ah Smokin.
He may share third-public choice status with Don’t Rush from the rail but
“Wheels” won’t get the obvious interest of the two aforementioned colts. Still,
Wheels has won a Kindergarten as the drop-dead favorite (two back) and he was a
second choice to Habitat at the Meadowlands in another Kindergarten. Trainer
Chuck Sylvester is priming this guy, hoping to mature him for his wealthy
owners who can eye the 2015 Hambletonian. Wheels is a son of Muscles Yankee,
the sire of Hambletonian champ Muscle Hill. Sylvester trained Muscles Yankee
(his third Hambo winner) and two seasons back was close to a fourth win with
Lucky Chucky. It is best to go with the sleeper here because the odds should be
good and you want to be there if this is the wake-up race (his morning line is
8-1).
Three of the seven in the second WWM elim are maidens and the best number of
wins in the field is two, from the morning-line choice Cruzado Dela Noche. This
is the colt that followed Uncle Lasse (elim one) while he was chasing Centurian
Atm. The second morning-line choice could be the public’s—Gifted Way.
We are interested in the rail horse, Jetpedia. He is a son of the productive
frosh sire Muscle Hill and he really has done no wrong in five starts. He broke
here at 3-1 in a stakes final two back, after being the choice in the elim that
got him there. He came back in a Champlain last week and started slowly,
spotting the field almost 11 lengths. He was fourth by only 5 ¾ lengths, to
Habitat (elim one), who rested a few lengths to win by 2 ½ lengths. He is a horse
to watch and in this field a horse to bet, since he has every right to improve
and the public will not offer him the kinds of odds he may rightly deserve.
Pennsylvania Polkas
The Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) will dance from the mountains of Pocono to
the populated perimeter of Philadelphia over two tracks in as many days to
crown their state-bred champs in the two-and three-year-old categories. On
Sept. 6 the four frosh groups meet at Pocono Downs and on Sept. 7 the sophomore
crews battle at Harrah’s at Philadelphia.
We start on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Pocono Downs with four mega-purse PASS finals
for freshmen. The first is a $260,000 championship for filly pacers. Bound to
dominate the win pool is one of three Ron Burke gals, Southwind Roulette. The
public will be impressed by her earnings, sire and speed badge but these strong factors do not give her an
automatic victory. Indeed, we call your attention to Special Package from the
rail. Tom Fanning’s daughter of Western Terror (an increasingly productive
sire) has made it to the final round only winning one for six this season but
her two seconds are commendable and impressive. She will offer a good win price
as this field will be imbalanced in the betting due to Burke.
Next for the same purse, filly trotters face their largest pot. Three from
Takter’s team will draw wagering attention; too much, in fact. Wewould rather
look for a decent price from the Burke gal, Gatka Hanover. With post 8 she may
detract more bettors than the post should provoke. The Muscle Massive gal takes
after her dam, Girlie Tough, in name and metaphor.
Colt trotters bring the 2015 Hambletonian to mind as we all look for a
contender able to keep up with Centurion Atm. That one’s trainer, Ake
Svanstedt, is in competition with himself as he sends Lima Pride to post here.
Stefan Lind’s Billy Flynn has yet to taste defeat and Shoot The Thrill has been
productive. Perhaps the 8 hole again holds the overlay card with Piercewave
Hanover. He could surprise the public but would be no surprise to us; he is
sound, well bred and has good credentials at two.
Lastly we have the colt pacers. Burke’s barn has the money here with Yankee
Bounty, yet to lose in six tries. Our bargaining sense tells us Mcardles
Lightning may be overlooked. The Steve Elliot-trained colt is fast, a good
earner and the only son of Mcardle in the room. Tomy Terror and Dragon Eddy
should compromise by Burke’s biggie, as well as his price.
Sunday In Philly
The PASS sophomore finals are the highlight on Sunday, Sept. 6 at Harrah’s
Philadelphia. They begin late in the program with the $260,000 filly trot.
Lifetime Pursuit is the hot horse and Designed To Be shows up to test her. All
this means is a big price on Take The Money for the upset.
The colt pace offers star material as Mcwicked tries another wire job in a prep
for the Little Brown Jug. However, also prepping is the winless Limelight
Beach, zero for 11 but now in the Burke barn and ready to upset on his way to
the “Jug.”
The colt trot stars Father Patrick again
and his recent upset to Datsyuk (in post 1 here) could bring his price up a
bit. It may be a bit too much, making Father Patrick a price we have not seen
since he began racing at two.
Finally, the filly pace presents eight-for-eight Sandbetweenurtoes and she
still looks like the utter best and the lock of the card.
Hoosier Heroes
Indiana Sires Stakes finals ensue at Hoosier Park on the Sept. 6 program. The
$75,000 contests are all for two-and three-year-olds. Frosh colt trotters have
10 in the hunt. Airman Batten will be the choice and rightfully so. In seven
tries he has six wins, with five-for-six Steal N Gas the closest in records.
But the Big Stick Lindy colt, Stickem Buck, cannot be dismissed and should be
the best price of the trio.
On the frosh-filly trotting side there is a contentious affair. The earnings
are close and the records are similar. Golden Big Stick has been in every mix
thus far and may be the one ready to pop a fourth win for the season.
In the frosh-filly pace we eliminate the four maidens and take a shot with the
10 horse, Blues Queen. The post may give her some price weight and in the mile
may not be a detriment at all. As for the frosh colt pacers, Toni’s Affection
should simply have this in the bag for a small payoff.
Soph-filly trotters have to contend with the perfect Andi’s Alana, having eight
wins in as many starts on the Hoosier scene. The filly pacers, though tightly
matched, may offer value with Metro Shopping.
Soph-colt trotters offer a shot for value from Double A Cash Hall, daringly
from post 8, while the glamour-boy pacers will continue to be dominated by the
all-powerful Always B Miki, who has scourged the Hoosier scene since his
rousing second in the Meadowlands Pace.
H2W Legend
Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track. These are
possible contenders we have judged from reviewing races. The horses’ names are
listed beneath the name of the track after the date they will be racing. The
race in which they are entered (R and race number) follows. If a + is in front
of a horse’s name it means it is appearing on the list for the second (and last
time) because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” signals the
horse is entered on the also-eligible list. If a horse is listed twice, refer
to the entries on the night of the race since a horse may enter in more than
one race. Types of wagering on any of the H2W listed horses are based on your
judgment. If you have any questions, email us at TwinSpires.
H2W
Batavia
9/5/14, Peter Pumpkineater R7; Studio City R9
9/6/14, King William R3
Freehold
9/4/14, Nicetoseeya R2
9/5/14, Bella’s Spunkin R3; Big Sky Angelina R5; Fancy Pants Sandy R9
9/6/14, +Kings Legend R5; Mr Thomson R5; Moosehead Jack R6
Hoosier
9/5/14, Red Scooter R1; Light Up The Sky R3; Battle Gun R7; Matt The Bruiser
R7; Rocket Fuel R9; Allthatgltrsisgold R11; Star City Hero R14
Maywood
9/4/14, Jetting Around R2; Buttered Noodles ae R4
9/5/14, +Impersonal R2; Delightful Dot R3; R Dunshine R4; Rip N Rock R8; Donald
Himself R12
Meadows
9/5/14, Incredible Dragon R10
Northfield—Ohio Sires Stakes
9/5/14, Student Of Life R1; Dellou R2; Lofty Chip R5; Crown Time Keeper R6;
Honey B R8; Friskie Til Dawn R9; Emilene’s Future R11; Suite Feelin R12
Ocean
9/6/14, +Money Paige R6
9/7/14, +Winmando R1
Plainridge
9/6/14, Painting The Town R2; +Somerset Minibob R4
Philadelphia
9/7/14, Gallie Bythe Beach R7
Scioto
9/4/14, +Whowhohoosier R2
9/6/14, Pro Deuce R4; +Tempster Hanover R6; Can’tcutthatchip R12
Tioga
9/6/14, Flashbacks R6
9/7/14, Goose Creek R1; Ten Yard Penalty R11
Vernon
9/4/14, +Canbec Jewell Sun R4
9/5/14, Fleetwood Hall R1
Yonkers
9/6/14, Lawgiver Hanover R5; Big Jer R7
9/8/14, Caviart Key R6; Montana Pablo A R6
Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition. 
