TwinSpires.com Blog

Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

A quartet of major races at Yonkers on Saturday, April 26 included the finals of the ‘Levy’ and Matchmaker series and two generously funded consolations for participants of the events over the last six weeks.

The biggest and best price was predicted in the TwinSpires harness blog last Thursday. Fashion Mystery won the Matchmaker Consolation, paying $43.80, $10.40 and $11.40 (ok).

We engaged in the results of the other three features, though not with winners.

In the Matchmaker Final, our choice—Yagonnakissmeornot—went off the favorite and finished second to the other horse we mentioned—Somewherovrarainbow—as a probable winner, though we thought that horse would be the choice. With no show wagering, our choice paid $2.30 and the Exacta with our other choice paid $10.80.

In the Levy Final we went against stalwart Foiled Again and beat him, though we finished second (with Apprentice Hanover) to the race’s second-choice, PH Supercam. With no show wagering in this race, either, we picked up a generous place price of $8.80.

The Levy Consolation went to the favorite and we were third with Word Power but there was no show wagering in this race, either.

Over at the Meadowlands we were surprised to have chosen the dead-on choice in the W.N. Reynolds event for soph-colt pacers, though he won easily. Always B Miki paid $3.40, $2.80, $2.10.

Friday, April 25 at Northfield, we also beat the favorite in the Courageous Lady but settled for second to a 20-1 shot. That Woman Hanover paid $7.60, $4.60, being sent off at 8-1.

More horses to watch (H2W) result activity, listed below, was positive as across-the-board prices mostly shone and five win or place contenders teamed up with favorites to produce five exactas.

TwinSpires and Hoosier now has three power-packed programs 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 horses-to-watch (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

Wanna Win, $17, $5.20, $3.60 (Exacta $19.60), Cal Expo
Miss Annie J, $13, $5.10, $3.10, Yonkers
Perma Grin, $10.60, $4.60, $4 (Exacta $24.20), Meadows
Cyclone Artist, $9.40, $4.20, $2.60, Scarborough
Dvcflyingfrenchman, $8.60, $5.60, $3.60, Freehold
Ryans Caviar, $3,40, $2.50, $2.30, Buffalo
Salazar, $2.60, $2.10, $2.10 ok, Buffalo

Seconds

Lucky Man Again, $7.80, $4.20, Cal Expo
Iron N Steel, $7.60, $6.20 (Exacta $16.20), Hazel
Bergerac, $6.80, $4 (Exacta $25), Meadows
Lucky Land, $6.40, $5.20, Cal Expo
Restless Yankee, $4.30, $3.20, Vernon
Our Priority, $3.80, $4.20 ok, Plainridge
Team Edward, $3.80, $2.60 (Exacta $13.60), Vernon
Scandalous Hanover, $3.20, $2.60, Meadowlands

Thirds

Canbec Fridolin, $8.30, Yonkers
Kaitlyn Rae, $5, Hazel
Bettor Be Genuine, $3.70, Saratoga
SJ’s Caliente, $2.40, Vernon

News And Notes

Saturday, April 26, the morning qualifiers at The Meadowlands were raced over a track that was dry but dulled by overnight rain, with spring-like temperatures and a steady 10-15 mph breeze from the west (against the wind in the homestretch). Some stars from last season were out and winging. Now three, filly trotter Lifetime Pursuit won in 1:58.4 for trainer Jimmy Takter. Her main foe, Shake It Cerry, won in 1:58.

Soph-colt trotters qualified, looking like a Hambo elimination. Father Patrick, the Hambletonian future book favorite, made his debut for Takter and was second to Odds On Amethyst in 1:54.1.

Older trotters took the track next and Corky was another winner from the Takter barn. He’s a four-year-old now and this was his third qualifier. He defeated Fico and D’Orsay One of the session’s marquee match ups, a battle of the sexes, saw Market Share against Maven, who won in 1:54 over her male rival

Western Vintage won from well off the pace in 1:52.4 for trainer Nancy Johansson and Sweet Lou wrapped up the day’s events with an uneventful 1:52.1 win against Odds On Equuleus and the top mare Drop The Ball

Final preparations are under way for the ninth season of harness racing at Tioga Downs, with the first of 61 programs set for Saturday, May 3. While opening night post time will be 5:00 p.m. and Sunday afternoon cards will have a 1:30 p.m. start, evening cards have a new and earlier post time for 2014. Friday and Saturday night programs will begin at 6:15 p.m., as will the handful of non-holiday Monday and Thursday cards scheduled for the upcoming meet. Once again, the Cane Pace and Roll With Joe Pace headline as the racing season’s features, with top three-year-olds battling in the Cane Pace on Monday, Sept. 1 and older pacers contesting a $200,000 (est.) “Joe” purse on Sunday, June 1.

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

Yonkers Finals, Northfield Features Fillies

Last Of The Levys

Yonkers Raceway presents the big event of the weekend, featuring the biggest harness-racing money earner of all time, Foiled Again, in the final of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series Saturday night. Foiled Again is looking for his third Levy title. This year, he won his first four prelims legs and put in a real stinker in the last, finishing off the board. This is how “Foiled” raced last year, also. His wins were strewn together and his losses were unexplainable. Where does that leave him on April 26?

You cannot throw him out, but since Bettor’s Edge races in tandem with him as a Burke entry and P H Supercam/Mach it So race as a P J Fraley-trained entry, you are left with the best of the rest, Apprentice Hanover for a decent win price. He should good off far higher in odds than are his chances, while the remainder of the group—Saphhire City, Texican N and Dancin’ Yankee—may find the mile a struggle, while offering more in the pool than they deserve.

In the consolation, no one could blame you for taking a shot with Word Power to beat probable favorite Easy Again. That one defeated Foiled last week and the crowd will favor that win, though not much a feat. Word Power won against similar last year at Maywood (we gave him to you at $15.80) and this looks like a similar spot for him to excel and so paying well. Trainer Larry Remmen has him primed after a slow start in this series.

Matchmaker Mayhem

Also Saturday, April 26, the Matchmaker Final and Consolation bring together most of the six-week series’ best. From the rail in the final, Somwherovarainbow will be bet heavily and have a great advantage, even though she has had some trouble in leg divisions. Anndrovette always poses a threat and her experience among older foes needs to be respected and will be via the betting.

From post 2, Yagonnakissmeornot may be a third or fourth choice, sharing one of those spots with Summertime Lea, who drew post 8. On a good night, as the legs have proven, either of these two could win. The latter races as a Ron Burke entry with Rocklamation, which will hamper the odds, and Krispy Apple won’t be wagered upon alone, being in a PJ Fraley entry. So, Yagonnakissmeornot gets our call.

In the consolation, we are going back to supporting Fashion Mystery. She played out some serious trips and picked up some dough during the legs and will be a strong price in a weak field.

Brave Beaus

The $110,000 Courageous Lady presents a small field of soph-filly pacers this Friday, April 25 at Northfield. One of the six behind the gate, Kayla Grace, was a $10,000 supplement to the field, becoming the 3-1 morning-line choice by track handicapper (and Executive VP of Racing) Dave Bianconi. Kayla Grace enters the event with a 15-for-15 record, a mark of 1:55.1 at Hazel Park and earnings of $69,227. All of Kayla Grace’s races were in Michigan. This will be the first time she travels for an event on the national stage.

“It is really hard to say how she will do,” said trainer Marie St. Charles. “Michigan is not a real strong [harness racing] state and she has never been tested. All I know is that she knows how to race and she obviously knows how to win.”

St. Charles, however, has had success outside of Michigan. Her horses (aside from 13 Michigan Sires Stake champions) have won at Woodbine and Hawthorne.

The field is small, said Bianconi, because some of the fillies staked and expected to race in the race did not enter. “Two or three came up sick. I wish the field size was seven or eight, but what we lack in quantity, we have made up in quality,” said Bianconi.

There are, on paper, classier fillies than Kayla Grace, so she will be tested to the hilt. At two, for instance, Sister Stroll was top frosh material in Pennsyvania and Ohio, winning five of 11 against far tougher than “Kayla” has met. Also, That Woman Hanover’s record sparkles for trainer Dan Altmeyer. She finished 2013 with a winning triptych and Altmeyer says she is ready for her seasonal debut. “It would have been nice to draw inside on the half-mile track. This is her first time on a half, but she’s handled all the tracks so far and the turns where we train in Florida are a little tight, so I don’t think she will have a problem.”

If there’s a big purse anywhere, expect a Ron Burke trainee to take part. Here, A La Notte Hanover is well placed (Burke places his stakes horses in fields of similar class) and has had a good prep at the Meadowlands, finishing second as a top choice.

We are going with “Woman” and “La Notte” to defeat Kayla soundly. Even with the “Flying Turns” of the Northfield half-mile, which bettors may feel benefits Kayla, the class of our two choices, especially Woman, is the key to a win and at a reasonable price.

Rolling Reynolds

The “Reynolds” starts the Early Pick 4 with Race 3 and features nine (four in two entries) lightly raced three-year-olds. It’s the first group in the division to go in a stakes contest. Two in the field did not race as freshmen and two are making their first starts off of frosh campaigns in 2013.

Trainer Joe Holloway has a sharp pair with Stratos Hanover and The Lunch Pail, the former with two wins already this season and the latter strong from outside posts in Pennsylvania events. Thomas Cancelliere conditions the other entry, Frankandjoanne and Parnu Hanover. The former broke his maiden at Pocono recently and the latter hasn’t raced since last November. There should be some strong action on both of these entries.

Holloway has a third horse here, outside of the entry (different owners) and coming from post 9, Always B Miki won’t be so attractive to bettors. He was bred in Indiana by a sire that raced in New Jersey with speed to spare, Always A Virgin. This one has speed and has shown an ability to come off the pace, so being young and versatile and having some experience in classy events should make him a legitimate contender here. A good price is nearly guaranteed, especially if driver Corey Callahan—a crowd pleaser in Jersey lately—takes one of the other two horses he is listed to drive.

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
4/25/14, +Upfrontoutthedoor R11; +Somethingtobehold R9; Pembroke Crankcall R9
4/26/14, Ryans Caviar R3; +Lucky Millionaire R4; Western Alumni R8; +Salazar R8 

Cal Expo
4/25/14, +Vantage R6
4/26/14, Its Getting Hairy R3; +Wanna Win R4; +Whiskey Bernie R6; +Lucky Man Again R7; +Lucky Land R9; +Red Star Wild One R10

Freehold
4/26/14, +Brickyard Ben R3; +Palm Beach Boy R5; +Wildridge Sam R6; Dvcflyingfrenchman R8

Hazel
4/25/14,  +Kaitlyn Rae R8; Too Shy R10; Histerio R11
4/26/14, +Iron N Steel R8

Meadowlands
4/25/14, +Scandalous Hanover R2; +Wheels R10

Meadows
4/25/14, Perma Grin R5; Bergerac R9; Strother R14

Miami Valley
4/25/14, Forevers A Deal R3; Student Royalty R7; Action-broadway R10

Plainridge
4/26/14, Our Priority R3

Pocono
4/26/14, +Caerleon Hanover R1; Baximum R3; +Damon Blue Chip R6

Pompano
4/26/14, Goldstar Raider R9

Rosecroft
4/26/14, Fancy Fraternity R11

Saratoga
4/24/14, +Ladys Bag Man R10; +Bullville Honey R10
4/26/14+Alastair Hanover R4;+Tinys Million R6; +Bettor Be Genuine R12

Scarborough
4/26/14, +Regal Delight R1; Coral Snake R5; Adrians Girl R6; Allamerican Vixen R7; Cyclone Artist R7; Fritzie Rocket R9

Vernon
4/26/14, SJ’s Caliente R1; Team Edward R4; Highway R5; +Restless Yankee R7; The Green Knight R9; PJ Lucky R9

Yonkers
4/24/14, Miss Annie J R12
4/25/14, +Canbec Fridolin R2; +Defiance N R9


Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition.   
Photo by Thom Pye. 

Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

Feature-wise, we hammered at Yonkers on Friday with the Matchmaker and were shut out of the “Levy” on Saturday—but not by Foiled Again. His off-the-board loss on April 19 was a big story in the industry but not for bettors. The story for bettors was that Foiled Again lost and lost badly but the winner was a five-cents-to-the-dollar entry. That is insult to injury, considering how difficult it has seemed to beat the stalwart pacer.

Our victory was predicted perfectly in round two of the Matchmaker, as Monkey On My Wheel won in the short field, paying $29.40 and $8.90 (no show betting). In the first division, the other Casie Coleman-trained mare, Scandalous Hanover, who was our choice, lost at 2-1, suffering a bad outside trip on the half-mile.

Our three Levy choices were not entirely skunked by favorites. PH Supercam surprised at 9-1 in division one (Sapphire City was fourth, Apprentice Hanover was third—no show wagering); Dancin Yankee won the next split at close to 2-1 (Texican N was third—no show wagering) and in the Foiled Again loss to Easy Again, Malak Uswaad (74-1) was fifth.

In our Pick-3 and-4 choices at the Meadowlands Friday we had only one second with Wheels ($3.80, $3). Saturday, our pick in the Pocono feature, All Gold (18-1), finished fifth, while our Meadowlands feature picks were fourth (Hobe Sound, 25-1) and eighth (Burkentine Hanover, 70-1).

TwinSpires and the Hoosier 10-percent Pick-4 Bonus continued and on Apirl 16 we offered a few additions to tickets. Two of the five we suggested were scratched and the others were off the board. Two Hoosier winners on the horses-to-watch (H2W) list below, however, were involved in bonus exotics.

Every time you cash a winning Pick 4 ticket at Hoosier Park, you receive a bonus equal to 10 percent of the gross winnings, up to $500 per night. We will assist on Twitter occasionally, with suggestions for your tickets. Follow @FrankCotolo and @TwinSpires for choices.

For complete details:
|http://www.twinspires.com/10-pick-4-bonus-every-night-hoosier-park

 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

Shamderock, $48.60, $17.80, $3.80, Pompano
Stop The Traffic, $13.60, $5.80, $4, Hoosier
Southern Artie, $6.80, $5.80, $6 [ok] (Exacta $31.20), Rosecroft
Jammin Joshua, $4.20, $3.40, $2.10, Hoosier
Blue Note, $4, $2.60, $2.10, Cal Expo
Sundowner Bob, $4, $3.40, $2.60, Vernon
The Midnight Owl N, $3.60, $2.40, $2.10, Freehold
Frontgear, $3.40, $2.80, $2.40, Hazel

Seconds

Roy Orbisong, $25, $9, Scarborough
Damon Blue Chip, $13.80, $10.60, Pocono
I Can Feel It, $8.60, $4.40, Cal Expo
Bettor Be Genuine, $6.80, $4.20, Saratoga
Somethingtobehold, $6.40, $3.90, Buffalo
Restless Yankee, $5, $2.80 (Exacta $36.40), Vernon
Versado, $3, $2.70, Yonkers

Thirds

Whiskey Bernie, $8.20, Cal Expo
Gonna Rock N Roll, $7, Pocono
Pass The Deck, $6.80, Freehold
Caerleon Hanover, $4.60, Pocono
Seagram, $4.40, Yonkers
Alligator Falls, $2.80, Hoosier
Palm Beach Boy, $2.10, Freehold

News And Notes

More well-known horses were prepping at the Meadowlands in qualifiers over the past weekend, with the star of the show Arch Madness returning from a long hiatus. The veteran trotter from the Trond Smedshammer barn, raced against some other familiar, though younger trotters, Corky and Archangel. Arch Madness left them in the dust, winning by several lengths in 1:53.3. “The buzz among the observers was that he looks as good or better than he has in the past few seasons,” said our source at the morning trials.

Conditioners Tony Alagna, Jimmy Takter and Linda Toscano were present and Linda had her stable star Market Share on the track for a successful workout sans minus trotting hobbles to freshen for a trip to Sweden to race in the Elitlopp. Takter’s 2013 Breeders Crown frosh-filly pace winner Uffizi Hanover made her first appearance with a 1:54.4 tune up. Takter’s lightly raced Gettingreadytoroll won in 1:53.3. Late to the races at two, Gettingreadytoroll has a single money start, a win in 1:54.2 at Pocono.

All Bets Off “looked sharp” in his second prep for the Ron Burke stable. The Matron winner in 1:52.4. Burke’s Governor’s Cup winner JK Endofanera won his qualifier in 1:52.4 over Ideal Cowboy and Somewhere Fancy in another key prep for this group. Odds On Equuleus returned to the races after a disappointing sophomore campaign. See And Ski and OK Commander finished across the track together in 1:52.

It will be six months before we see driver Andy Miller back in the sulky after a frightening accident at Yonkers last week. Miller, driving Marmara Denizi, trained by his brother, Erv, was in the back of the field when unseated during the first race. Also unseated was George Brennan, driving In The Clear, who appeared to step on the wheel of a first-up Fiftyshadesofhay. In The Clear went down. Brennan got up and resumed his drives for the card. According to Miller’s wife, Julie, as well as trainer Scott DiDomenico, Miller broke a pair of lumbar vertebrae in his back. He had surgery and will miss chances to participate in some of the sport’s biggest events of 2014.

In less than three weeks, Bee A Magician, 2013 Horse of the Year, will be back to races at four. Trainer Richard Norman confirmed that the Kadabra daughter will be qualifying the first week of May. “There are no health problems,” said Norman, “and I’m very pleased with her … It’s amazing but she finished up last year as good as she started. She hit her knee in the first start back but other than that she weathered the storm pretty well.” The plan is to launch her season in the Miss Versatility at Mohawk and then roll right into the Armbro Flight. Last season Bee A Magician won all 17 starts against the same foes in her division. She was discovered on this blog at two. The winner of $2.2 million lifetime did not get our vote for the best of ’13; we went with Captaintreacherous.

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

Penultimate Jousts In Yonkers Series; Meadowlands, Pocono Present Features

Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

The positive news about this weekend’s cash haul is testament to the potency of the horses-to-watch list (H2W), even with only three winners recorded on a slim menu (many of the lists’ horses are still in queue to race). For the first time in 14 weeks of this season, horses coming in second practically trumped the winners with remarkable across-the-board payoffs, some igniting exactas with the race favorites. Check out the H2W results below and focus on the “Seconds” column.

We recorded only one low-priced winner in our sets suggested for the Meadowlands’ Pick 3 and Pick 4 on April 11. Miss Machqueen turned out to be a strong favorite in leg two of the Pick 3, which was the opening leg of the Pick 4. She paid $4.60, $3 and $2.40.

In the Matchmaker at Yonkers on Friday, April 11 we were defeated in one leg by a mare we supported in two divisions of the four legs now on the books. Defending Matchmaker champion Feeling You failed for us twice, once at 15-1 and once at 13-1. She did not look to have returned this season with much verve, so we let her go this week and supported Let’s Go Higher. Feeling You awakened in the second Matchmaker division on April 11 and scored at 15-1, while “Higher” was sixth in the short field at 46-1. Our friend, the late Alan Kirschenbaum, bred the seven-year-old that scored her first finish on the board in five tries.

Fashion Mystery took the long way around, though with cover, and finished fifth at 26-1 in another leg, while Summertime Lea (6-1) could not repeat from the week before and lost to the first two public choices in division three.

The “Levy” at Yonkers on April 12 found us sending out two huge longshots. The first, Keystone Velocity, was 44-1. He finished sixth of seven, making no impression. The division went to the Ron Burke entry at five cents to the dollar. We chose to support Versado this week over Sapphire City, who ignited a decent exacta in last week’s second division and did so again this week. Versado was 43-1 and finished fourth but “Sapphire” took second at 19-1 (The Exacta was $39.80 with even-money winner Mach It So. The field had trouble at the start of the race that caused the triple Burke entry—55 cents to the dollar—to be placed in the last three finishing positions. Versado was bothered in that harangue.

Foiled Again continued to dominate the series with another win, while our choice, Dancin Yankee, finished second at 11-1 (no place or show wagering here), sparking a timid exacta of $5.90.

TwinSpires switched to Indiana last week with a Hoosier 10-percent Pick-4 Bonus. Every time you cash a winning Pick 4 ticket at Hoosier Park, you receive a bonus equal to 10 percent of the gross winnings, up to $500 per night. We will assist on Twitter occasionally, with suggestions for your tickets. Follow @FrankCotolo and @TwinSpires for choices.

For complete details:
|http://www.twinspires.com/10-pick-4-bonus-every-night-hoosier-park

 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

Jinni’s Fantasy, $36.20, $10.80, $6.80, Cal Expo
Spicey Victor, $18.20, $7.60, $3.60, Meadows
Clementine Dream, $2.40, $2.10, $2.10, Pocono

Seconds

Unicorn Hanover, $20.80, $10.80 (Exacta $112.50), Vernon
Muncie, $13.60, $5.80, Saratoga
Royal Todd, $10.60, $5 (Exacta $48.20), Freehold
Western Tower, $8.60, $4 (Exacta ($17.50), Cal Expo
Alligator Falls, $6.80, $4.40, Hoosier
Sundowner Bob, $5.50, $3.60, Vernon
Screen The Call, $4, $2.60, Freehold
Banker Volo, $3, $2.10, Pocono
Trys Little Prince, $3, $2.40, Pocono

Thirds

Xtra Perfect, $5.20, Miami Valley
Chepachet, $3.60, Rosecroft
Jammin Joshua, $3.60, Hoosier
Stop The Traffic, $2.10, Hoosier

News And Notes

More stars have hit the qualifying scene to rev up for the 2014 season. San Pail, Wheeling N Dealin, Charmed Life and Intimidate were among trotters qualifying at Woodbine. Wheeling N Dealin went gate to wire to win by more than 3 lengths in 1:56.2. The disappointing early Hambletonian favorite that did not fire at three as he did at two, is ready to face older. San Pail, the North American horse of the year in 2011, won his second straight qualifier, holding off a determined Charmed Life in 1:55.1.

Ontario-owned Hes Watching tops the first 2014 Road to the Meadowlands Pace without having faced or beaten any of the frosh stars. This year's road to the “Pace” is quite different than the 2013 edition. One year ago, just 30 horses were nominated with 29 still eligible after the first payment. A large factor in this was the presence of Captaintreacherous. Fifty-nine three-year-olds were nominated to the Pace and the connections of 56 of them made the March payment. Each week leading up to the event, Director of Racing Operations and odds-maker Darin Zoccali will publish a top 10 of Pace contenders, each of which is assigned a spring-book morning line. Hes Watching begins as the top in Zoccali’s rankings  at 4-1.

Missing in the rankings is Arthur Blue Chip because recently, the Dr. Ian Moore trained colt suffered a stall injury and will miss a “significant part of the year.” Also noticeable by his absence is National Debt. Undefeated in six starts, National Debt’s absence is due to Zoccali’s assessment. Strange to us is that National Debt has not lost a race yet this year, though he beat no significant sophs. We feel Hes Watching is being over evaluated, since he has only displayed a freaky speed talent, having defeated no impressive contenders while racing solely on the New York Sires Stakes circuit.

We will be closely watching Western Vintage, ranked fourth. He was the super favorite in last year’s Breeders Crown frosh pace who choked in the elimination and did not make the final. Luck Be Withyou, ranked third, won the final. For our money, it is astounding the speed performances of Hes Watching won him the frosh-pace division award last year and takes precedence over the class and probable maturity of “Vintage” and “Luckbe” in forecasts. We will be watching the odds closely of those two, respectively, in Pace preps and other early season soph stakes, because with the surge of popularity for Hes Watching, the chances of a major paradigm shift in actual performances may mean profits on the horizon.

Dover Downs awards were presented and for the fifth-consecutive meet Corey Callahan was presented the Leading Driver award. Callahan completed the meet with 222 wins, earning $1,995,836 for the horses he drove. It is doubtful he was a flat-bet profit for bettors, though he had his share of overlay winners. Dylan Davis, who had been runner-up the last few season, won the Leading Trainer title. Davis haltered 69 winners during the meet. Nova Artist, for the second time in three seasons, won Horse of the Meet honors. The pacer had 17 starts with seven wins and earned $108,950 in purses.

Extraordinary Extras

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

Ray Cotolo contributes to this blog

Cartoons by Thom Pye

More Profit Hunting In Yonkers’ Series

Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

This weekend’s features, once again, did not equal the successes of our overnight choices, mostly due to what has been occurring with the features, that is, the “Levy” at Yonkers. We managed to do well enough, though, considering the circumstance.

In a rare state of agreement with Harness Racing Update’s Bill Finley, we believe bettors have not had much to target in the series’ with public choices annihilating prices., Five of the nine winners paid $3.10 or less in the first two Levy legs. The hubbub centers on the many entries from the Ron Burke barn and the coupling rule. As Finley writes, you cannot blame Burke or Yonkers, it is the fault of the racing commission for not changing the rule.

For the fact of the terrible prices, we feel nothing short of famous for our performance at Yonkers on April 5 in the series third leg. We nailed division three with Apprentice Hanover in a race with two coupled entries, The field of seven had only five betting entities, making the price (no place or show betting) sterling for the occasion. Apprentice Hanover paid $7.50.

As well, in division two, using the race favorite with our second choice, Sapphire City ($6.70, no show betting) created an exacta worth $17.20. You can only imagine how the prices would have swelled had there been no coupling.

In the Matchmaker at Yonkers on Friday, April 4, we supplied and exacta and two thirds of the trifecta with the favorite atop the tickets. Fashion Mystery (44-1) paid $11 to place (no show betting) resulting in an exacta worth $34.20. Our other choice, Ramalama did not pay off for third but contributed to the trifecta worth $74.50.

Then, Friday at the Meadowlands we offered a few horses, which you may have added to your Pick 3 and Early Pick 4 tickets and/or played across the board. We gave you the first-leg winner, Upfront Elizabeth ($11.80, $6.40, $2.80) and the fourth-leg winner, Drift Away ($25.20, $11.40, $6.80).

The 50-cent bonus Pick 4 bonus at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesdays with a 10-percent-bonus on winning the exotic ended with April 5’s combination. Our Twitter suggestions did not produce winners but on the board, two were huge payoffs for place and show. Blow Away was third, paying $12.80 in leg one, while A And G’s Doll paid $25.40 to place and $9.10 to show.

TwinSpires now switches to Indiana with the Hoosier 10-percent Pick 4 Bonus. Every time you cash a winning Pick 4 ticket at Hoosier Park, you receive a bonus equal to 10 percent of the gross winnings, up to $500 per night. We will assist on Twitter occasionally, with suggestions for your tickets. Follow @FrankCotolo and @TwinSpires for choices.

For complete details:
| http://www.twinspires.com/10-pick-4-bonus-every-night-hoosier-park


 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

Make You Famous, $9.80, $3.80, $3.60 (Exacta $21.20), Pompano
Silverlode, $9.80, $4.60, $3.20 (Exacta $16.20), Cal Expo
Lucky Man Again, $4.80, $3.40, $2.20, Cal Expo
Beach Boy Tiger, $3.50, $2.40, $2.10, Saratoga

Seconds

Doctor Gates, $20.40, $6.50, $5.30, Buffalo
Muncie, $6.50, $2.70, Saratoga
Trys Little Prince, $5.80, $3, Pocono
Me Tarzan, $5.20, $3.20, Cal Expo
Sparky Mark, $3.60, $2.40 (Exacta $9.60), Pocono

Thirds

Village Jackson, $8.60, Saratoga
Milliondollarmarch, $4.30, Saratoga
Mama Made Me Blue, $2.80, Miami Valley
Southwind Missouri, $2.80, Scarborough

News And Notes

Maven, Uncle Peter, Shebestingin, Archangel, D’Orsay and Rockin Amadeus were among the stars qualifying over the weekend at the Meadowlands. The return to the races for several stakes types is eminent. Archangel prepped after spending 2013 at stud. He now resides in the Burke bar. He won his qualifier racing against the wind. Four-year-old Ma Chere Hall, a success as a choice at this blog last year, was second for trainer Jonas Czernyson, who also sent out Mistery Woman and aged mares Maven and D’Orsay. They finished second and third, respectively, behind Jimmy Takter’s millionaire Uncle Peter. Shebestingin came back for a second trial and won for trainer Joe Holloway. He had another winner with Always B Miki, sired by Joe’s classics winner Always A Virgin.

April begins a full slate of stakes action at Northfield Park. The $100,000 (guaranteed) Courageous Lady will go to post on Friday, April 25. A nationally open stakes event for North America’s top three year-old filly pacers, it is the first national stakes race of the 2014 season. Among the 16 fillies nominated to the Courageous Lady are last year’s frosh standouts A La Notte Hanover, Fiyonce, Rustys Bliss and Sister Stroll. The connections of top three year-olds in the country have shown great interest in the newly added $500,000 (est.) Carl Milstein Memorial. The race for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers is the richest single standardbred event in Ohio for 2014 and has been slated for Friday, Aug.15. Included in the 42 nominees are Allstar Partner, Boomboom Ballykeel, Luck Be Withyou and Western.

The $150,000 Cleveland Classic is the final open stakes event this year. North America’s top soph-pacing colts take the stage on Friday, Dec. 12. There are 38 colts nominated to the Cleveland Classic, including last year’s standouts Allstar Partner, Boomboom Ballykeel and Hes Watching. In other racing news at Northfield Park, the $150,000 (g.) Battle Of Lake Erie is set for Saturday, July 19 and has 25 nominees that have combined career earnings in excess of $23 million, including Apprentice Hanover, Bolt The Duer and Foiled Again. “Battle” nominees also include Aracache Hanover, Clear Vision, Heston Blue Chip, Michaels Power and Sweet Lou.

Northfield Park’s Stakes Calendar for 2014:
Friday, April 25 - Courageous Lady
Thursday, July 3 - Ohio Sires Stakes (frosh filly pace and trot) 
Saturday, July 19 - Battle Of Lake Erie
Ohio Sires Stakes - (two- and three-year-old colt pace and trot)
Saturday, July 26 - Summit County Fair Stakes
Friday, Aug. 15 - Carl Milstein Memorial
Friday, Sept. 5 - Ohio Sires Stakes (two- and three-year-old filly pace and trot)
Friday, Dec.12 - Cleveland Classic

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

Yonkers Series Ensue With Third Rounds

’Levy’ Continued

Yonkers Raceway’s Saturday, April 5 program, features four third-round divisions of Levys for the older male pacers. There is still a lot of action to go in these four-turn battles.

The first division sends only six to post, two of which are Ron Burke trainees that did not fire yet. In round one we took a shot with Texican N but against Foiled Again he paced poorly. Last week, however, he was third to Foiled Again, sent off at 87-1. He won’t be in that territory this round but Foiled Again is not among the Burke brigade in this field. So, Texican N has a great chance and should be a value wager against this Burke duo and the two winless foes inside of him.

The second Levy division is also a sextet, with Arachache Hanover looking for his first win of the season. So, however, is Malak Uswaad N, who we had in round one and came second at 14-1. Beware, too, of Sapphire City. She made big gains last week with an 8-length rally to three-quarters at 23-1. Both of these stand chances to topple the obvious Bettor’s Edge if “Arachache” challenges his rail journey (a very possible scenario).

The third division has seven foes with another successful duo from Burke and the two-time surprise of the series, Mach It So and Apprentice Hanover. There is little room for a am upset here unless it is reflected in the way the public wages. Apprentice Hanover may be higher odds this week than “Mach,” as the public tries to make back what it lost on him. So look for a wager if “AH” winds up a third choice here. 

The final Levy episode of the night is either another theater for Foiled Again fans (how can we bet him at his prohibitive odds, even if you feel he has all the percentage points?) or another is a stream of what could be the best night to bet Levy for price? From post 7, Foiled needs another monster mile but will that be compromised by PH Supercam, the second highest money-earner this season, from post 1? It’s your call to back Versado (five seconds, poised to blow out) and Bet On The Law (one for two, fresh and raring to make an impression in the series).

Matchmaker Mares

The third preliminary of the Matchmaker series commences Friday with only a trio of splits.

Division one could pose to be a mild upset if we look favorably (as the crowd won’t do) at Fashion Mystery’s chances. Last week in division four she was game at 20-1 against the Ron Burke entry’s winner Rocklamation. She may be able to close as well as Burke’s gal, here again and bound to be a choice. Ramalama from post one may overcome any first-over problems like those that hurt her last week but she won’t offer a payoff near that of “Fashion.”

The second division also appears worth the support of an outsider whose race last week was impressive, though it failed to produce an upset. Feeling You dueled early with the dominant Somwherovrarainbow and that cost her a spot on the board, if not the win. She was 15-1 then and does not have to deal with “…rainbow” here. Krispy Apple may get more support than last week when as the favorite she was unable to catch 4-1 Ideal In Vegas—and she should have done that. Charisma Hanover deals with post 7 here which may mean nothing but it could also mean a step that puts her behind Feeling You, which is what we will want to happen.

Division three may see Anndrovette from post 8 in a battle to dominate the lead with the “now” horse, Ideal In Vegas. That could cost them both the race, with others eyeing the lead adding up to a three-quarters time that can allow Uf Dragon’s Queen to take to her full advantage and sweep through at a price. Last week “Queen” gained 5 lengths from the half to three-quarters before fading behind Angels Delight (not here tonight), who beat Anndrovette and Charisma Hanover.

Jersey Jaunts

We won’t get verbose with our choices for Meadowlands Early Pick 4 (April 4), which entails a Pick 3, we will simply list the horses you may wish to add to your tickets. Handicapped well before there is even a morning line, no less the wagering itself, we are estimating horses that may offer prices with value (not to be confused with raw longshots).

Early Pick 4 (Races 3 through 6)
R3—use 4 Upfront Elizabeth, 5 Naughty Machbean
Pick 3, (Races 4, 5 & 6)
R4—use 4 Brookroad Knight
R5—use 4 Cult Status
R6—use 4 Banker Volo, 5 Drift Away

These horses to not appear on the H2W list below but we encourage them to be looked upon as strong across-the-board contenders aside from their worthy additions in the multi-exotics, as listed above. Non-winners will be added to H2W next week.

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
4/5/14, +Doctor Gates R2; +Veto Hanover R4; Four Hoof Drive R6; +Twilight Jack R7

Cal Expo
4/4/14, Lucky Man Again R6; +Looks Don’t Count R8; Sleigh Belle R9; +Split Ticket R11 
4/5/14, Silverlode R5; +Me Tarzan R12

Dover
4/6/14, Dancing Cruiser R11

Freehold
4/5/14, +Kings Point R3; Royal Todd R4 

Meadowlands
4/4/14, +Notreadytobenice R9; +Grey Ice R11; 
4/5/14, Screen The Call R1; +Sentosa Island R3; +Berkentine Hanover

Meadows
4/4/14, Stronski R2; JJ Gladiator R9; Checkov R12

Miami Valley
4/3/14, Swimsuit Model R12
4/4/14, +Mama Made Me Blue R7; Flightreactor R11

Pocono
4/5/14, Desperation R3; +Republic Of Panama R4; +Eddie Sweat R7; Sparkly Mark R10; Trys Little Prince R13

Pompano
4/5/14, +Mystical Muscles R4

Rosecroft
4/5/14, Pier Pressure R4; +Nothing Wrong R5; +I Turtle R7; +Macho Mcgraw R10 

Saratoga
4/3/14, Beach Boy Tiger R8; Bullville Honey R8; Muncie R10
4/4/14, +Mambo Italiano R7; +Milliondollartorch R7; +Village Jackson R10; +Wellthereyougo R10

Scarborough
4/5/14, Regal Delight R1; Southwind Missouri R5; Roy Orbisong R9

Yonkers
4/4/14, +Eagle Artesian R3

Ray Cotolo contributed to each Thursday edition.      

Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

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’ Legs Continue In Lingering Cold

Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes

The past week was stellar for winners and exactas, not just in raw number but in the prices. Plus, we were one short of nailing the Wednesday, March 19 TwinSpires bonus Pick 4 at Buffalo Raceway. That is where we will begin the parade of profits.

The 50-cent bonus Pick 4, a weekly play offerint a 10-percent-bonus on winning the exotic, resulted in three of the four winners on March 19. In the first leg we singled Kisses N Kicks ($29.80, $18.80, $5.10); in the second we singled Stonetag ($10.60, $6, $3.30); in the fourth we had two contenders finishing fourth and eighth, respectively; and in the final leg we had two, winning with Good Luck Penny ($12.20, $4.90, $2.70).

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 feature races this week (not our features, track events) included the first round of “Levy” and Matchmaker series at Yonkers and the Clyde Hirt and Horse & Groom legs at the Meadowlands.

In the Horse & Groom we gave you Banker Volo ($4.80, $2.60, $2.20) in the second leg after finishing third with Crosbys Clam Bake ($2.20) at 5-1 in the first division, won by the public choice. In the Clyde Hirt we were third with Burkentine Hanover ($3.40) at 12-1 in division one. In the second division, Nathaniel B scratched.

In the quartet of Matchmaker divisions on Friday at Yonkers we only had one third, Economy Terror ($2.60), finishing fourth, sixth and seventh with mares going off at 38-1, 12-1 and 94-1, respectively.

Saturday’s Levy divisions were meant to aim at reasonable upsets, considering the five miles were strewn with stars. We came close with one, Malak Uswaad ($6.10, $9.30 ok), second to the public choice at 14-1 (Exacta $18). We picked up a meager win when Sweet Lou finished second ($2.60, $2.10—no show betting) with his entry mate, launching an exacta ($5.50) with our second choice, Pan From Nantucket ($2.10). Dancin Yankee, a second choice in another leg, finished third ($2.40). Our other choices, Word Power (5-1) finished fourth and Bet On The Law (26-1) finished sixth.

The Levy story of the first round was the return of Foiled Again, who won the fifth division, his debut race of 2014. We will be covering the next five rounds and the finals of both series as spring settles in to a warmer state.

The horses-to-watch (H2W) list results are below, once again featuring the win, place and show and exacta successes. There were five exactas scored, with one cold and the others combined with race favorites.

We endorse across-the-board and the exotic plays you can find through the H2W, which is exclusively for your TwinSpires harness bankroll. Use your own judgment and handicapping but of course, consider the H2W horses, as they prove to be in league with good paying exotics and deliver healthy place and show cash when they don’t pick up the top spot.

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

Mystically Mine, $45.40, $34.40, $13.60, Cal Expo
Doomsday Hanover, $17, $4.60, $3.20, (Exacta $26.60) Rosecroft
Skad’s Winner, $14.40, $6.20, $4.20, Pompano
Missys Diamond, $11, $4, $3.60, (*Exacta $23.40) Cal Expo
Camilla The Terror, $10.40, $4.40, $4.40 ok, Miami Valley
RA Shakenbake, $9.50, $3.60, $2.80, (Exacta $22,40) Buffalo
Coraggioso, $2.90, $2.40, $2.50 ok, Yonkers

Seconds

Love Raider, $5.20, $4.20, Rosecroft
Waldy Jimmy, $5.20, $3.40, Pompano
Cordealia, $4.20, $3.60, (*Exacta $23.40) Cal Expo
Wild About Eagle, $3.40, $3.20, (Exacta $5.50) Cal Expo
Love Live Laugh, $3.20, $2.20, (Exacta $7.40) Cal Expo

 Thirds

Gambler’s Vacation, $4.20, Rosecroft
Lust, $4, Cal Expo
Handsoffmycupcake, $2.80, Meadowlands


News And Notes

Despite our contacts in Hollywood, we have not been able to discover specific news about the harness racing movie, “Johnny Longshot.” The Emilio Estevez project began principal shooting in 2013 and even developed a trailer while filming in Ohio. However, its category in the trades was changed to “in development” and promotional activity ceased. Estevez is the director, writer and star, with co-producer credits going to Gil Netter (“Life of Pi”) and Lisa Niendenthal (“Mona Lisa Smile”). There are reports of a script re-write holding up production. Allegedly the story, where Estevez plays harness horseman John West, was being “updated” in October of last year.

Miami Valley Raceway will race on Monday, April 7, to make up for a weather-related cancellation on Sunday, March 2. With the addition of the make-up program, Miami Valley will be racing six nights a week during the final four weeks of its inaugural season. Tuesday nights will be added beginning April 15. Miami Valley offers three consecutive nights next week (Thursday, Friday and Saturday March 27-29).

A meeting is slated for March 25 to determine the 2014 race dates for Hiawatha Horse Park, Dresden and Leamington raceways. The three tracks are outside the eight-track standardbred alliance group which are already assured funding for the next five years, and are along with Ottawa and Fort Erie vying for the remaining $8 million from the province to conduct racing (that includes expenses as well as purses). The group is comprised of the two WEG tracks, Mohawk and Woodbine, the two Great Canadian Gaming tracks, Flamboro and Georgian Downs, Hanover, Clinton, Grand River Raceways and Western Fair, so a lot is at stake in the Ontario skirmish for racing dates.

As spring allows Minnesota to thaw from a frigid winter, the opening of Running Aces nears. Running Aces will conduct a 54-night meet in 2014 with racing beginning Wednesday, May 28 and ending Saturday, Aug. 30. Racing will be conducted every Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer with a 7 p.m. (CST) post time, except for Sundays when the action will begin an hour earlier.

The 21st season of harness racing at Hoosier Park is set to begin Friday, March 28, with a new post time of 5:15 p.m. (EDT). Racing follows a Friday/Saturday schedule the opening week, a Thursday, Friday, Saturday schedule the second week and then resumes a Tuesday-through-Saturday schedule for the remainder of the meet. With an extended stakes schedule offered for the first time, the racing season goes through Nov. 15.

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