Showing posts with label older male. Show all posts
Showing posts with label older male. Show all posts

  • Pocono’s Powerhouse Features

    POSTED Jun 19, 2013 By Frank Cotolo

    Pocono Downs shines with features on Sun Stakes Saturday, June 22,with eliminations for finals at the Pennsylvania oval next week, including a big event on the Hambletonian Trail which you can read about on the excluscive blog.

    Soph-colt pacers go in elims for the Max Hempt and the fillies ride for spots in the sister event, the James Lynch. Older pacers, a great bunch of stalwarts, battle in Ben Franklin elims and the soph trotters on the Hambo Trail set up the fields for the Earl Beale, Jr.

    Our exclusive harness horses to watch (H2W) list from tracks around North America isn’t quite as bountiful as it was during the winter but those on the list need be taken seriously in their various outings.

    TwinSpires offers special bonuses for Hoosier Park throughout the harness meet. Check out the Hoosier details here.

    Pacers To The ‘Max’

    Next week’s Max Hempt Memorial for glamour-boy pacers at Pocono will try to shuffle the deck of division contenders while, most likely, still have to deal with Captaintreacherous (photo above). In the third of three elims this June 22, the “Captain” takes on foes that have failed to loom dangerous so far. Rockin Amadeus, who beat Captain with a soft trip in the Breeders Crown at two, has returned without force and from post 8 seems less a threat than any others in this field. The morning line on Captain is 2-1? Take a deep breath, hope for such a miracle and wager.

    In the first elim Johny Rock is bound to make more noise than he did trying for the bigger bucks and Lonewolf Currier is certainly sharp now but Emeritus Maximus is the most likely value contender. He just won at Pocono and deserves a shot stepping up against a few foes he has beaten earlier, when they were hammering out their soph starts.

    In the second elim, Tony Alagna’s Wake Up Peter, who was touted up the kazoo against Captain in the North America Cup, still hasn’t lived up to all the hype. In the “Cup” he got Team Alagna third money on top of first money (with Captain). But here you have a shot at a big price, since Ultimate Beachboy will go off at odds far larger than his chances. With driver George Napolitano, a Pocono mainstay, replaced by Andy McCarthy, added to the “Peter” principal, “Beachboy” has a good shot at making the final with a win here. He is coming off of a great race at Philadelphia and in the perfect place at Pocono (post 5) to produce a major crush.

    The top three finishers from each elimination advance to the $500,000 final.

     ‘Lynch’ Mob

    With the two probable choices on the outside, odds for Jerseylicious may be at a bargain level as a low-priced overlay. She certainly seems to be ready to pop a big mile this time around in the first James Lynch elim.

    In elim two it is harder than in the Fan Hanover to pass I Luv The Nitelife. She defined awesome in that affair and comes here with fire in her belly. Even the local success of Somwhereovrarainbow doesn’t seem to be much of a scare.

    The top four finishers from each elim, plus the fastest fifth-place finisher, advance to the $300,000 final.

    Big ‘Ben’

    The older pacing guys are at it again, this time eliminating for next week’s Ben Franklin final. There are three elims, so a herd of big guys have joined in the battle, with the top three finishers in each elim meeting for the $500,000 final.

    In elim one it would be foolish to dismiss Golden Receiver, though his recent two efforts are dull, at best. He returns to the scene of his marvelous win in May and there is no reason to think he won’t male major noise. But near his morning line, 7-2, he is truly golden, especially with Betterthancheddar having to once again take the long route around more than two turns.

    Round two is tough, with cases for at least four to take the cake. Suffice it to say that the odds should make up your mind but here are the three that should make it to the final—Razzle Dazzle, Fred And Ginger and Heston Blue Chip. That’s right, we toss out Sweet Lou here. Of those three, you may want to back “Fred” again, as his last race was marred by a stressful trip and he is still in tip top form and he may get the bargain position in the betting of that trio.

    Now everyone loves Pet Rock after his win last week. And everyone still admires Bolt The Duer and Foiled Again is still the richest of them all. But we are going to find value and back Hurrikane Kingcole. He is Bolt The Duer’s best friend because he sets up that one’s miles often, providing suck-up cover. But here the “Hurrikane” may not tire as easily. In fact, he may get some cover if “Foiled” is beginning to worry about his season (he hasn’t won since April).

    H2W Legend

    Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track to decide how you will use the information. The list has shortened as the stakes season ensues but still offers the best 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 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” signals the horse is entered but on the also-eligible list (so it might not get into the race). Multi-horses may be listed in the same race.  Horses from previous lists that are not racing this week will no longer appear until they are confirmed in a race.

    Wagering on any of the H2W listed horses is based on your own judgment. 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 

    Buffalo
    6/22/13, Cheyenne Cam R1; Win A New Day R5; Gerald N Sam R9; Fantasypan R10; Up Front Lady Gray R11; Creating A Dream R12; +So Over R13

    Maywood
    6/21/13, Too Tall Tamarac R2; Really Lucky R4; Five Cougars A R8; Mystical Walter R9; Bluebird Muffler R14

    Northfield
    6/22/13, Casimir Luckynutz R1; Elvis Returns R2; Timer R3; Lost Photo R5; Mj’s Victory R10; Majestic Duke R11; Nisty’s Dignity R13; His Eminence R14   

    Pompano
    6/22/13,+Bolero Topgun R10; +Camp Counselor R10  

    Running Aces
    6/22/13, +Dolly Howard R1; Place At The Beach R2; +Ben N Al R3; Parthenon R4; High Bet Hanover R5; Furious Five R5; Ty Top R8; Hammers Cam R9

    Saratoga
    6/22/13, Hazel Nut R2; Jds Memory R2; Vodkas Terror R3; Might Art ae R6; Pop Z Pop R7; Ideal Wizard R8; Daydreamin Lynx R8; Money Twitch A R9

    Scarborough
    6/21/13, +Keystone Howie R 9; 
    6/22/13, +Scootin Keefe ae R7; Lislea Bonita R7

    Scioto
    6/21/13, Ee Bay ae R11
    6/22/13, +Lucky Lime R5; Show Topper R6; +Stand Tall R13

    Ray Cotolo contributed to this edition.

  • ‘Captain’ My Captain; Big Finals Highlight Giant Harness Weekend--Update on Cane Pace

    POSTED Aug 29, 2012 By Frank Cotolo
    There is a herd of progeny from Somebeachsomewhere on the tracks this season. The incredible beast that paced a hole in a lot of winds and retired to stud after a monstrous sophomore season, winning $2.4 million and taking a mark of 1:46.4, presents the cream of his crop, Captaintreacherous, in the $1-million Metro Stakes on Sept. 1 at Mohawk. 

    His sire and the sire of his sire (Mach Three) won Metros but cannot bequeath a victory to this colt. He will have to earn it himself and it seems likely he will do that with the best legacy his sire and grandsire offer—speed. The freshman has already clocked two sub-1:50 wins and did those miles on his own, that is, without an opportunist trip behind another speedball.  

    Can Captaintreacherous break the world record set by Sweet Lou in the Breeders Crown last year? That was a 1:49 mile at Woodbine. It would only be a footnote to what appears to be a colt far superior to “Lou.” He comes into the Metro for trainer Tony Alagna with four wins and one second and a bankroll of $242,078. It is still too early to tag the “Captain” with super-horse status but he is under great pressure to continue his ravage through the division.  

    Also on the docket this weekend is the She’s A Great Lady Final for the frosh filly pacers; the Canadian Pacing Derby Final for the FFA pacing crew; a lot of Pennsylvania Sires Stakes at Pocono; and Grand Circuit Champlain and Simcoe stakes also on the Mohawk program.  

    A special update essay on the Cane Pace has been added for the Labor Day event at Tioga Downs (see below)

    Metro Men


    Captaintreacherous headlines a field of 10, with an also-eligible (Wake Up Peter) drawing in Mohawk Aug. 25 program. Let’s look at the elims. Another Alagna student, Rockmyjeans, has been scratched. He finished in an elim behind Apprentice Hanover and Vegas Vacation.  

    Here are the horses and posts and drivers and trainers, including the main feature, the Captain: 

    $1-million Metro Stakes

    Post-Horse-Driver, Trainer

    1-Johny Rock-Andy Miller, John Butenschoen
    2-Odds On Equuleus-John Campbell, Robin Schadt
    3-Apprentice Hanover-Jofy Jamieson, Ben Wallace
    4-Captaintreacherous-Tim Tetrick, Tony Alagna
    5-Captive Audience-Brian Sears, Corey Johnson
    6-Dress The Part-Randy Waples, Bob McIntosh
    7-Rockin Amadeus-Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter
    8-Fool Me Once-Sylvain Filion, Mark Austin
    9-Wake Up Peter-TBA, Tony Alagna
    10-Vegas Vacation-TBA, Casie Coleman 

    The move is simple: pass or go exotic. For exactas key Captaintreacherous with the highest outsiders’ odds. Exactas won’t be worth much with second or third choices, so look for big numbers with all from the 5 post up. Trifectas, of course, are tougher but if you go for it, use the same horses on the outside in some combination based on odds. 

    The Metro Consolation is worth $100,000 and it gathers horses that would rarely show up in a race of this purse caliber. But here they are, a ragged bunch of also-paced from the Metro Stakes elims. 

    We have no idea which horse will get the final push at the windows but we are going to stick with Teresa Beach, who was horrible in his elim. I think this is a developing son of Somebeachsomewhere that needs this kind of field to show improvement and will do so at a great price—if the crowd doesn’t back him due to his driver, the every-popular Brian Sears.

    ‘Great’ Frosh Ladies


    The frosh-filly pacers meet in the She’s A Great Lady Final on Sept. 1 and unlike the Metro situation, the horse projected to be most favored seems rife for defeat. We can beat I Luv The Nitelife and L Dees Lioness with the developing filly from post 8, Macharoundtheclock.  

    With a little luck the two probable choices will be in a battle for the lead and this speed-bred baby will be in a ground-saving position stalking and raring to upset with a big, late move. Jody Jamieson is up and although we rarely use drivers as positives for our choices, he is a great “money driver” and knows how to maneuver a horse like this, even up against blaring speed.  

     ‘Better’ Than The Best?


    Betterthancheddar, only four, is looking to topple older pacers the same way he did last week in the Canadian Pacing Derby elim. The $787,000 final is his target on the first day of September at Mohawk. 

    This week, however, he has to face Golden Receiver and Foiled Again, both given byes to be in the final, missing last week’s adventure in “Cheddar,” so to speak. The others are ones he defeated last week but adding Golden Receiver and Foiled Again to the field could make for more foes for Cheddar to grab the bulk of Canadian dollars.

    Among the outsider contenders, which on any other night might be choices, are We Will See, Bettor Sweet and Arachche Hanover. Hypnotic Blue Chip, Alsace Hanover, St Elmo Hero and Sparky Mark make up the rest of the traffic.  

    Golden Receiver is at the top of his game and will try to gun these foes. Cheddar will be looking for a trip, hoping that St Elmo Hero, who showed remarkable improvement last week, and Bettor Sweet will provide live cover before his move. If there is a shuffle as opposed to a flow in this mile, look out for We Will See.  

    The fact that We Will See has been less than powerful against this group for a spell, he is in the perfect spot from post 1 and can be driven courageously to give his best. That is what we have not seen lately from We Will See, so maybe Ron Pierce up can make us see We Will See at his best, where he is as good as any of these. My readers should see that I am being objective because this guy was not one of my favorites as a sophomore and his maturity proved that I was wrong about him at four. At five he still has much to offer and should go off even better than his morning-line 4-1.  

    A Spring Of Hope is a four-year-old-and-up-pacing-mares event with a $100,000 purse offered for some top femmes. When push comes to pace, though, so to speak, Rebeca Bayama, who we gave you to win the Golden Girls and did just that, returns to home and is in the best shape of her elder campaign. You may get a price from post 8.  

    The Hambletonian Society and TwinSpires continue to generate extra activity at the Breeders Crown Countdown, following prospective entries from all eight divisions in the classic events, scheduled to be presented again this year on a single card at Woodbine. Check the blog often for updates on great betting opportunities that don’t appear in the regular TwinSpires blog.  

    This week, go to the blog for the Grand Circuit races, featuring Simcoes and Champlains with many “Crown-bound” beauties, and the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes finals.

    The Big ‘Dance’ Rocks The Cane

    Like his sire and his sire before him, the genes of guts and heart, speed and stamina are on display again as soph-colt pacer A Rocknroll Dance takes on eight foes in the $322,716 Cane Pace Final on Monday, Sept. 3.  

     Tioga Downs is the recent home of this event, long described as the first jewel in pacing’s  much-ignored “triple crown.” This season the progeny of Rocknroll Hanover, which continues to an extraordinary winning beat once again has a star in the sophomore ranks.  

     A Rocknroll Dance will start the steps of this mile from post 6 and from there he and driver Yannick Gingras will improvise the tempo in one more attempt to wind up in the winner’s circle in a major event for the division. 

    A Rocknroll Dance is so dangerous in any field that he overshadows the “now” horse, Heston Blue Chip. And, since that one has to negotiate the 9 hole, though he has the acumen to handle an outside post, he still has to deal with the “Dance.” Even Bolt The Duer, the colt that beat Dance in the Adios, getting to him by saving ground in an awesome three-quarters time of 1:19 (pressured by Sweet Lou), would tremble in this field. 

    Dance received a bye to adorn the field in the final and that just gave him a little more time to take a breath before striking the match for another scorching mile. Time To Roll also comes to the field with a bye but Dance has left him in his wake before, rest or no rest.  

    So this year’s Cane Pace analysis is merely an essay hiding in the giant shadow A Rocknroll Dance is casting. New York fans may put more money on “Heston” than he deserves and other bettors will swing for the fence with fingers crossed, wagering on any of the others for an upset, but this essay can only suggest the Dance as a key to second-and-third finishers that may combine for a small-paying trifecta. And those two elements, for sure, are coin tosses at best.  

    In a footnote paragraph, the sister event to the Cane is the Shady Daisy for soph-filly pacers on the Cane program. In this short field for $100,000 you might find value again on Bettor B Lucky, who won at a huge price against the best in her division and who can again be overlooked considering the gals leaving from the first three posts.

    Ray Cotolo contributed to this edition.

  • Greek peaked or still climbing?

    POSTED Aug 3, 2012 By Unknown
    It's rare that a race outside the Breeders' Cup can define a horse as the best in the country, but that mantle is on the line for Ron The Greek in the Whitney Handicap on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.


    Ron The Greek is the only multiple Grade 1 winner among older males, and adding a third victory at the game's top level would certainly separate him from the pack--even from a horse like Game On Dude, who has run faster but only has one Grade 1 win to date.

    Despite the 2-1 Grade 1 edge for Ron The Greek, I do think Game On Dude is the superior animal, but at some point accomplishment has to trump theory, and a treble consisting of Santa Anita, Stephen Foster, and Whitney Handicaps is enough to earn the top spot until some other horses start winning multiple Grade 1 races against open company.

    I'm bullish to bring this up now because I don't actually think Ron The Greek will win, so I feel as if this is giving him his just due for dancing in some pretty important dances and winning two of them.

    Elsewhere across the country, two classic races are this weekend: the Hambletonian for trotting Standardbreds is Saturday at The Meadowlands, and the Breeders Stakes is Sunday at Woodbine. TwinSpires.com is offering incentives to play both. I don't (and won't) have an opinion on the Woodbine action, but I do like Market Share and Stormin Normand in the Hambletonian--the third and seventh choices on the morning line, respectively, so I plan to get involved is those prices hold up to actual betting.