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

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

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

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

Weekdays, check out the TwinSpires-Hoosier perks for players. Tuesdays, wager all you want and earn 10 TSC Elite Points per dollar bet. Click here for details. Every Thursday night, there is a 20-percent bonus on hitting the Pick 4 starting at Race 3. Click here for details. And the ongoing 10-percent Pick-4 bonus every racing night on Pick-4 hits continues through the meet. Click here for details.

Townsend Ackermans

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

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

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

Peter Haughton

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

Ima Lula Ladies

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

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

Big Boys’ Best

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

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

Classic Jerseyites

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

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

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

On Their ‘Merrie’ Way

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

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

Top Trotters Truckin’

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

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

Ladies Of Liberty

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

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

Vincennes

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

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

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

H2W Legend

Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track. These are possible contenders we have judged from reviewing races. The horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track after the date they will be racing. The race in which they are entered (R and race number) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name it means it is appearing on the list for the second (and last time) because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” signals the horse is entered on the also-eligible list. If a horse is listed twice, refer to the entries on the night of the race since a horse may enter in more than one race. Types of wagering on any of the H2W listed horses are based on your judgment. If you have any questions, email us at TwinSpires.

H2W

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

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

Grand River
8/1/14, Cons Legacy R9

Maywood
7/31/14, Wilfully Scootereva R6

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

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

Mohawk
7/31/14, +Best Risque R12

Ocean
8/3/14, +Ok Amelia R4

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

Plainridge
7/26/14, Somerset Minibob R1

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

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

Scarborough
8/2/14, +Bullseye R4

Scioto
8/2/14, QB Killa R1

Tioga
8/2/14, KJ Brenda R2

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

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

Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition.      

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.      

Friday night, Oct. 11 and Saturday night, Oct. 12, we huddled in the press box at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, shuttling from the intimate area to the winner’s circle during two programs laden with Breeders Crown activity, the eliminations for the Oct. 19 finals.

This was the first of our two weeks in the gloriously beautiful Pocono Mountains, at the five-eighths-mile oval with the fast, deeply rich-reddened surface and smooth turns, sharing with a global audience the talents of the sport’s human and equine stars and finest journalists. We return next weekend to cover the program at Pocono that hosts the dozen finals on Oct. 19. Our Thursday blog and the spin-off blog, our Breeders Crown Countdown will preview the races. As well, @FrankCotolo and @HarnessRaycer on Twitter will be presenting tips, info and photos through the card.

Our thanks, of course, to the Hambletonian Society –Tom Charters, Moira Fanning and the Board of Directors—for the accommodations and the opportunity to rejoin our cohorts and the sport’s insiders to further the great wagering benefits of harness racing through TwinSpires and assist the industry with racing reports. Along with Moira Fanning, Jay Bergman, Ken Winegartner and Ray Cotolo, complete recaps of all the elims were produced and are accessible by clicking the races’ appropriate links in our wagering recap below.

We are going to recap our betting activity thoroughly, including the blogs’ suggested contenders and the on-site tweets through the Twitter accounts above (as well, many tweets are retweeted through accounts such as Pocono Downs, @MSPDRacing, so check your Twitter coverage so you don’t miss one instant update or change from the source of the action. 
Friday Frosh Elims

In the first of two frosh-filly trot elims , we were third with Goddess. Off at 45-1, she paid $11.20 to show, beaten by two favorites, Shake It Cerry and Lifetime Pursuit.

Elim two for the filly trotters found our choice, Demanding Sam finishing third, paying $4 to show. She went off at 14-1 and was beaten by two of the three top choices.

The first of two elims for frosh-filly pacers was won by a second choice, while our blog’s contender, Ali Blue, finished fourth at 6-1. The @HarnessRaycer tweet supported Southwind Silence (12-1), who finished second and paid $6.40 to place and $15.60 to show.

The second division for the filly pacers featured a mild upset from Allstar Rating. We backed the top choice, Precocious Beauty, who finished second and paid $2.10 and $2.10.

We backed Father Patrick, the stunning frosh-colt trotter, in the frosh-colt trot elim (a single mile where the top seven qualified for the final) and we offered a sharp second-place choice in Nuncio (15-1). Father Patrick won, paying $2.80, $2.80 and $2.10. Nuncio finished second, paying $8.20 and $8.40. The exacta came back $26.80.

Saturday’s Stakes Storm

We must lead with another great tale of Captaintreacherous (photo above) because once again he defied all odds of winning with a trip that any other pacer would surely call treacherous. For this champion pacer, though, being hanged and dueling are not problems, even when they come in tandem. Read the story of his victory in the second soph-colt-pace elim. His victory, which we supported, was worth $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10.

You could get only $2.10 across the board on our other obvious choice, Bee A Magician, in the second division for soph-filly trotters. But you cannot get the definition of a “lock” any closer than this gorgeous gal.Luck Be With You was our winner in the third division of frosh-colt pacers. He paid $6.80. $3.40 and $2.80.

Though we blogged liking Bluto in the first division of soph-colt trotters, @HarnessRaycer tweeted on site about All Laid Out and he won, paying $7.80, $3.40 and $2.60.

We liked Apprentice Hanover (11-1) in the first soph-colt pace but we also mentioned the winner, Lucan Hanover ($7.80, $3.60 and $2.80). “Apprentice” finished fourth.

When Coffeecake Hanover won the first soph-filly-trot elim, following the on-site tweets paid off again. Our blog choice, Bouncing Bax (5-1) finished fifth to the @HarnessRaycer tweeted choice, Coffeecake Hanover, paying $23, $4.80 and $3.

The third choice for @HarnessRaycer, Doo Wop Hanover, lighted up the toteboard in the second split for frosh-colt pacers. When three top choices broke early in the race and were eliminated, “Doo Wop” went on to race smoothly to a win, paying $64 to win, ahead of a 10-1 shot and a 35-1 shot. Our choice, Beat The Drum (45-1), finished sixth.

The first division of three frosh-colt pacers was a loss with Let’s Drink On It (13-1), who finished sixth. We had D’orsay (2-1) in round one for mare trotters; she paid $3.80 and $3.20, beaten by the public choice. We lost with Swinging Beauty (15-1) in the single elim for mare pacers; we were fourth with Royalty For Life in round two of the soph-colt trot battle; Win Missy B (16-1) tried to take the older mare trotters wire to wire with three fiery panels but tanked in the second round for mare trotters, won by top choice Maven.

In the older pace, just about everyone was shocked at the lackluster performance of A Rocknroll Dance. Foiled Again won the race with verve and muscle but the favorite, our choice, too, “Dance,” never got into the race, finishing last in the field of nine. We will report anything we hear about the condition of the fine pacer.

H2W RESULTS

$4.50 Romeo Star, Batavia

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

Seconds:
Twin B Shasta (6-5), Northfield; Broadwood (5-2), Vernon

Thirds:
There were no third-place finishers from the list.

The entire H2W list from Thursday provided only seven horses. Upcoming lists, especially after the Breeders Crown events, guarantee more possible plays.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

News And Notes

Draws for the sophomore colt pace and the sophomore colt trot will be pulled at a special press conference at Pocono on Wednesday, Oct. 16.

Wagering on the 2013 Breeders Crown finals at Pocono Downs on Oct. 19 will include the following exotics in conjunction with the U.S. Trotting Association. There will be three Pick-4 wagers, starting with the first Breeders Crown race on the card, which will be Race 3. The three Pick-4 wagers will be offered up to the final Breeders Crown race, which is Race 14. There will be a guaranteed pool for each Pick 4 of $25,000 and all will have a takeout rate of 15 per cent. In addition, there will be an Early Daily Double for Races 1 and 2, which will be $75,000 Pocono Invitational races, and a Late Daily Double for the last two races on the card. The Pick 3 will be offered for Races 1, 2, and 3, and the takeout will be 15 per cent. Post time for the 2013 Breeders Crown is 5 p.m.

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

Our three-day weekend of harness action began with a boon and turned a bit gloomy, though not as near as dim as the weather in Kentucky for The Red Mile’s concluding Grand Circuit program. The state was plummeted with rain—in some areas as much as seven inches in a few hours—and Lexington’s skies opened up on the pacers and trotters making a fast track to a good track to a messy track by the time the main events went off.

First, the good news, which took place on Friday and Saturday and not all of it came from The Red Mile. Friday in Chicago we nailed one of the two Maywood Park signature frosh stakes, the Cardinal. Our choice, Ringo’s Z Tam, won the event and paid $18. That same night, as recorded in the horses-to-watch (H2W) results list below, we scored with Prosper in an overnight for a win price of $23.80. Southeast of Chicago, near-Pittsburgh’s Meadows produced Dragontina, paying $22.40.

 

Meanwhile, at The Red Mile before the floods, a pair of our International Stallion Stakes choices succeeded. The best score was in the frosh-filly pace, where My Lady Day won and paid $19.80. In the frosh-colt trot we won with E L Titan. That one surprisingly received near-favorite status and paid $5.20 to win.

 

The rains began on Oct. 5 but, as predicted, an “off track” would not be a factor in another Captaintreacherous victory. He won a division of the Tattersalls Pace, toying with second-choice Vegas Vacation’s threat in late stretch, to win, paying $2.60. In a division of the soph-filly pace Glen Garnsey, we scored with Carols Desire at $7.40, and our other choice, Parlee Beach, finished second to complete an exacta worth $19.80.

By the time the first heat of the Kentucky Futurity for fillies went off, the rain was becoming an issue on the mile oval. To our amazement, our choice to win both the heats, Classic Martine, was the favorite. But Ma Chere Hall, the filly that we had given out many times this season when no one was onto her, defeated our choice in the stretch at a remarkable 5-1.

Then, in the second elim heat, where it was winner-take-all, To Dream On (13-1) came from off the soggy pace to trot home the winner. Classic Martine (8-5), a factor for three-quarters, tanked mid-stretch to finish fifth.

The weather deeply affected all of the races once it was considered severe. Many top choices went down with no other reasons available as evidence except the anything-but-fast surface. From Race 8, when Shelliscape, benefiting from a second-over trip and closing on faded speed, won at 5-1, there was little argument that the messy foundation played a role in all results. Golden Receiver won at 12-1 because he has not been able to handle this group recently (current fireball Pet Rock never got going and A Rocknroll Dance finished last).

Breeders Crown Countdown blog the Kentucky Futurity for colts got going in the deluge. We were all right in heat one, when Royalty For Life controlled the fractions and embraced the conditions, as he had done in previous wins, won, paying a decent $3.60. Right behind him in heat one was Creatine (our Players Pool Hambo elim winner in August) and in the second elim heat, “Royalty” tried the same tactics but found his control of staying atop the field weak, while Creatine stayed afloat, got a sharp second-over trip and splashed home the winner at 15-1. He was followed by All Laid Out (51-1) and Spider Blue Chip (7-1) as “Royalty” and second-elim heat winner Your So Vain were empty late. Our second-elim choice, Lindy’s Tru Grit was 30-1 and finished fourth in that affair and scratched for the second heat.

The spin-off blog, our Breeders Crown Countdown, in cooperation with the Hambletonian Society (where the race result stories are archived) and TwinSpires, will work in league with this blog and @FrankCotolo at Twitter as the exclusive bettors’ aid for handicapping two weeks of championship racing. Check it out in our Thursday TwinSpires blog as we begin live coverage of the Breeders Crown eliminations and finals from Pocono Downs on Oct. 11, Oct. 12 and Oct. 19.

H2W RESULTS

$23.00 Prosper, Maywood
$22.40 Dragontina, Meadows
$10.00 Indescribable, Colonial
$4.00 Furious Five, Colonial 

 

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

 

Seconds:
Broadwood (5-1), Vernon; Allstar Blues (1-1), Freehold; Zeller’s Island (1-5), Maywood; Fox Valley Presto (19-1), Maywood 

 

Thirds:
There were no third-place finishers from the list.

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News And Notes
Wagering on the 2013 Breeders Crown finals at Pocono Downs on Oct. 19 will include the following exotics in conjunction with the U.S. Trotting Association. There will be three Pick-4 wagers, starting with the first Breeders Crown race on the card, which will be Race 3. The three Pick-4 wagers will be offered up to the final Breeders Crown race, which is Race 14. There will be a guaranteed pool for each Pick 4 of $25,000 and all will have a takeout rate of 15 per cent. In addition, there will be an Early Daily Double for Races 1 and 2, which will be $75,000 Pocono Invitational races, and a Late Daily Double for the last two races on the card. The Pick 3 will be offered for Races 1, 2, and 3, and the takeout will be 15 per cent. Post time for the 2013 Breeders Crown is 5 p.m.

Captaintreacherous, according to his connections, will race at four, barring any complications. Howeer, Myron Bell, racing manager of the colt, and Jim Simpson, President of Hanover Shoe Farms, have announced that the great son of Somebeachsomewhere will be retired and stand at stud at Hanover beginning in 2015.

Last week we reported on the anticipated return of older trotter San Pail and his first encounter with last year's Breeders Crown winner Intimidate. However, Intimidate scratched from the event, due to sickness, and another scratch reduced the field to four. It was the first pari-mutuel start in well over a year for San Pail, North America’s Horse of the Year in 2011, and he finished second to Knows Nothing in 1:54.4. After a year away from the track to nurse a leg injury, nine-year-old San Pail won three-straight qualifiers at Mohawk before this event. He is trained by Rod Hughes. Knows Nothing is a four-year-old son of Kadabra and has won near $700,000.

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. 

Small pickings again this weekend and left over from last Monday but winners nonetheless and perhaps low-priced overlays considering how easily they all won.

 

First, we return to Monday, Sept. 9, where at Harrington Raceway we handed you the two elim winners for the Bobby Quillen Memorial. Foiled Again took one, paying $2.80, and Clear Vision took the other, paying $3.60. 

 

Another dual-dollar special took place at Mohawk on Sept. 14.

 

No one could expect a larger price from Father Patrick in the William Wellwood Final. As we wrote, this is one special frosh-colt trotter and he trounced his division foes in the lucrative stake to win and pay $2.30.

 

In the Peaceful Way, our choice, Riviting Rosie, won handily and paid $4.60.

 

We had one winner in the Sept. 13 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes finals at the Meadows. That was Creatine, paying $3. Somwherovrarainbow finished second, Bluto broke but managed to finish third at 28-1 and Aunt Caroline failed as a top choice, finishing third. The two others were off the board. 

 

For Delaware, Ohio fair picks on the opening card, Sept. 15, click here.   

 

The Breeders Crown Countdown blog, the Hambletonian Society and TwinSpires’ bettors’ aid for handicapping top contenders’ events heading toward the October classics, is live. Check it out each week in league with our Thursday TwinSpires blog.

 

H2W RESULTS

 

$2.90 Touch Of The Past, Vernon   

 

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

 

Seconds:
Newsam (4-5), Freehold   

 

Thirds:
Bohemian Spell (3-1), Meadows; Saywhatuneedtosay (8-5), Freehold; Allstar Blues (6-1), Freehold 

 

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News And Notes

 

French trotter Ready Cash (pictured) is now the richest horse in harness racing history, with $5.71 million in purses. Eight-year-old Ready Cash won the final of the European Trotting Masters at Vincennes last weekend to increase his lifetime earnings past retired trotters Varenne and Moni Maker on the all-time earners’ list. Varenne earned $5.63 million in his career while Moni Maker banked $5.58 million.

 

Ready Cash has won 40 of 63 races, including four of six this season. He won the Prix D’Amerique in 2011 and 2012 and finished second this year. He also is a two-time winner of the Group I Prix De France. Ready Cash has never raced in North America.

 

Sunshine Beach, the only horse this season to defeat Captaintreacherous, will not race in the Little Brown Jug. His connections have decided to rest the colt for Grand Circuit stakes at The Red Mile, which is the overture for the Breeders Crown at Pocono. Meanwhile, Captaintreacherous will race at Hoosier Park on Sept. 21 in a three-year-old open pace worth only $50,000. It may very well be a workout for the champ as he heads for The Red Mile with the main target the Tattersalls Pace on week two of the meet. It is likely he will face Sunshine Beach in that affair.

 

The Little Brown Jug does not have an early choice. The three heats look quite competitive. However, the Jugette appears to be one more replay of the soph-filly pacer division, starring I Luv The Nitelife. The only two differences are that “Nitelife” will have to win two heats on the same day, both on a half-mile track (all of her wins come on a larger oval). Being the dominant filly of her division’s season, these two hurdles appear no problems. This format for heats features the same field of fillies in each heat (unless any scratch from the second mile). Whichever filly wins both heats is the champion.

 

Zeke Parker, not exactly a well-known harness driver, has accomplished something bigger than all other well-known drivers. At Monticello Raceway on Sept. 12, Parker passed Walter Case Jr. in driving victories and became the sixth winningest driver in the history of the sport. Parker now driven 11,039 wins in his career, one better than Case.

 

“I’m proud of what I have accomplished so far and hope to continue driving for many years,” said the 59-year-old Zeke. “Being sixth all-time is a great, but I feel bad for [Walter]. Except for a few a starts at Plainridge … he [hasn’t] driven a horse in nearly ten years. Imagine how many races he would have won if he was still driving?”

 

Colonial Downs opens Wednesday, Sept. 18 and will continue on a four-day-a-week schedule through Oct. 27. The sport’s only one-turn mile offers 10 races every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday beginning at 1 p.m.

 

Many new faces will be around this season. Trainers competing in Virginia for the first time include Tom Dawson, Robert Dining, Dean Eckley, Mike Jarvis, Erik Jaeck, Todd Johnston, Steve Nason, Tricia Sheppard, Rex Watson, Lawrence Cooper, Russell Early III, Kevin Johnson and Glen Bratcher among others with smaller stables.

 

Returning conditioners from last fall’s top 15 include Jane Dunavant, Rick Mapes, George Anthrop, Stacy McLenaghan, Evan Coblentz, Morgan Hagerman, Mark Gray, Cheryl Whitsell and Amanda Jackson.

 

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

A chalky two days ensued in harness stakes on a full September weekend. As the temperatures cooled, so did the win prices, which were, for the most part, set by the betting public at Mohawk, where the focus lighted most of the stakes. Vernon Downs came into play, as does Harrington, though the latter takes place Monday (see our Thursday blog for the Harrington event). 

 

We didn’t expect bloated prices from some of our choices, since a few horses laid over their fields. Such was the case with our first winner, Father Patrick, in the “Wellwood” final Friday night at Mohawk. He paid $2.20.   

 

Over at Vernon on Friday, our Muscle Hill choice, D’orsay, part of a choice entry, won as we predicted, regardless of his outside post, paying $4.50. That price was actually generous considering his stablemate Maven was included in an entry. Our other stakes choice at Vernon, Mister Herbie, was third at 14-1.

 

Saturday, our pair of winners at Mohawk in Grand Circuit stakes were both hammered by the public. Luck Be Withyou won and paid $3.40, while Precocious Beauty won and paid $3.

 

Our Canadian Trot Classic elim choices both tanked to first or second choices. Hambo-winner Royalty For Life was second to a 9-2 shot. Corky, in the other elim, was fourth to a 3-5 shot.

 

Horses-to-watch list winners were slim this week, with a lot of our contenders coming in second and third (see below).

 

The Breeders Crown Countdown blog, the Hambletonian Society and TwinSpires’ bettors’ aid for handicapping top contenders’ events heading toward the October classics, is live. Check it out each week in league with our Thursday TwinSpires blog.

 

H2W RESULTS

 

$13.20 What About Brian, Tioga
$3.30 Departure, Batavia

 

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

 

Seconds:
I’m Fabulous (4-1), Yonkers; Anescape (8-5), Maywood; Kansas Wildcat (8-5), Maywood; Margarita Cash (6-5), Tioga; Northern Companion (5-2), Vernon; He Is Risen (5-1), Vernon; Cladslastimpression (65-1), Red Mile

 

Thirds:
Design Guru (14-1), Batavia; Vintage Oaks (9-2), Freehold 

 

Notes – Cladslastimpression paid $29.40 to place. 

 

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News And Notes

 

You may have read it in this blog first and now it is official: Captaintreacherous will skip racing in The Little Brown Jug. Connections called the decision a matter of “long-term interest” in the colt’s sophomore season campaign. The fabulous colt certainly doesn’t need a “Jug” crown to validate his presence this season. He has been super for his connections, the sport and for bettors by paying remarkable prices that exceeded his chances in every one of his races (he lost only one, by a whisker).

 

The Jug meet at the Delaware, Ohio County Fair begins next Sunday, Sept. 17 and goes through Thursday, Jug day, Sept. 19. We will be covering the Jug and other big stakes on the speedy half-mile, hosting all day cards, here on TwinSpires.

 

We at TwinSpires are hoping that speedy recoveries become the conditions for Cat Manzi and Jeff Gregory. The drivers remain hospitalized at press time from injuries suffered in a startling racing spill occuring in the fourth race at Freehold Raceway on Sept. 6. Manzi, according to his wife Ellen, suffered breaks on both sides of his pelvis and was in a lot of pain. Gregory underwent surgery to repair a broken left elbow, according to his wife, Helene.

 

This journalist’s coverage of Hambletonians goes back more than 20 years and includes on-site reporting of the 1991 classic, won by Giant Victory (pictured left with trainer Per Ericsson). The trotter died of natural causes at the age of 25 last week. The son of Super Bowl also won the Breeders Crown at three and went on to serve stallion duties in 1992 before being exported as a stud to Italy in 1997. His progeny collectively won over $9 million.

 

Trotter and sire Earl passed away at the age of 26. A winner of 35 races and over $984,000 in his career, Earl won many divisional titles and the 1993 Breeders Crown at Mohawk, the 1994 Maple Leaf Trot at Woodbine and the American National at Sportsman’s Park. When he retired, he was the Canadian record holder on a seven-eighths mile track (1:54.2s), a five-eighths mile track (1:55f) as well as the co-holder of the world record on a half-mile track (1:56), which he held with the great Mack Lobell.

 

Earl sired two millionaires: JM Vangogh and mare Earl Of My Dreams. His North American sire stats show progeny earnings of nearly $32 million. Earl’s stallion career continued in New Zealand where he boasted $6.4 million in progeny earnings.

 

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.