Adios Pace Elims Test Pacers; Saratoga Hosts Top Stake; Kids Cram Kindergartens

The next rung on the ladder of glamour-boy pacer stakes is the Adios Pace on July 23 when two eliminations will decide the final’s field at the home of the Pace for the Orchids, the Meadows. Also on Saturday, Saratoga’s main feature of its meet, the Joe Gerrity Memorial, is on the program.

Freshmen sport their young strides in the first leg of the Kindergarten Series, hosted by the Meadowlands on July 22 and 23^rd. Eight divisions for $10,000 each, are scheduled for the two days as these green trotters and pacers eye the lucrative Kindergarten finals.

The Hambletonian Trail blog will cover the age-old “Zweig” Memorials for colts and fillies that Vernon Downs will present on July 24 on the penultimate weekend before the August classic.
 
TwinSpires’ exclusive, productive horses-to-watch list (H2W) continues to offer wagering opportunities in overnights, suggesting contenders you may not read about on any other handicapping sources in print or on line. The H2W can be used for bets to win, places show and in all exotics. Always consider H2W horses when constructing your wagers.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

Classically bred two-year-olds on the pace and on the trot will defend the potency of their bloodlines in the first leg of the Kindergarten Series, held at the Meadowlands. On Friday, July 22, five divisions ($10,000 each) are sprinkled across the program.

Nine frosh-colt trotters (three of them maidens) launch leg 1 with the first division. Whether of not the crowd may agrees, Fly Beyond seems ready to begin a winning stakes career coming off of a Stallion Series in Pennsylvania. The Explosive Matter colt has already shown a strong brush at the Meadows and Philadelphia that could be even bigger on the mile track.

The filly trotters in round two number seven, also with one first-time starter, Crann Tara, leaving from the 7 hole, may find the outside a plus in this awkward bunch. Her baby race at the Meadowlands was strong and deserves respect. There should be a decent price on her, especially if driver Tim Tetrick chooses against her and takes Grandmas’s Moni for the ride. Trainer Linda Toscano could trust a strong mile in the hands of any driver with this one.

Boy trotters stack up for division three. Jimmy Takter’s Rubio is two for two already, with well-supported wins at the Meadowlands and Pocono. He is a son of Cantab Hall, still one of the top sires on the average-earnings list for progeny; this is your race favorite. Dover Dan has just tasted victory and could provide a threat but our outside contender, fit to pay a price, is He’s Gone. Nifty Norman’s colt broke last out in a sires stakes at the Meadows (he is by Donato Hanover) but just before the jump he was on target to swoop home first at 18-1, devouring 5 lengths in an impressive brush that put him in strong closing mode on the outside.

Fillies follow for division four, three more first-time starters to debut against five other inexperienced femmes. Although she gets post 8, Steffan Lind’s Sunshine Delight, a daughter of Credit Winner, has a clean, smooth gait and was terrific in a sires stakes at Monticello recently. She won a baby race at the Meadowlands from post 8 and has established a relationship already with driver John Campbell, who Lind uses confidently with his green stock. She could be a decent price against the others but may be worth a short price, too.

Friday’s nightcap is for colts. Ake Svanstedt’s Limerence is two for two in Pennsylvania, improving at the Meadows from his win at Pocono. Takter has a pair of first-time starters that have qualified impressively. Thisguyisonfire steps up and is on the H2W list for the second time below but Sir John F demands our attention with a near win in a sires stakes at 8-1 for his first try. It was at the Meadows and he was forced a few steps wide midway, costing him the win from post 8. The second of Takter’s colts here could be passed up a bit in the betting.

Saturday, July 23, the three Kindergarten splits are for frosh pacers. The first lines up eight blueblood colts. Independent One started his career at Pocono in a conditioned and from the difficult 8 hole there, the Rocknroll Hanover gelding stormed on the outside to gain 5 lengths. He never got to the wood and faded but with a better trip on the two-turn mile he could explode.

The second colt split features nine, with only one winner, and that one, Andy’s Ideal, was a dead heat in a Meadowlands frosh-betting event. His next race found him the favorite and an early duel cost him a few lengths in a sires stakes at Saratoga. Also from Saratoga, leaving from post 9, Nancy Johansson’s Very Special Agent could provide a price that exceeds his chances. His last race put him to the test and he rolled with strength to lose by a nose.

The sole filly-pacing field tops at nine, with four first-time starters. Again from the 9 hole, we offer a choice: Joe Holloway’s Miss Jones. She was short in her first outing after a powerful brush to challenge and overcome the leader at 6-1. Joe has youngsters raring to go early on and usually a good price is in the works. Joe’s other character in this play is Thefoolalwaysrocks from post 1 but the Indiana-bred may not be as good as Miss Jones. 

ADIOS PACE PARTS

The next classic event for glamour-boy pacers takes us to the Meadows, where two eliminations this weekend will set the stage for the $450,000 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids. Familiar names are on the docket for the 50^th division of the event. Trainer Ron Burke has entered six horses divided among the dozen in two, six-horse elims worth $25,000 each. It is featured on Saturday afternoon, July 23. The $400,000 final goes on July 30. 

Trying to get back into early-season form for Burke is Check Six. He finished third in the Meadowlands Pace and faces Racing Hill and Lyons Snyder in the first elim. Burke’s less productive colts, More Dragon and Stolen Glimpse are also here, as is Western Fame. Playing to win against Tony Alagna’s Racing Hill won’t offer much in return. He will be firing early and going for a track-and-event record, which the afternoon weather promises to help (that forecast includes temperatures in the 100s). As an exotic key, Racing Hill won’t lead a strongly priced ticket, though Lyons Snyder will probably be a bargain third-choice entry, as Check Six gets the second spot.

In the second elim, Alagna offers American Passport, who has struggled to keep up with the division’s top tier. But this is the weaker of the two miles and it includes, as is an Adios mainstay, a local colt looking for national fame, at least for a week. That horse is Rip This Joint, who gets post 6 in a field of as many and still looks overmatched in the mile. Burke sends Big Top Hanover, Fernando Hanover and Manhattan Beach in this elim and Another Daily Copy fills up the field. “Copy,” trained by Nick Devita, may offer the best price while having as good a chance as his five rivals in this sub-par group.

STATE-SOPH FILLIES

The Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) features soph-filly pacers in lucrative splits on July 23. The first, worth $79,480, has a mere five gals, obviously led by Call Me Queen Be, although the morning-line choice is Newborn Sassy. The counter-play to the public’s top duo is Chris Ryder’s Kiss Me Onthebeach, who should go under the betting radar and may surprise a speedy quartet.

In PASS two for the gals, $79,880 will be spread for six fillies, one of whom is Darlinonthebeach, returning from her heart incident at Pocono. Since she fell ill, Pure Country returned to her status as division leader. The question remains if Darlinonthebeach needs a mile to test recuperation. If she rebounds she had better be much improved, as I Said Diamonds is also in this mile and will be aggressive in an effort to disarm Pure Country. It may be best to use the scenario where Darlinonthebeach is much better and backing her may be easy if she is offering prices behind the two aforementioned. 

‘WIGGLE’ ROOM IN ‘GERRITY’?

The $260,00 Joe Gerrity, Jr .Memorial is a main event for Saratoga and this year’s episode gets a high-profile on Sunday, July 24 as Wiggle It Jiggleit takes on the half-mile oval again and attempts a catch-me-if-you-can journey on the front. Most of the time, especially with four turns, the competition cannot catch “Wiggle.” He has rarely been short on any track during his four-year-old season and on when asked to lead the pack on four turns he is near impossible to beat. Certainly there is speed in the field but nothing that has proven better in an uneventful challenge with Wiggle. Bettors must face exotics with a Wiggle key and may find that PH Supercam is the best to come off of early battlers and pump up a price. In fact, courageous bettors might consider an upset with the half-mile specialist.

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 LIST

Bangor
7/22/16, +Heart Breaking R2; +Southwest Bliss R4

Century
7/22/16, +Showmesomemotion R2; +Soul Diva ae R6
7/23/16, +Jay Flight R6; +Centetta Artistry R10

Hawthorne
7/21/16, +Louscipher R5
7/22/16, +Dandy Dududidudu R8
7/24/16, +Always Kenzer R14

Hoosier
7/21/16, Stricken Buck R8

Meadowlands
7/23/16, +Unix Hanover R12

Mohawk
7/22/16, +Some Show Leg R11
7/23/16, +Moonbeam Hall R1; +Duc Dorleans R5

Northfield
7/23/16, +Ice Cold R13

Northville
7/23/16, Allamerican Laser R1

Ocean
7/21/16, +Cloudy Out R1; Tampa Bay Escape R3; Tyrone Haji R5

Philadelphia
7/21/16, +Gigi From Fiji R3; +The Onlyest One ae R4
7/24/16,

Plainridge
7/21/16, +Winbak Magic R3; +Iron Train R4; +Pembroke Baroness R6; +Micky Blu R7; KO Justice R9

Pocono
7/23/16, +BWT Taj R14
7/24/16, +Oakmont R2

Running Aces
7/23/16, Stephs Place R2; Lolo R7; Flashy Lady R8

Scarborough
7/21/16, +Two Beers Away R1; Race Me Android R2; Medway Tower R3
7/22/16,

Scioto
7/23/16, Megatron R4; Angelo J Fra R8

Tioga
7/22/16, +Please Okay R5; +Luck Luna R7
7/23/16, +Keystone Sapphire R7

Vernon
7/23/16, +Royal Air R1

Yonkers
7/22/16, Southwind Ricardo R3; Skippin By R6; Scootin For Joy R9
 

 Ray Cotolo contributes to this blog