Cal-Expo, Monticello Scores At $22, $20; Dayton Rolls Doubles

TwinSpires Harness Blog reports on its feature races this weekend. Plus, we share the shape of our horses-to-watch list (H2W) from last week’s choices. Check our News & Notes section for reporting and remarking on the states of our sport.

Thursday, Dec. 17

 At Dayton, we contributed to four Rolling Doubles with two of three winners.

We delivered Blacklist Z Tam ($5.20, $3.40, $3.20) in and later in the program I M Mc Cited ($11.20, $4.60, $3.00). We failed with the third, Dragonfly (21-1), who finished seventh to the winner, the race favorite.

Friday, Dec. 18

Yonkers cancelled the evening’s program after Race 1 in an attempt to continue on the heels of winter-storm Gail, so our feature was eliminated.

At Cal-Expo our feature delivered a $2 trifecta for $91.00, winning with Brooklyn Moonshine ($8.80, $3.20, $2.10), followed by Lakota Law ($5.40, $3,00) for a $22.20 exacta, and Casey N Grinnegan ($2.10).

Originally scheduled to race on Dec. 19 at Cal-Expo, instead racing on Dec. 18, we scored with Bobs Time ($22.80, $7.00, $4.60).

Saturday, Dec. 19

Saturday we had two selected features but one was a Yonkers, which cancelled.

Our Cal-Ex feature returned only the place finisher, Rockinscience ($2.40, $2.10). Our initial choice, Cals Hope (6-1) tired from an outside trip to three-quartes to finish sixth. 

H2W LIST RESULTS

The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Exactas listed include a H2W horse finishing second to a race-favorite or if the first two finishers are H2W horses (an asterisk appears when both horses are listed—a cold exacta). The note “ok” determines that prices are correct (even when a show price exceeds a place price or all prices are the same).

Please note that some results reflect horses racing after the blog posts (they appear the following week).

This week, there were 24 active horses (a 13 percent win hit rate and a 38-percent ATB [across-the-board] hit rate).

Winners

Flight Of The Kiwi, $20.00, $7.40, $5.60, Monticello
What Ya Thinkin, $4.20, $2.60, $2.20, Meadows
Monty Mono, $2.80, $2.40, $2.30, Flamboro

Seconds

Americas Fleet, $13.40, $8.20, Dayton
Reflextionofroyalty, $12.20, $6.60 (Exacta $72.50, Monticello
Kestone Orion, $4.60, $4.40 (Exacta $20.40), Freehold
Tuapeka Jesse N, $4.60, $4.00, WoMo

Thirds

In The Huddle, $3.00, Freehold
Yeahnah, $2.10, Dayton

NEWS & NOTES

Winter-storm Gail was responsible in one way or another canceling some northeastern harness programs. Monticello, Philadelphia and the Meadows surrendered to the biggest snowstorm the area has experienced in five years. Related incidents cancelled Yonkers and the Meadowlands as the week ensued. All horses at cancelled tracks will appear on the H2W list when next they compete.

United States Harness Writers Association Driver of the Year (DOTY) was no contest for Dexter Dunn. He is an overwhelming choice to win for a second straight season when 12 of the 13 USHWA chapters nominated the native New Zealander. The 31-year-old has earnings of $11 million (no other driver has $10 million), has won four Breeders Crown finals at  Hoosier Park and four wins on Fall Final Four Finals Night at the Meadowlands.

Trainer Ron Burke and driver Chris Page captured the 2020 horsmen titles, respecitively for the second consecutive season in Ohio. The Jerry Kaltenbach Memorial Trophies are awarded annually to the driver and trainer who have earned the most money competing in Ohio Sires Stakes (OHSS) events, sending 95 OHSS to post for earnings of $1.3 million. Driver Chris Page won for the second straight season with 91 starts, 18 wins, 17 seconds and seven thirds to $1.1 million in earnings.

Despite the challenges faced in 2020 due to the global pandemic, Batavia Downs raced safely throughout its dates and just completed one of its most successful meets for nightly handle. Racing 21 less dates than 2019, the track saw a 67-percent increase in total handle with the nightly handle average a 151-percent increase for the 42-night schedule. Upon approval from the New York State Gaming Commission, harness racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Wednesday, July 21, 2021.

One of TwinSpires harness blog’s best stocks, Gimpanzee, retires to stud at Diamond Creek Farm of Kentucky in 2021 for owners Courant Inc. and SRF Stable. Gimpanzee is the first elite stallion prospect to go to stud in Kentucky since the Sire Stakes program revamped. At two, three and four, Gimpanzee made money for bettors with three Breeders Crown championships. His bloodline is an excellent cross for Muscle Hill- and Cantab Hall-line mares. Gimpanzee is a Chapter Seven son out of a Muscle Massive mare and is bound to produce top-notch trotters.

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in our columns, Alternative Actions and Bettors Banquet at Harness Racing Update