Contenders Strike With Trifectas, Exactas; $10 Winner Tops Pick-3 Legs; Power-Plays Power-Filled At Northfield

We were packed with action this weekend, starting at Saratoga on Feb. 23. We offered four contenders for the exotics, focusing on the superfecta. The race favorite (not included in our quartet) won. We had the second horse, Bye Bye Michelle ($3.00, $2.50) for a $13.00 exacta, and the show horse, Keene Olivia ($2.80), completing a $40.60 trifecta. Our other two choices, Hillbillysweershrk (11-1) and Fox Valley Bailey (32-1) finished fifth and ninth, respectively.

Also on Feb. 23, at the Meadowlands, we had the winner, I Found My Beach ($3.60, $2.60, $2.10), the place horse, Amped Up ($6.60, $3.80) and the show horse, Drunken Terror ($2.40) for a trifecta worth $80.00. We missed the super, as Freternity (11-1) finished sixth. The exacta was worth $29.00.

Friday’s Pick 3 at Miami Valley nailed leg two with Turbo Mach ($10.20, $7.20, $5.40), with Mikes Hope ($4.00) third. In leg one we missed with MJs Victory Wish (7-1) and Looking To Score (10-1), as the public’s second choice won; and in leg three a 14-1 shot beat our two, MG Kid (8-1) and JJs Six Pack Attack (21-1), both well out of it.

Saturday afternoon we visited the Meadows and got a taste of our own medicine as a 30-1 shot beat Keystone Wonder (11-1), who finished fourth, and Armbro Hall (4-1), who finished seventh.

Our Power Plays returned to Ohio on Saturday, Feb. 25, at Northfield Park. The favorite won the race (not included in our quartet of contenders), with two of our other contenders second and third—ER Maria ($3.40, $2.40) and Sign Of A Queen ($3.80). The exacta with the favorite paid $7.40 and the trifecta paid $36.20. Friskie Town (14-1) made the super ($15.32) finishing fourth, while Tango Bayama (34-1) was fifth.

All horses that did not win in our personal features—including Power Plays—if not scratched—appear in the following week’s H2W list as second-time (noted: +) entries. Keep an eye on their second times around; more than a few come back to win.

On various Wednesday nights we tweet for TwinSpires Twitter members from @FrankCotolo –retweeted by @twinspires—and the raceway involved. Losers from each week will appear on the next week’s horses-to-watch (H2W) list unless they race before that blog is published, so watch for them returning to the races on days in between blogs. Watch for special tweets from raceways on various Wednesdays.

H2W LIST RESULTS

The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Also, exactas listed are included when a H2W horse finishes second with a race favorite or the first two finishers making up the exacta are H2W horses (an asterisk appears when both horses were listed to complete a cold exacta). The note “ok” determines that prices published are correct even when a show price exceeds a place price or any or all of the prices are the same. This week, there were 48 active horses (an 10-percent win hit rate and a 40-percent ATB [across-the-board] hit rate).

Please note that some H2W results reflect win, place, show and exotic results occurring by press time but some horses race after the blog is posted (we list them the following week) It is up to you to follow horses that have not performed before this weekly review is posted.

Winners

Durant, $7.20, $3.40, $2.20, Meadowlands
Show Me Up, $7.20, $4.20, $2.70, Saratoga
Sentencing Memo, $6.20, $3.80, $2.80, Dover
One Bad Night, $5.20, $3.00, $2.20, Meadows
Spring Terror, $4.00, $2.60, $2.10, Buffalo

Seconds

I’m Gorgeous, $10.40, $8.10, Buffalo
Bahama Bay, $7.40, $4.10, Buffalo
Treasure Gifts, $4.80, $3.80 (Exacta $13.20)
Crown Classic, $4.20, $4.20 ok (Exacta $21.70), Western Fair
Upfront Charlieboy, $3.80, $3.20 (Exacta $14.20), Meadows
Keystone Camaro, $3.20, $2.60, Freehold

Thirds

Lodi Machette Man, $6.00, Cal-Expo
Ideal Willie, $4.00, Saratoga
Marvalous Town, $3.80, Meadows
Jinglejanglejingle, $3.70, Western Fair
Cams Oracle, $2.60, Pompano
Colbaltslaststand, $2.60, Fraser
KRs Power Surge, $2.10, Dover
Shutthefrontdoor, $2.10, Meadowlands

News & Notes

Running Aces, Minnesota’s only harness racing plant, is already taking stall applications for 2017’s season. Officials “anticipate continued growth from the 2016 season, which improved in all aspects in excess of 20 percent with handle improving by over $1 million.” Running Aces announced that this season there will be some new events, such as Dan Patch Days, Father’s Day Weekend and the Minnesota Night of Champions. The management has the word out to stables all over North America: “Consider racing with us this summer. We have a fantastic racing surface, which is arguably the safest in the country.” We’ll see who the facility attracts and cover Running Aces’ season on our blogs.

Harrington Raceway’s 71st season of harness racing will get underway on April 24 with a 5 p.m. nightly post time. The richest program of the year is the Governor’s Day program on July 27 with a special 7 p.m. post time. It takes place during the Delaware State Fair with approximately $600,000 in total purses. The track’s marquee race, the $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial will take place on Sept. 18.

Harness racing set to return to Century Downs Racetrack in less than a month. The multi-racing-breed track’s harness meet runs from March 18 through Sept. 9. Century is the only 11/16^th-mile track (a 5 ½-furlong oval) in North America. It brought horse racing back to the city of Calgary in Alberta after the demise of Stampede Park. Races on weekends and holidays start at 1:10 p.m. Monday racing, with a post time of 4:10 p.m., is being added this year.

World champion trotting mare Mission Brief has been retired from racing and purchased by a group that includes three of her breeders. Reportedly, the group paid $650,000 for Mission Brief, a daughter of Muscle Hill. Mission Brief set a 1:50.2 world record and earned $1,599,587 when under the tutelage of Ron Burke. Although her connections said she was coming back and training well, “she just didn’t seem right.” Burke said any other horse would have gone on racing but Mission Brief is not normal.

You can still donate to race-caller Sam McKee’s recuperation expenses at https://www.gofundme.com/sam-mckees-medical-fund. Sam suffered a debilitating stroke a few weeks back. His family set up this GoFund Me account. Donate whatever you can to the care and well-being of great figure in our sport and a great human being. .

Extraordinary Extras

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

For Thom Pye cartoons, informative harness history and more, click here ~