Cotolo’s Harness Review, News And Notes
A lot of bettors were excited about Mister Herbie in the “Cutler” final at the Meadowlands on May 18, sending him off around 6-5. We liked him, though not at that price, and if you were so inclined to pass due to that then you saved a few bucks since Mister Herbie was terrible, finishing ninth with no particular excuse.
On that same card we were correct about Rockin Amadeus, though just about everyone else turned out to support him also and he won the New Jersey Sires Stakes’ (NJSS) first leg for soph-pacing colts, paying $4.20. Our other colt choice, Rocnrollwillneverdie finished fourth in his NJSS split.
At Pocono on Sunday, May 19, soph-pacing colts bred in Pennsylvania (PASS) battled in four splits, each worth $62,587, still some of the largest sires-stakes purses in the country.
We caught the first PASS with Martini Hanover at $6.40. The second split saw our choice, Teresa's Beach, scratched. We were with everyone on the third episode as the return of Captaintreacherous was successful and he began his soph campaign paying $2.20. Our fourth choice, Bigrisk, finished third at 18-1.
For the soph-colt-and-filly trotters’ stakes, visit the 
Trainer Rene Allard has been told that his entries will not accepted by the Meadowlands, which amounts to a ban for the Quebec native. No reason was given for Allard’s expulsion. Allard moved his operation to the United States from Canada and also races at Yonkers and Pocono Downs. He currently sits second in all of North America on the trainers' list with 173 races won. 
Vernon Downs released the following information in response to inquiries about horses eligible to the $500,000 Empire Breeders Classic (EBC) three-year-old colt and filly trots. “The EBC will remain at Vernon Downs with a slight adjustment to the dates. The eliminations for these races will be moved two days later than originally scheduled and will be raced at Vernon on Sunday, June 2 with the finals the following Sunday, June 9. The June 2 card will be an afternoon post of 1:15 p.m. and the June 9 finals will be presented during a night card with first post at 6:45 p.m.
Googoo Gaagaa, the striking trotter, now four, with a pacing sire, did not get the 2013 season going very strongly. Then it was discovered that “Googoo” needed throat surgery to correct a problem that may have been the cause for his poor return to the race. There is no word on when he will return to the track but insiders tell us that he is doing fine after the operation.
Extraordinary Extras
Indulge in many standardbred topics at my Hoof Beatsblog titled Ray Cotolocontributed to this blog.
Cartoons by Thom Pye
Cartoons by Thom Pye
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