Dayton Delivers $14 Score; Philly Tops Pick 3 Legs With $10 Win

Here is TwinSpires Harness Blog’s final Weekly Update report for 2020. Our next Preview Blog posts on Thursday, Dec. 31. Then we settle into 2021.

On Jan. 1 we will post our 2020 review, featuring our 2020 TwinSpires Harness Players’ Horse of the Year, along with a complete list of our winners from features and the horses-to-watch list (H2W) that returned 4-1 or up.


Thursday, Dec. 24

Philly’s Pick 3 started off with our winner, Hotspriings Volo ($10.20, $3.80, $2.40). Our exotics did not pan out, considering Winnie The Goo (30-1) finished seventh.

We were third in the second leg, won by the favorite. Our choices included Rentier ($2.60) and Landonfitz (9-1), who finished sixth.

In the last leg just missed with Hashtagmadeyalook ($3.40, $2.20); the public choice won. Infinite AS (40-1) finishing seventh.
 
Saturday, Dec. 26

At the Meadowlands, Springsteen (11-1) raced better, showing improvement, but finished fifth to a 5-1 winner.

The Cal-Expo feature was a tough trip for our 7-2 Dont Wannabe Late, who gave up the lead to a 10-1 winner.


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 27 active horses (a 4 percent win hit rate and a 41-percent ATB [across-the-board] hit rate).

Winners

Drawing Dragons, $14.40, $5.00, $4.40, Dayton

Seconds

Dragonfly, $8.80, $3.00, Dayton
The Time To Win, $7.00, $3.80, Charlottetown
New Evidence, $3.60, $5.20 ok, Meadows
Protostar, $3.60, $2.40, Philly
Rockme Rollme, $2.60, $2.10, WoMo

Thirds

Ten Mile Beach, $6.70, Charlottetown
Later Dudes, $5.60, Meadows
My Hearts Rockin, $4.40, Northfield
Grand Gallop Semalu, $3.40, Pompano
Two AM, $2.20, Philly
 
NEWS & NOTES

The U.S. Trotting Association released its Top 10 of 2020, a video highlighting what it feels were some of the best and most memorable moments from the past year. Wendy Ross and Rich Johnston, who also edited it, voice the presentation. There are clips of the sport’s 2020 stars and memorable moments from the interrupted season, including appearances by Perfect Sting, Ramona Hill, and others.Watch the video—click here.

The lights dimmed on the 2020 harness racing season in Ontario on Dec. 23 at Woodbine Mohawk (WoMo). Sylvain Filion ended a 245-win season at WoMo, good for top honors in driving. Bob McClure was second by virtue of 208 wins, just two over Doug McNair’s 206. Training champ was Richard Moreau had 156 wins, 36 more than runner-up Carmen Auciello.

Racing returns to WoMo in January, pending provincial approval and a healthier North America. Canada’s premier harness racing venue will offer racing four nights a week—Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday—before adding Tuesdays from June through September.

Extraordinary Extras

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