Some big names from the past and present are involved in this weekend’s harness features around North America. Older pacers and trotters of the first degree meet at the Meadowlands and New Jersey Sires Stakes (NJSS) and Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) for soph pacers bring to the limelight some of the cast of this year’s glamour-boy-and-girl pacers.

Of course, there are soph trotters from both divisions of sexes on Friday, May 17, testing their divisions at three racetracks. Those races will be covered in this week’s Hambletonian Trail blog, brought to you exclusively by TwinSpires and the Glamour Bashes

First, we visit the Meadowlands on May 18 for NJSS. Sophomore pacers are ready to rock and literally, many are Rocknroll Hanover products as the hoof beat goes on, so to speak. Johny Rock is here for his second roll around the oval and Breeders Crown-winner Rockin Amadeus steps into his three-year-old skin for some stakes exercise. Lets Rock Together, Rock Star, He Rocks The Moon and Rocky Mountain Guy assist in making the 10-horse NJSS colt field.

Rockin Amadeus has every right to win at first crack and with a bit of luck the crowd will favor Johny Rock, since he has traveled once already and showed winning ways. Watch the odds and beware of Lets Rock Together for any upsets that may surface. “Together” is showing signs of being a true player this season and may be disregarded by the crowd.

More rocking, so to speak, shows up in division two and we like Rocnrolwilneverdie to topple the Tony Alagna couple, especially Emeritus Maximus, that is two for two so far.

Next, to Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) at Pocono on May 19 for soph-colt pacers. No doubt the focus here is the return of Captaintreacherous. He debuts at three in the third PASS of the program and comes from a 1:51 qualifier. His competition seems moot here, in one of four $62,587 state-bred contests. How can we bet him and how can we bet against him? It is up to Captaintreacherous to prove he won’t be dominating this division and we have to watch a few to see if he has what it takes to be the monstrous colt he was at two.

In the first division we like Martini Hanover, who got his first race at three under his belt and should be raring to go in this, though you will have to judge the value in odds.

In the second division we like Teresa’s Beach, who should have gotten the kinks out of his frosh campaign. We liked his first race at three and give him a good shot here, certainly a better one than we expect the public to offer.

In round four, we will suggest Bigrisk over Twilight Bonfire, that one debuting in the division. Bigrisk seems ready and should be an overlooked contender.

H2W Legend

Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track to decide how you will use the information.

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 that horse is appearing on the list for the second (and last time) because it failed to win the first time it appeared. 

H2W

Buffalo
5/17/11, Ace Boo Koo R11
5/18/13, +Redford Hall R1; +Kiasma R1; Four Hoof Drive R1; Undercover Bro R2; +Ideal Affair R10
Debs Girloffortune NR; In Good Hands NR