Freshmen Scores Over Features With Double Digits; Chalk Gets Meadowlands Pace And ‘Marauder’ Magnificent in ‘Maturity’

Our Freshman Frolic section was once again productive with three double-digit winners snatched from nine special two-year-old events around the ovals (see recap below for all frosh results).

Chalk was clouding the rest of the July 15 features with only a few exceptions. In the Meadowlands Pace, the prohibitive choice, Huntsville, won. The scenario we wanted, where Miso Fast (11-1) brushed dueling colts, did not surface. Miso Fast finished sixth. The other contender we wanted in the mix, Classic Pro ($6.00) completed the triple with the two favorites ahead of him.

We were as correct as everyone in the Hambletonian Maturity, with Marion Marauder ($2.60, $2.20, $2.10), though our hopeful exotic partner, Celebrity Eventsy (73-1) finished eighth.

The Mistletoe Shalee presented chalk, while we finished fourth with Brazuca (10-1).

In the two Miss Versatility miles we wound up with thirds, having Oho Diamond (though there was no show betting, so the 96-1 shot did not pay) and we lost with the chalk, Broadway Donna ($2.10) in the second mile.

The William Haughton produced a 16-1 winner but we were fifth with All Bets Off (3-1).

Our Golden Girls contenders finished second and third (the public’s second choice won).  We had Lady Shadow ($3.20, $2.60) and Call Me Queen Be ($7.40), respectively.

At Yonkers our Lawrence Sheppard Final contender wound up the favorite but lost to the second choice. Springsteen ($2.10, $2.10 ok) got second and our exotic partner, Hora Star (48-1) took seventh.

FRESHMAN FROLIC

Nine two-year-olds were the focus of this section, though other froshes were targeted on the H2W and, of course, in the Sheppard featured elims.

Our winners, in price order, were Jersey Jim ($14.00, $5.30, $2.60) at Saratoga; All On Black ($12.00, $3.60, $2.10) at Philly; and Funknpancakes ($10.60, $4.60, $3.60) at the Meadowlands.

Other placings included Rock The Baby (36-1), fourth at Hoosier. At Scioto we finished fifth and sixth with Americanleague (11-1) and Priest Man (102-1), respectively. We were fifth at Hawthorne with Allbeastnobeauty (20-1) and sixth with Dazzlin Hall at Saratoga, while we were eighth with Blush (107-1) at the Meadowlands. 
 
All freshman losing in their first mentions in the Frolic section appear one more time in an upcoming H2W list.

HAMBLETONIAN TRAIL

This week’s Hambletonian Trail featured a pair of divisions each for the colts’ Stanley Dancer Memorial and for the fillies’ Del Miller Memorial.

In the first for the fillies the public choice won with our contender, Magic Presto ($3.20, $2.20) second for a measly exacta worth $4.80. A 7-1 shot in the second “Miller” division beat our choice, Evelyn (26-1), who faded to sixth after a mild challenge.

The favorites took both “Dancer” divisions. We were involved in the first one, finished second to top-choice Walner with Devious Man ($2.60, $2.10) and third with Bills Man ($2.60). The exacta came in $4.40 and the triple at $9.40. In the second split we were fourth with Shake It Off Lindy (23-1).


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 26 active horses (a 23-percent win hit rate and a 42-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

Luigi, $11.60, $7.00, $2.60, Scarborough
Fritzie Rocket, $8.80, $4.40, $2.40, Scarborough
Dudes The Man, $4.00, $2.80, $2.20
Tookadiveoffdipper, $3.40, $2.80, $2.40, Hawthorne
Highalator, $3.20, $2.20, $2.10, Pocono
Star Of Oz, $2.50, $2.30, $2.10, Monticello

Seconds

JB’s Enigma, $5.60, $3.40 (Exacta $10.00), Hawthorne
Whitesville Liz, $3.60, $3.80 ok (Exacta $5.20), Ocean
Freaky Feet Pete, $2.10, n/s, Hoosier

Thirds

Honeemoon Suite, $5.20, Meadows
Mr Varsity, $3.00, Meadowlands


News & Notes

A totally random but fascinating (as well as useless) statistic emerged from the past few weeks in our features and H2W results. The greater percentage of horses suggested in features or to watch whose results were off the board, finished fourth. Though it’s a rare set of numbers it is not mathematically phenomenal. As well, it has contributed to the bettor in only one way—by supplying the ever-do-difficult partner in a Superfecta wager. The trend, though, as with most periodical sets of circumstances, cannot be counted upon to continue. It does, however, pursue our standard of releasing competitive contenders.

The presence of Rod Allen has been scarce in stakes events for a while but the son of trotting-horsemen-great Carl Allen needs not be introduced to classy racing. The late Carl has his son by his side for many seasons as an apprentice and Rod carried on the Allen tradition of teaching homebreds to become champions. The family Allen bred and raced one of the all-time great trotting fillies, CR Kay Suzie (by Royal Troubador, another Allen stakes-winner). “Suzie” broke in her elim heat of the 1995 Hambletonian and who, at four, defeated males in the Breeders Crown Open Trot. Rod was the family driver for most of the ‘90s and began training solo after the death of his dad. He’s back this year with Dream Baby Dream, a Muscle Hill filly on the Hambletonian Trail.

As we get closer to the first weekend in August, you can keep up with the eligible want-to-be champions in the glamour-boy-and-girl trotting divisions in the TwinSpires exclusive Hambletonian Trail blog and also check out our top-10 for the main event by clicking here. Live and on-site coverage exclusively for TwinSpires harness fans and bettors takes place again this season, Aug. 5, from the press box at the Meadowlands.

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 ~