Friday Harness Preview for 7/18/2014
by Ted Black
With several major races pending on Saturday evening at Mohawk Racetrack, Yonkers Raceway and Northfield Park, it might seem difficult for many standardbred enthusiasts to find anything playable the night before. But the Friday night card at Yonkers offers several interesting plays.
In the fourth race, a none-winners of $18,000 last six class for trotters, look for Blacktuxwhitesocks to make immediate amends on his inability to prevail at 1-2 last week in the same class. The durable, seven-year-old Credit Winner gelding trained by Trond Smedshammer has spent much of his career in the Open handicap here but has since been gradually dropping in class. The future millionaire - he currently is just shy of $950,000 lifetime - should get the better of Affirmed Action in this spot.
Two races later in the $44,000 Open Handicap for pacing fillies and mares, look for Virgin Mary (Eric Goodell) to rebound from a modest, fourth-place effort in this class last week to post a 10-1 upset. The Tom Shay trainee has been second in the F-M Open on two occasions and been well-backed in most of her setbacks. Monkey On My Wheel (Brian Sears) won last week's edition as the odds-on choice, but gets assigned the dreaded eight hole. Robin Cruiser won this class two starts back, while the classy Krispy Apple returns after several starts against the sport's best distaffers in Canada.
One race later in a very competitive, non-winners of $32,000 last six class for trotters, look for Theraputic to continue his winning ways for trainer Ron Burke. A winner of his last two starts and eight of 15 on the year, Theraputic rallied to defeat non-winners of $25,000 last six company last week after prevailing nine days earlier at Harrah's Philadelphia against slightly lesser. Ima Que T drops out of the Open and draws the rail, while Neighsay Hanover steps up two classes off a win in the non-winners of $18,000 last six group.. Harbor Point won last weekend at Pocono Downs and returns to a track where he has faced tougher.
One race later in the $44,000 Open Handicap for trotters, give Amigo Ranger a chance at redemption despite last week's break. The five-year-old Amigo Hall gelding made an early gallop as the 5-2 second choice last week in his return from Pocono Downs where he was no match for world champion Sebastian K in a $100,000 Invitational. DW's NY Yank returns after a sixth-place finish in his Maple Leaf Trot elim, while multiple Open champ Coraggioso (Brian Sears) seeks his fourth tally at this level in his last five outings for trainer Julie Miller and owenr Tom Durkin, the famed NYRA track announcer.
Then in the twelvth and final, a non-winners of $25,800 last six class for pacing fillies and mares, look for Fashion Mystery (Eric Carlson) to regain her winning ways after two unsuccessful stints in the F-M Open. The six-year-old Real Artist mare draws the rail and should be in a prime spot throughout. Best Boss (Pat Lachance) steps up off a C-1 score at the Meadowlands last weekend in 1:49.2, while the classy millionaire, Handsoffmycookie (Daniel Dube) returns to a winnable conditioned event after two subpar tries in the F-M Open.
With several major races pending on Saturday evening at Mohawk Racetrack, Yonkers Raceway and Northfield Park, it might seem difficult for many standardbred enthusiasts to find anything playable the night before. But the Friday night card at Yonkers offers several interesting plays.
In the fourth race, a none-winners of $18,000 last six class for trotters, look for Blacktuxwhitesocks to make immediate amends on his inability to prevail at 1-2 last week in the same class. The durable, seven-year-old Credit Winner gelding trained by Trond Smedshammer has spent much of his career in the Open handicap here but has since been gradually dropping in class. The future millionaire - he currently is just shy of $950,000 lifetime - should get the better of Affirmed Action in this spot.
Two races later in the $44,000 Open Handicap for pacing fillies and mares, look for Virgin Mary (Eric Goodell) to rebound from a modest, fourth-place effort in this class last week to post a 10-1 upset. The Tom Shay trainee has been second in the F-M Open on two occasions and been well-backed in most of her setbacks. Monkey On My Wheel (Brian Sears) won last week's edition as the odds-on choice, but gets assigned the dreaded eight hole. Robin Cruiser won this class two starts back, while the classy Krispy Apple returns after several starts against the sport's best distaffers in Canada.
One race later in a very competitive, non-winners of $32,000 last six class for trotters, look for Theraputic to continue his winning ways for trainer Ron Burke. A winner of his last two starts and eight of 15 on the year, Theraputic rallied to defeat non-winners of $25,000 last six company last week after prevailing nine days earlier at Harrah's Philadelphia against slightly lesser. Ima Que T drops out of the Open and draws the rail, while Neighsay Hanover steps up two classes off a win in the non-winners of $18,000 last six group.. Harbor Point won last weekend at Pocono Downs and returns to a track where he has faced tougher.
One race later in the $44,000 Open Handicap for trotters, give Amigo Ranger a chance at redemption despite last week's break. The five-year-old Amigo Hall gelding made an early gallop as the 5-2 second choice last week in his return from Pocono Downs where he was no match for world champion Sebastian K in a $100,000 Invitational. DW's NY Yank returns after a sixth-place finish in his Maple Leaf Trot elim, while multiple Open champ Coraggioso (Brian Sears) seeks his fourth tally at this level in his last five outings for trainer Julie Miller and owenr Tom Durkin, the famed NYRA track announcer.
Then in the twelvth and final, a non-winners of $25,800 last six class for pacing fillies and mares, look for Fashion Mystery (Eric Carlson) to regain her winning ways after two unsuccessful stints in the F-M Open. The six-year-old Real Artist mare draws the rail and should be in a prime spot throughout. Best Boss (Pat Lachance) steps up off a C-1 score at the Meadowlands last weekend in 1:49.2, while the classy millionaire, Handsoffmycookie (Daniel Dube) returns to a winnable conditioned event after two subpar tries in the F-M Open.
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