‘Futurity’ Exacta Worth $202; Striking Wins Predicted For Pinkman, JK Endofanera, Artspeak

Another stakes-strewn week has ended, with action at The Red Mile, Woodbine, Hoosier and Yonkers, all of which we impacted with live horses across the board in features and in our horses-to-watch list (H2W).

Let’s start at The Red Mile and the big Kentucky Futurity program and with the main event. Pinkman’s prices ($6.20, $4.00. $2.40) were a gift. We supported him and suggested two partners in exactas. The best one came through in Crescent Fashion ($23.00, $7.40), making for a ticket worth $202.80.

We were spot on in the Allerage Open Pace with JK Endofanera ($10.80, $6.80, $5.20), as Always B. Miki did not draw into the affair. As well, we gave you Artspeak ($8.20, $4.40, $3.60), whose prices were also a surprise to the high side. In other events that day, we had seconds with Wicked Little Minx ($5.60, $4.40) and Mission Brief ($2.10, $2.10 ok) and a third with Bright Baby Blues ($3.00).

Friday at The Red Mile among the freshmen we scored with Rock Me Baby ($8.40, $2.80, $2.40), struck a big second with Sam Mcsmith ($13.60, $5.40) and a trio of thirds with Mindtrip ($5.00), Shezarealdeal ($3.40) and Talk Show ($2.20).

TwinSpires.com in league with the Hambletonian Society features our Breeders Crown Countdown blog for two more weeks before the elims. This past week we only had a single winner among the herd of chalky filly freshmen trotters covered—Haughty ($2.20, $2.10, $2.10) and a third with Silvia ($3.00).

Speaking of chalk, Ontario and Hoosier were lousy with them on Oct. 10 in the super-stakes nights., At Woodbine we wound up backing some as we offered two choices for each of the finals. Winners included LA Delight ($2.40, $2.10, $2.10 ok); Betting Line ($3.20, $2.60, $2.30); and Tony Soprano ($2.70, $2.20, $2.10). There was one second, Rubber Duck ($3.90, $3.90 ok—Exacta $13.70). There was one third with Voracity ($5.40).

At Hoosier, our winners were Bridge To Jesses ($4.40, $3.00, $2.20); Hannelore Hanover ($2.60, $2.10, $2.10, Exacta $4.00); Homicide Hunter ($2.10, $2.10, $2.10 ok); and Matrix Of Luck ($5.20, $2.40, $2.60 ok). We gave out two seconds with Churita ($2.40, $2.10—Exacta $4.00) and Wiggle It Jiggleit ($2.10, $2.10 ok). One of two thirds paid best of all: White Metro ($ 11.00), while the other third was Can’t Touch This ($2.80).

The $1-million International Trot at Yonkers found us a tad short with Timoko ($7.60, $3.10), who raced in the second tier most of the 1 ¼ miles and surged late but was passed by 9-1 Papagayo E, who got a great inside ground-saving trip to close quickly soon enough to win.

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 the 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 41 active horses (a 10-percent win hit rate and a 54-percent in-the-money hit rate). One note: the list included three horses at Batavia that at the time we thought would be betting races; they turned out to be non-betting races.

Please note that some H2W results reflect win, place and/or show results occurring after press time and that it is up to you to follow those horses that have not performed before this weekly review is posted.

Winners

Tequila Haze, $11.20, $7.20, $3.10, Batavia
Krispy Apple, $5.40, $2.80, $3.00, Philadelphia
Lord Terror, $5.40, $2.40, $2.10, Plainridge
Laramars Sou, $2.10, $2.10, $2.10 ok, Plainridge

Seconds

Kootenay Mystic, $11.60, $10.90, Fraser
Midnight Dude, $7.00, $5.40 (Exacta, $43.80), Northfield
Winbak Glory, $5.90, $6.20 ok, Batavia
John Paul, $5.40, $5.20 (Exacta $47.40), Meadows
Twincreeks Jack, $5.20, $2.60, Freehold
Bo Tox Hanover, $4.60, $2.10, Rosecroft
Southern Lady, $4.60, $5.80 ok (Exacta $15.40), Rosecroft
Pan Grad, $4.00, $2.40, Plainridge
Lyonssweetie, $3.40, $4.20 ok, Rosecroft
Dog Gone Lucky, $3.20, $2.40
Missive, $3.20, $3.00, Meadows
Victorious Valle, $3.20, $2.80 (Exacta $11.80), Northville
Wrapped To Go, $2.80, $2.30, Fraser

Thirds

Perfect Circle, $4.00, Charlottestown
Zepplin Blue Chip, $3.60, Harrington
Wrangler Potogold, $3.30, Century
Astor Shark, $3.00, Charlottestown
Eveil Dun Champion, $2.20, Philadelphia

News & Notes

Wiggle It Jiggleit’s connections have indicated their champion sophomore colt will not be going to the Breeders Crown at Woodbine in Canada. Owner George Teague said he wasn’t “one hundred percent sure” but may stay in Indiana for three upcoming stakes that are “somewhat the equivilant of what [‘Wiggle’] could race for purse-wise.” Teague calculated that the supplemental cost of going into the “Crown” would not be economically productive compared to racing at Hoosier.

Wakizashi Hanover, one of the three horses to defeat Wiggle this season, tuned-up for the Breeders Crown by taking on some lesser stock in a Keystone Classic at The Meadows last week. Trainer Joann Looney-King said the owners of “Wak” deliberately picked the Keystone Classic for his final Crown prep instead of using a qualifying race, noting that the win paid $34,000, which “is better than nothing,” earned in a qualifier. “He’s been putting in steps lately [uneven gait movements] but [in the Keystone Classic] he looked on his game. So we’re ready.”

The second horse to defeat Wiggle this season was Delta Winner. That colt took advantage of the fiery duel at the Meadowlands between Wiggle and In The Arsenal in the Cane Pace to find a clear path from the center of the field to win over Artspeak, who was second when he shook free of the backfield motion. Delta Winner is eligible for the Crown but has not raced since that victory. There are no reports available about his condition or future as a sophomore. The third horse to beat Wiggle, Freaky Feet Pete, has been confirmed as a Crown competitor.

Hap Hansen, the late Dover Downs executive, has been honored by the track in the best possible way. Officials have made the track’s signature race, the Progress Pace, into the Hap Hansen Pace. Hansen’s connection to Delaware harness dates back to the iconic yet ill-fated Brandywine Raceway that once thrived just across the Pennsylvania border. This year’s event would have been the 20th renewal of the Progress Pace, which offers the largest purse race in Delaware harness racing. The newly named Hap Hansen Pace is the highlight of the first full month of the track’s 47^th season. The Hap Hansen Pace features the sport’s leading three-year-olds that will meet in the $300,000 (est.) final on Monday, Nov. 30.

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in many standardbred topics at my Hoof Beats blog titled Vast Performances.

Ray Cotolo contributed to this blog

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