Harness Preview for 9/1/2014
While many Americans will stay close to home on Labor Day Monday to celebrate the unofficial end of summer with family and friends, harness racing fans will find the cards at Harrington Raceway and Yonkers Raceway very appealing.
Monday's card at Harrington Raceway is hardly the precursor to next week's scheduled eliminations for the Robert Quillien Memorial for older pacers, it does offer a trio of potential plays both early and late on the 10-race program slated to get under way at 5:30.
In the opener, Exotic Mattjesty (Ross Wolfenden) will seek to continue his solid recent form spree in this non-winners of four races lifetime class. The three-year-old gelded son of Royal Mattjesty, a former all-age track record holder here, prevailed as the 1-9 choice against non-winners of three rivals here last week after taking a non-winners of two races event at Yonkers one week earlier for trainer Joe Hundertpfund.
Then one race later on the card, Danish Diligence (Wolfenden) will likely complete the chalky double when he goes postward as the lukewarm favorite in the non-winners of eight races or $80,000 lifetime condition. Seventh as the even-money choice last week when burdened with post seven, Danish Diligence should be on the move early from post four this evening and will be difficult to catch as the Wolfenden-Hundertpfund combo seeks to complete the early daily double.
Those who stick around for the finale could be rewarded with a genuine upset possibility. Although Dina's Gamble (Allan Davis) will be the odds-on choice in this event for $15,000 claimers, railbound Chester Fitch (Roger Plante, Jr.) should be in prime position throughout for a 6-1 upset. The Jay Baxter trainee has plenty of early speed and won twice at Ocean Downs this summer and he should get away well and benefit from a pocket trip behind Dina's Gamble throughout and perhaps overtake the favorite in the lane.
That same evening at Yonkers Raceway, two solid plays are well after the first race post time of 7:10. In the eighth, a non-winners of four races or $40,000 lifetime class for two- and three-year-old pacing fillies, Shesaidhesaidisaid (George Brennan) should benefit from last week's tough first over journey and score here for trainer Roland Mallar. Sherkin Hanover steps up following a narrow defeat as the 2-5 choice in the non-winners of two class.
Then several races in the 12th race finale, expect Rusty's Bliss (Jason Bartlett) to go postward as the even-money choice in this non-winners of six races affair for two-, three- and four-year-old pacing fillies following her sharp, three-length score in 1:53.4 last week. But bear in mind that was her first win in 14 starts this year and she may find it difficult to duplicate that effort, which should open the door for a genuine upset chance.
Although she has also only won once in 14 starts this year, railbound Seafoood Annie (Eric Carlson) merits serious upset possibilities. She had no chance from post seven last week when Rusty's Bliss romped in this class and she was shuffled and buried despite having the rail on August 11. Expect Seafood Annie to be in close proximity to Rusty's Bliss during the early stages and again in the lane and the four-year-old Bettor's Delight mare could notch her second win of the campaign at a generous price.
Monday's card at Harrington Raceway is hardly the precursor to next week's scheduled eliminations for the Robert Quillien Memorial for older pacers, it does offer a trio of potential plays both early and late on the 10-race program slated to get under way at 5:30.
In the opener, Exotic Mattjesty (Ross Wolfenden) will seek to continue his solid recent form spree in this non-winners of four races lifetime class. The three-year-old gelded son of Royal Mattjesty, a former all-age track record holder here, prevailed as the 1-9 choice against non-winners of three rivals here last week after taking a non-winners of two races event at Yonkers one week earlier for trainer Joe Hundertpfund.
Then one race later on the card, Danish Diligence (Wolfenden) will likely complete the chalky double when he goes postward as the lukewarm favorite in the non-winners of eight races or $80,000 lifetime condition. Seventh as the even-money choice last week when burdened with post seven, Danish Diligence should be on the move early from post four this evening and will be difficult to catch as the Wolfenden-Hundertpfund combo seeks to complete the early daily double.
Those who stick around for the finale could be rewarded with a genuine upset possibility. Although Dina's Gamble (Allan Davis) will be the odds-on choice in this event for $15,000 claimers, railbound Chester Fitch (Roger Plante, Jr.) should be in prime position throughout for a 6-1 upset. The Jay Baxter trainee has plenty of early speed and won twice at Ocean Downs this summer and he should get away well and benefit from a pocket trip behind Dina's Gamble throughout and perhaps overtake the favorite in the lane.
That same evening at Yonkers Raceway, two solid plays are well after the first race post time of 7:10. In the eighth, a non-winners of four races or $40,000 lifetime class for two- and three-year-old pacing fillies, Shesaidhesaidisaid (George Brennan) should benefit from last week's tough first over journey and score here for trainer Roland Mallar. Sherkin Hanover steps up following a narrow defeat as the 2-5 choice in the non-winners of two class.
Then several races in the 12th race finale, expect Rusty's Bliss (Jason Bartlett) to go postward as the even-money choice in this non-winners of six races affair for two-, three- and four-year-old pacing fillies following her sharp, three-length score in 1:53.4 last week. But bear in mind that was her first win in 14 starts this year and she may find it difficult to duplicate that effort, which should open the door for a genuine upset chance.
Although she has also only won once in 14 starts this year, railbound Seafoood Annie (Eric Carlson) merits serious upset possibilities. She had no chance from post seven last week when Rusty's Bliss romped in this class and she was shuffled and buried despite having the rail on August 11. Expect Seafood Annie to be in close proximity to Rusty's Bliss during the early stages and again in the lane and the four-year-old Bettor's Delight mare could notch her second win of the campaign at a generous price.
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