Harness Preview: Picks and Horses to Watch May 12-16

Selected features and the never-ending TwinSpires’ horses-to-watch list (H2W) share keys to success in exotics, win, place and show payoffs.

Thursday, May 12

MOHAWK MILES

Each Thursday we highlight some probable long shots from Mohawk Park. If they do not win at first crack we add them to the H2W the following week as bet-backs or in selected features, adding new possibilities to this section.
R5 – #1 Do You See It: Just short after fiery first quarter; rail helps.
R10 – #3 Jabberwocky: Broke on a win-charging move.

POWER PLAYS

Hoosier, Races 3, 4, 5, 6,

An inexpensive Pick-4 ticket is worth an investment here, along with single-race bets on the ticket’s members where you see fit.

Race 3
#3 Crystal Beach is busy cashing checks for Erv Miller in only four starts. #7 Shock Wave knows this course well and earns well.

Race 4
#8 Lucky Lil Lady is a beaten favorite bet-back single for a price.

Race 5
#7 Putnams Attack is fast and active at the wire.

Race 6
#3 Skyway Brittney had a tough trip, drops in class with speed intact; #7 Debt Motivated steps up off of sharp win.

P-4 TICKET: 3, 7/ 8/ 7/ 3, 7

Saturday, May 14

GO GO GRADUATES!

Meadowlands, Races 8, 9, 11

Three divisions of four-year-old pacers and trotters are featured as the series continues for purses of $40k and $25k.

Race 8
Seven mare trotters go, led by 2021 champ #1 Bella Bellini and the undefeated #7 Herculisa. It’s a good field in which to focus on Linda Toscano’s #3 Cindy Michelle. She shocked bettors winning a conditioner at 26-1 from far off the pace in her last and may be able to take advantage of the inherent speed of the favorites.

Race 9
The first of the two pacing mare splits goes with nine. At three, #2 Think Of Galaxies was still maturing. She whipped up two sharp seconds and may show her stuff at four starting here.

Race 11
Nine pacing mares in this division are led by 2021 Horse of the Year #2 Test Of Faith. Her debut was a rough trip from post 9 where she finished fourth, making up a ton of ground too late to hit the board. She should win this from post 2 against a lighter group, though once again the public choice. Her worst nightmare (no pun intended) is #6 Chase Lounge, who looks up to the challenge to upset.

Sunday, May 15

ALL STARS

Pocono, Races 8, 10, 12

Three $30k divisions of the PA All Stars are featured as state-bred action brews.

Race 8
Soph-colt pacers in progress at the start of their campaign can baffle bettors. We look for promise over performance at this stage and so we continue to back #6 Layton Hanover in his third start. He is winless and yet the top earner in this young group, which we hope translates into an overlay.

Race 10
A crisp mile is expected of outside-hole starter #7 Night Hawk. Brian Brown’s Betting Line colt is a beaten favorite in a stake at the Meadows and in his third start he may surprise the batch of “Miki”-breds at the wire.

Race 12
There is rarely a reason to back away from a Brett Pelling-trained soph, so #1 Energetic Hanover is the one here. Two wins in five starts and only once missing the board, the Captaintreacherous colt faces five pacers by Sweet Lou and still stands out.

Horses to Watch

H2W Legend

Review our choices and confirm the wagers available at the prescribed track. H2W offers possible contenders researched from reviewing races. Horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track with the date of their race and the race number (R6 ) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name, it appears on the list for the second time (horses are listed twice only if, at first, they failed to win. An “ae” signals also-eligible. Types of wagers to make are based on your judgment.

H2W LIST

Buffalo
5/14/22, Harry Hoo N R2; Peggy J R5

Freehold
5/13/22, +English Rose N R1; Dandy Idea R6

Hoosier
5/13/22, +Star Commander N R12

Meadowlands
5/13/22, +Gaelihill R5; Hurrikane Chuck R8
5/14/22, +South Beach Star R12

Meadows
5/12/22, Dude Perfect R3; Southwind Aussi R10
5/13/22, Icanflylikeanangel R4; No Quarter R8; I'll Take The Bet R10

Mohawk
5/12/22, +Moonlit Affair R2; +Laugh Now R3

Monticello
5/12/22, Overbearing R2; Mikey Boy R5

Northfield
5/14/22, Adorabella R2; Rockinattheryman R6; +McSizzla R7; Your Mom N Em R10; Sulky Queen R11

Northville
5/13/22, Lovem And Liam R1; Wegothatsright R2; +Itsiris’sbirthday R5; Travlin Swan R8; Calm As Can Bee R10
5/14/22, American Schnapps R12

Oak Grove
5/15/22, +Cloudbreak R6

Philly
5/13/22, +Trip Hammer R8; +Doctor BB R9; +Tarkio R14

Plainridge
5/12/22, Stage West R3

Pocono
5/14/22, +Indigo Art R3
5/15/22, +Keystone Fightnight R13; +Traffic Jam R14; Vel Donna R14

Saratoga
5/14/22, Timetoroll Hanover R4; Diamond Cowboy R5; +Gokudo Hanover R5; Initial Concept R13

Scioto
5/12/22, Livinthebeachlife R4; Justathriller R6; Googoo On Stage R8; Lydeo R10

Vernon
5/14/22, Unusual Clarity R1; +Bet On Yourself R4; +Valentine Express R8

Yonkers
5/13/22, +The Real One R2; Memo R7; Safety Second R9