Harness Racing: Betting Preview for the Week of Dec. 9

December heads for mid-month and even though there may be lots for you to do as the big holidays approach, we offer more trotting and pacing action, as well as suggested contenders in selected features for any wager available. And the never-ending TwinSpires H2W (horses-to-watch list) continues as those Mohawk Miles search for longshots in any class.

MOHAWK MILES

Thursday / Dec. 9
Mohawk

Each week we highlight some probable longshots from Mohawk Park in this features section. If they do not win at first crack we add them to the H2W the following week as a bet-back while adding new possibilities to this Mohawk Miles section.

In Race 5 – Compass Rose DC: Off a fine trip grinding to the finish.
In Race 10 – Just My Shadow: Series leg winner against better.

FEATURES

Thursday / Dec. 9
Yonkers
Races 4, 7, 9

A trio of bet-backs surface from the H2W and they each need attention for any wagers including them could add value.

Race 4

Major Battle did not get the initial placement on the four-turn journey and without making a move while the overland coast was free became trapped. The Jenny Melander pacer—20 for 31 in the money—leaves from post 6 and could make this look easy, perhaps at the same 13-1 afforded last time.

Race 7

A traffic squeeze also beset Breezing Prayer last week while trotting with a 32-1 bounty. The other elder of the field was 56-1 and he finished second, a gift for his early spot in the top three. The race was won by the class of the race, the favorite, that faced tough sophomores all season. Expect a productive mile from Breezing Prayer here.

Race 9

The H2W’s highest paying horse last week—it came in second—was Nick DeVita’s Edge Of Eternity. Leaving from post 5 he still has a chance to settle in a good spot early and again offer a handful of cash in any of the paying spots. A dozen of the 34 miles he trod this season are place finishes, matching the number of wins carried by the most likely favored pacer.

FEATURES

Friday / Dec. 10
Meadows
Race 5

A big brush after a duel to take the lead was no bargain trip for Sweet Beach last week but put in the right quarter and he’ll take that move to the finish line. From post 8 in this contest he will go off higher than 5-2 and that’s the value here.
On the inside, Cal means business, so consider him for exotics.

POWER PLAYS

Friday / Dec. 10
Cal Expo
Race 5

Here’s a chance to bury the numbers with three horses to use in all exotics. Kathleen Plested’s Changing Colors will be significant in this race. It’s early in the Cal Expo season and Ms. Plested has already come out swinging with her stock.
Last season, Cal’s Hope proved he liked this track and much of the competition is the same. He failed from post 8 last week at this same level in a race he needed and will improve to hit the board this week.
Finally, Joltin Joe was on a good grind for productive trainer Gordon Graham and cannot be dismissed as one of the first three finishing.

FEATURES

Saturday / Dec. 11
Meadowlands
Race 2, 5

Race 2

Sending some fiery stock out with success is Edwin Quevedo. In this mile he offers Gypsy Leather. Coming from Freehold where he lost at 36-1, you should not be surprised when you see him run markedly better on the two-turn arena in this minor local series. A good price is guaranteed.
We’ve been watching Galactic Galleon N and this guy played well in an amateur-driver affair on Dec. 3 — a perfect exotic partner for Gypsy Leather.

Race 5

Keeping our eyes on the Quevedo group, we find a pair of his students in this mile. Beaten favorite Deedenuto A led most the way last week but was short as the field closed in on him late. Quevedo’s other entry, Inforce, rolled along with his stablemate and also wound up short. This week they could take both of the top spots at the finish line and at better prices if the track is leaning towards speed—or if they do not cancel one another out. The crowd may shy away from them for the higher tagged claimers involved, which is good for us.

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 ). 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 fail to win. An “ae” signals also-eligible. Types of wagers to make are based on your judgment.

H2W LIST

Cal Expo
12/10/21, Senseless Beauty R2
12/12/21, Dream Chasin R3; Cabbie's Delight R7

Dover
12/9/21, +Ever Again R5; +Baba O’Riley R9
12/13/21, +Osborne Seelster R13

Dayton
12/9/21, Army Of One R10; Rojan's Way R10
12/10/21, +Marloe Hanover R12

Freehold
12/10/21, Miss Popeye R5

Meadowlands
12/9/21, Illusional R7
12/11/21, Cool Blues Man R3

Meadows
12/10/21, Louie R3; Carolina Beach R8; Latest Desire R11

Monticello
12/9/21, Preacher Ollie R3; Grand Master R6; Two Times A Yankee R8

Northfield Park
12/11/21, +Grandrosa R8; +Glenferrie Bronte N R9; +Big Bad Mosa R9; +Beach Journey R10; +Escape The House R11
12/12/21, +Alan R3

Northville
12/10/21, Libby's Idea R6; Delaney R R8; Bound To Score R10
12/11/21, +Southwind Scorpion R10

Philly
12/9/21, Goo Doo Doll R10
12/10/21, +Slick Mick R1

Yonkers
12/9/21, Circle Of Life As R10
12/10/21, Casino Bags Anso R1; Hunting As R4; +Windsong Pioneer R10