Harness Racing Features Hot In Wintry East And West Coasts

As the season ends with the last three weeks left, our selected features continue to persue wagering opportunities for win, place, show and single- and multi-race exotics. And, we deliver another edition of our never-ending TwinSpires’ horses-to-watch (H2W) list.
Check all programs for possible cancellations due to winter-storm Gail.

FEATURES~FEATURES~FEATURES

Dayton / Races 6, 7, 10
Thursday, Dec. 17

Rolling Doubles have the bettor coming and going, so to speak, so here are two races with suggested contenders that could work for hitting a few Rolling Doubles. In the sixth race, Chris McGuire’s Dragonfly returns after a sharp second at nearly 7-1, the third choice to a big favorite. From post 9 in this race, his value blossoms. The post is a plus for price against lesser evils. 

In Race 7,Blacklist z Tam comes from being beaten a neck in a front-pacing effort underestimated by bettors at 7-2. From post 5 he will be noticed by the crowd but not heavily enough to pass.

I M McCited was disappointing as a 4-1 third public choice, especially finishing a half length behind an 84-1 shot,but those things happen. If we toss the race out, trusting the betting status over any specific reason, known or not, I M McCited returns drawing the inside and should revert to winning form in a feckless field.

FEATURES~FEATURES~FEATURES

Yonkers / Race 7
Friday, Dec. 18

Last week a beaten favorite in the Open/Handicap, Stormy Kromer returns for a fair shot at being the best in the Open/Handicap. Clearly, Paul Stafford’s trotter had no chance to win when breaking badly right off the gate from post 7. At the end, the trotter regained stride but still finished last, though the entire field was within 2 lengths of the finish line (“Stormy” gained over 9 lengths once back on stride.

Stormy has hit the board 14 of 21 times, nine efforts for win. The competition, including Mississippi Storm, Mission Accepted and recent 20-1 winning Lean Hanover,  may allow Stormy to go off higher than his 2-1 favorite price. Meladys Monet has the 8 hole to negotiate but is classy stuff and would expand the exacta price finishing behind Stormy.

FEATURES~FEATURES~FEATURES

Cal Expo / Race 2
Friday / Dec. 18

This is a small field and contentious but we have some angles that may add a slight edge for a fair price. We have been watching the students of trainer Ariel Alvarez and here she fits our profile with Lakota Law.

Her two main rivals will obviously include Casey N Grinegan (who we hit for top prices in the previous meet due to our concentration on trainer Jacob Cutting) and last week’s upset mile from Brooklyn Moonshine. Lakota Law, 14 ¾ lengths behind at the first quarter, was quickly in contention by 5 ¾ lengths in the stretch and not done closing. Though she finished fifth, she made up more ground to finish only 2 ½ lengths behind the top three in a tight photo. From post 2 instead of post 8, she could handle the aforementioned foes. 

FEATURES~FEATURES~FEATURES

Cal Expo / Race 2
Saturday / Dec. 19

Speaking of Ariel Alvarez, last week at a stunning 45-1 in a field of seven, Cal’s Hope readily defeated the public’s first and second choice, finishing second to elevate the exacta price to $97 and change with the public’s third choice on top. Ariel entries are worth supporting and watching in the early weeks of the Sacramento meet.

The winner in that race last week, Rockinscience, gets the outside post in this and could very well complete the exacta in the opposite position this week. And if you are looking for a triple, if Bobs Time picks off Cut A Rug for third, the threesome will pay decent dough. (Crisscross the two place and show horses but for a whisker that might separate them.)

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

Cal Expo
12/19/20, Cruisin For You R6; Lincoln R7; +Timetoplaythegame R8; +Friskies Angel R9; +Tropical Fruit R10

Dayton
12/17/20, +Yeahnah R1; Bombeck R9
12/18/20, Blissful Pansy R5
12/19/20, +Americas Fleet R7; +Statham N R7

Freehold
12/18/20, +Keystone Orion R5; +Diabolical Spin R8
12/19/20,

Meadowlands
12/18/20, +Euro Gap R5
12/19/20, +Frankie Rocks A R3; In The Huddle R6; +Blood Line R11

Meadows
12/21/20, +Cheyenne Jeffrey R1; +Achilles Blue Chip R5; +Kolt Power R5; +Given Up Terror R6; +New Evidence R10; +Hobgoblin R10; +Modern Rock R12; +Later Dudes R12

Monticello
12/17/20, Cajon Thomas R1; App Hanover R9; Chance To See R11

Northfield
12/19/20, +Deprived R4
12/20/20, +Enforce The Law R1

Philly
12/18/20, Te Ka Wu N R10

Yonkers
12/17/20, Lucky June Bug R1
12/18/20, Song Cycle Senese ae R10
12/19/20, Fizzing N R8