Harness Weekly Update: $31 win tops week

The TwinSpires Harness Blog Weekly Update covers our successes and failures from selected features and the horses-to-watch list (H2W).

Sunday, May 30

Pocono’s triad-stakes program for older pacers and trotters was on target with the public as two favorites and a mild upset came through. In the Betsy Ross for mare pacers, a 7-2 shot won, while we finished third with Machnhope ($4.20) and fifth with lazy JK First Lady (3-1). The favorite won the Commodore Barry, and again we were third with Western Joe ($4.20) and disappointing fifth Leonidas A (6-1).

The Maxie Lee trot for the elders was also won by a crowd’s choice while we got strong place/show prices on Lindy The Great ($8.60, $5.60) and completed an exacta worth $37.40. Guardian Angel AS (14-1) finished seventh.

Thursday, June 3

The Running Aces state-bred duo was a split for us. Readers were with us in one division for soph pacers, winning with Alilthundadownunda ($4.40, $2.40, $2.40 OK), while the second division’s public choice won over Jinnis On Fire (14-1), who finished fourth.

Friday, June 4

The New York Sires Stakes for soph trotters at Vernon Downs saw much galloping, mixing up much of the results. We did not win one of the four splits. We finished second with Incommunicado ($2.80, $2.10) for a measly $6.30 exacta. Platinum AS (37-1) broke and finished sixth. A break ruined Trip Sevens (13-1) in the other filly division, though we were second with Darlene Hanover ($2.70, $2.60)

The colts were no kinder to us. We were third with Latin Lover ($3.10) with Steel (7-2) getting fifth, and then fourth and sixth, respectively, with the 7-1 entry Jula Shines On and Splash Blue Chip.

Saturday, June 5

The Graduates were predictable but we estimated differently. With the trots we had a second with Ready For Moni ($2.40, $2.20) and a seventh with a galloping Hillexotic (15-1). Also, Get Legs (11-1) lost, finishing fourth, and is losing our confidence.

Pacing Graduates left us cold as a 3-1 beat our 3-1 Poseidon Seelster who finished a poor seventh, and our other 3-1, Tattoo Artist, came home sixth. Then, insult to injury as one we have been following, Allywag Hanover (7-1), but left alone this time, beat our pair, Cattlewash ($2.10), who was third in a dead heat, and Chief Mate (6-1) in sixth.

The Battle of Lake Erie at Northfield was a very usual Northfield race. Favorite This Is The Plan won. Our pair did not fly on the Flying Turns. Hesa Kingslayer (19-1) finished fifth, and a terrible mile was delivered by Century Farroh (28-1), who came home eighth. Yikes.

H2W LIST RESULTS

The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Exactas listed include a H2W horse finishing second to a race-favorite or if the first two finishers are H2W horses (an asterisk appears when both horses are listed—a cold exacta). The note “OK” determines that prices are correct (even when a show price exceeds a place price or all prices are the same).

Please note that some results reflect horses racing after the blog posts (they appear the following week).

This week, there were 36 active horses (a 22% win hit rate and a 56% ATB [across-the-board] hit). Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo. Follow for late choices.

Winners

Feeling Cam Lucky, $31.40, $12.00, $8.00, Pocono
Play Rock, $20.80, $12.60, $5.40, Northfield
Royal Envy, $6.50, $3.10, $2.70, Vernon
Shane Adam, $5.40, $3.40, $2.60, Pocono
Sea Shadows, $4.60, $3.40, $3.00, Northfield
Lougazi, $4.20, $3.20, $2.60, Northfield
Jenny Lake, $3.40, $3.00, $2.30, Vernon
Whichwaytothebeach, $2.60, $2.10, $2.10 ok, Philly

Seconds

Pembroke Wildcat, $4.40, $3.40, Meadows
Zanetti, $3.80, n/s, Running Aces
Shesureissomething, $3.80, $2.20 (Exacta $4.00), Running Aces
Repeal Or Replace, $3.10, $2.30, Monticello
Late Night Date A, $2.60, $2.40, Pocono

Thirds

Shenzi AS, $8.60, Scioto
Northern Dali, $5.10, Tioga
One Step Up, $3.50, Buffalo
Itsmachmeitsyou, $2.80, Scioto
Ideal Cowboy, $2.40, Pocono
Nanuet, $2.40, Vernon
No Lou Zing, $2.10, Philly

NEWS & NOTES

Opinions for the top contenders of the Meadowlands Pace (July 17) continue. Dave Little put together his week five list of the top 10 contenders. We compare our current choices for the top five next to his.

1. Southwind Gentry / Always A Miki
2. Abuckabett Hanover / Lawless Shadow
3. Perfect Sting / Southwind Gentry
4. Exploit / Perfect Sting
5. One Eight Hundred / Summa Cum Laude

For Ken Warkentin’s 2021 Hambletonian top 10 contenders we compare our top five choices.

1. Venerate / Venerate
2. In Range / Captain Corey
3. On A Streak / On A Streak
4. Really Fast / Mon Amour
5. Cuatro De Julio / Really Fast

On June 4, Woodbine Entertainment (WE) confirmed the 2021 Mohawk Million will take place on Saturday, Sept. 25, at WoMo Park. The C$1 million race for two-year-old trotters uses a “buy-in” format. Nine slots for the race were available for purchase, each priced at C$100,000. Each slot owner submitted two $50,000 payments to secure a slot by June 1.

Running Aces and the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program added a $5,000 guarantee for their Late Pick 4 pool as of June 6. The 50-cent-based wager is made up of the last four races. The handle so far this meet has pleased track officials. The new guaranteed Late Pick 4 is offered every night for the rest of the season, which runs through Sept. 18.

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in our columns, Alternative Actions and Bettors Banquet at Harness Racing Update