Kindergarten Kids Cruise At Meadowlands; Hoosier Park Persists With Soph-Stakes Scenarios

Deep-season stakes take the chill out of the autumn air as standardbreds take their last few stabs at cash in 2017. As all racehorses quickly approach their birthday, two- and three-year-olds battle at Hoosier and at the Meadowlands. You read correctly, Hoosier, just a week past the Breeders Crown extravaganza, offers its own brand of six-digit events for sophomores on both gaits on Nov. 4.

That same evening the “Big M” opens another season with Kindergarten finals. The Breeders Crown may be history for Y2K-plus-17 but there is still high-class action before we begin choosing our feature plays.

The weekly H2W (the horses-to-watch) list ensues on its never-ending season, so do your own handicapping and then consider our H2W selections when playing your bets. Of course, remember to be fully armed with a plentiful TwinSpires betting account. Check it out along with all of the North America harness action covered below.

PARTNERS FOR PICKS

Here’s a feature we may be posting for the early 2018 season, which we introduce for your consideration this Friday, Nov. 3. We suggest some outside contenders, as we foresee them, to use in a mulit-race exotic. In this case, we present possibilities for a Plainridge Racecourse Pick 5 ticket. 

Leg 1, Race 3: Thrill Chaser is listed below, racing for the second time on our H2W list. Astrogal had trouble two back and was strong against a probable public choice here.

Leg 2, Race 4: Beachfront could get a great trip considering the speed outside that could burn to a crisp before the wire. He has been supported well enough but here he will be a larger price than his last two, which were very good.

Leg 3, Race 5: Since being scratched sick, Wishful Desire has been mediocre, at best, but did well enough last time to stay at this local level and deserves an outside call from the inside post.

Leg 4, Race 6: Champaign Punch held well though taking the overland journey last week and has been steadily contesting her opponents at this level.

Leg 5, Race 7: Forced Passage should be a top contender, though the betting public may not support that. So it could be that a good price will come of that, especially since he is usually bet way less than he is worth.


KINDERGARTEN CAPERS

The Kindergarten Classics (KC) for two-year-olds are the features at The Meadowlands as another meet begins on Nov. 4. Some of these horses come fresh from their divisions in the Breeders Crown but have earned a spot in the series through earnings from the series.

The first KC final is the $198,000 frosh-filly trot. Basquait and Hey Blondie (the two top money-earners) return after “Crown” races and the former is bound to be a top choice, though she did not perform well at Hoosier. Basquait is one of four from Jimmy Takter’s crowded stable, a daughter of the productive sire Cantab Hall, and is not his best to offer here. Dab Hanover will be entering her sophomore season with promise and could be capable of beating the aforementioned.

Our outside contender is a Muscle Hill filly, Maria Deo. She has worked hard in nine races for Nifty Norman, who has been delivering with fillies all season. Maria Deo should be a good price and would be a knockout partner with Dab Hanover in any exotic combination.

The $214,900 colt trot follows with 10 striking youngsters. In the also-eligible duo, a Crown scratch, Fashionwoodchopper, should be taken seriously if he draws in. However, he will get much attention as a partipant. Better in the price department would be Crown-player Dawson Springs. Tony Alagna’s colt has been in our sites before he took on the championship series (where he did not produce) and should do better in this group. As well, Lindy’s Big Bang is a Norman colt from Explosive Matter that should be in the mix.

Frosh-filly pacers battle for $140,550 in their KC final. Here we will not wander from our Crown horse, Reign On Me. She may not be the favorite over Kissin In The Sand, another Crown gal, but that means a decent price, even as a second choice and with a strong possibility that one of Ross Croghan’s duo, I’m Trigger Happy, will suck in some dollars.

The $150,000 frosh-colt pace field could produce some hot sophomores in 2018, including Chris Ryder’s I’m A Big Deal. Against lesser, the Somebeachsomewhere colt would be a huge favorite but here he may go off sharing the spot with two or three others, like Points North, for Norman, and Grand Teton, who has earned the most in this lot.

HOOSIER HEROES

On Saturday, Nov. 4, some remnants of the Breeders Crown and some sturdy Indiana-breds perform in a quartet of stakes at Hoosier Park.

First on the program is the Crossroads of America ($140,000) for soph-filly trotters. It reunites a handful of Crown entries, including Overdraft Volo, who we scored with in an elim for the division. Satin Dancer, who along with Rose Run Sydney, own the most wins in the 10-horse field and the hearts of Hoosiers, will face her. Overdraft Volo did not excel in the “Crown” final, but then again, which filly showed best against the division’s queen, Ariana G? Overdraft Volo left quickly and was forced into an early duel with Ariana G and a hopless Checkmate Time. She was finished after the splurge by three-quarters. Oddly enough, Ice Attraction, who managed to close strongly in the Ariana G Crown win, gets the 10 hole again and may be trying the same move. However, Overdraft Volo may be too much to catch by that time whether in front or driving from a ground-saving trip against the locals.

The $125,000 U.S. Indianapolis Memorial brings together another mix from last week, this time they are soph-filly pacers. Agent Q is out for revenge here, missing her glory due to a rebound by Blazin Britches as well as sharp pacing from Caviart Ally and Idyllic Beach in the Crown final. With “Blazin” and “Ally” gone here, we want to back our contender in that race, Idyllic Beach. She was bet down to 5-1 last week but here she will most likely surrender such odds to Tequila Monday and local Al-mar-got A Fever. Even 5-1 would be acceptable, however. 

It’s a surprise to see What The Hill back after a Crown win to take on a few familiar foes and then some in the $235,000 Carl Erskine. However, the main objective for us is to get at least 6-5 on him, as he so generously gifted his backers last week. Most of these were beaten by him in the final and there seems no reason to think that being the obvious best of his division won’t again be displayed here. So, get the fair price or watch an upset that this department cannot forecast.

The nightcap stakes is the $245,000 Monument Circle for glamour-boy pacers. The Crown-upset-homebreds Beckhams Z Tam and Rock N Tony will get more action than they deserve on pure loyalty but Downbytheseaside will still be the favorite. Benefiting from the recent illness sidelining Fear The Dragon and the early retirement of Huntsville, Downbytheseaside has taken a leading spot in the division and will be the favorite in this venture. Those being addressed, this could be another perfect situation to win at long odds for Filibuster Hanover. Ron Burke’s colt has not lived up to his Kentucky performances but you cannot fault him for his last few races considering the shuffling of talent in his division. From post 10 he should be off at odds that are far too large for his chances.


H2W Legend

Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track. These are possible contenders we have judged from reviewing races. The horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track after the date they will be racing. The race in which they are entered (R and race number) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name it means it is appearing on the list for the second (and last) time because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” signals the horse is entered on the also-eligible list. If a horse is listed twice, refer to the entries on the night of the race since a horse may enter in more than one race. Types of wagering on any of the H2W listed horses are based on your judgment. If you have any questions, email us at TwinSpires.

H2W LIST

Bangor
11/3/17, +Miss Annalise R4; No Worries Mon R5

Batavia
11/3/17, Alabama Flash R4; +Noble Legend R7; Christina Victory R11; Halton Hanover R12

Cal-Expo
11/3/17, +Hes Done It All R4
11/4/17, Skyway Jade R4; Jazzmanian Devil R5; +Kukalaka R6; +Make It Big R7

Dayton
11/3/17, Ibenez R6

Dover
11/6/17, +Bogetta R5; +Cam B Zipper R7

Freehold
11/2/17, Blue Monster R6

Hoosier
11/2/17, +Rockin In The Hills R7
11/3/17, +Manhattan Beach R7
11/4/17, +Swan Defined ae R7

Meadowlands
11/4/17, Iron Dome R2; Express Stride N R4; Clifton Beach R11

Monticello
11/2/17, VRs Honeysuckle R3; Chester Hanover R10

Northfield
11/4/17, Idle Bones N R1; +Bourbons Best R13
11/5/17, +Diva Dejarmbro ae R8

Northville
11/3/17, +Sweet Fancy Moses R6
11/4/17, Ms Jailbait D R3

Philadelphia
11/2/17, Aims Whisper
11/5/17, +Western Bayama R1; King Of The Hill R3

Plainridge
11/3/17, +Thrill Chaser R3

Pocono
11/4/17, Mysharona Bluechip R13

Rideau-Carleton
11/2/17, Heather Loves NY R3

Rosecroft
11/4/17, +Broadway Lady R2; Nuclear Ease R7; Gossip R9

Saratoga
11/2/17, +Traverse Seelster R4
11/3/17, Woodbine Lukypercy R4

Yonkers
11/2/17, Burning N R8
11/4/17, +Boogie Nights R2; Luciano N R4; Mossdale Conner N R6; +Blood Brother R8