Metro Pace Elims Highlighted At Mohawk; Top Aged Fields Fire At Vernon On Stakes-Filled Weekend

August winds down with more money-driven miles, stakes aplenty north and south of the border, as division leaders and spoilers aim toward the championships. At Mohawk, eliminations for another huge race card include three eliminations for the prestigious Metro Pace for two-year-old pacers and the She’s A Great Lady elims for fillies. The classic Nadia Lobell, now presented at the Meadows, is on tap. There are big pacing stakes at Tioga on Sunday, Aug. 28 but no information was available at press time. Watch @FrankCotolo on Twitter for updates..

This week’s Breeders Crown Countdown focuses on the Lady Maude (soph-filly pacing division) and Hudson Filly Trot (soph-filly trotting division), as well as a Yonkers Trot single elimination for the hotly contested glamour-boy trotting division.

No preview blog would be complete without the TwinSpires horses-to-watch list (H2W). The specially chosen contenders are offered for all pools weekly. No other handicappers are covering this much that could be worth more in profits. You won’t find our best winners on any on-line or hard-copy source. Take these horses seriously when constructing your wagers.

VERNON VELOCITY

On Friday, Aug. 26, Vernon Downs hosts the Muscle Hill and Crawford Farms stakes. Older mare trotters go in the Muscle Hill ($170,000) and here is a field of eight with some big earnings, including Hannelore Hanover, who has lost one race in 13 this season and he was second in that one. Speedy and already dominant over the other seven mares in this mile, she is near impossible to bet against. We still have some hopes in this class for Rules Of The Road, though she comes up short when she tries to command a mile. If she ever got a ground-saving trip she could surprise at a price. In any event, she may be close enough to “Hannelore” with any kind of trip and pump an exacta price, especially since Shake It Cerry will get the next best support in the win pool.

Following the mares, the older trotters hit the New York track for the $193,000 Crawford Farms Trot, with eight, some of this division’s best. Resolve will be bet strongly, having won his most recent confidently on Hambo day. Musical Rhythm gets post 9 but is always dangerous with a dozen wins on his side this season. Homicide Hunter, the Midwest monster that has come east to beat some of the best, will be firing from the inside. We have been supporting JL Cruze to no avail lately but sway from him here, where Obrigado may not be a crowd-pleaser. He is extremely dangerous, even if the others are the “now” trotters, and deserves attention in this group as an upset.

BREEZING BABES

Mohawk has two $97,000 divisions of the Casual Breeze for soph-filly trotters on Friday’s program. In round one there’s a rare Per Henriksen gal that is showing some steam and won’t get the backing as more well-known names in the trainers’ column. This filly is Jangone, who leaves from post 6 and has every reason to improve in this division.

Caprice Hill will get the most attention in division two but her 10-hole spot could cost her a step or two and the win. This could be another stage for a decent price on Side Bet Hanover. She could be in the perfect spot to shed the speed and be best at the wire.

SOPH-FILLY FEW

The $140,000 Nadia Lobell on Saturday, Aug. 27 at the Meadows is not the race it used to be. The purse his high but only five entered the fray. I Said Diamonds and Call Me Queen Be will once again be the public’s pair, with LA Delight getting the third portion of the share. Perhaps, as we did before, we can cash in with Kiss Me Onthebeach. She was a big winner for us in a small field like this a few races back and the same type of trip could pull the lever for another upset, even if it isn’t as huge as her last.

METROMANIA

Three $40,000 elims for frosh-pacing colts will decide the field for the Metro Pace, a major event for the division. The first elim has eight on board. Bettors may embrace last week’s 65-1 winner, Rock This Way, and the top earner Calvin K, but we have our eyes on Takter’s youngster, The Wall. Team Takter has had this one aimed for the big money and his improvement could be evident here, where he can make it to the final with a win.

The middle elim will attract the public to Macs Jackpot, who we endorsed in a win last week in a Nassagaweya. But also from that event, though another division is Manceiver, who gets post 3 here after finishing fourth last week at 15-1. He may be overlooked, which is good, since he is the only Sportswriter colt in this nine-horse mile, and that is an edge in this North American classic.

The last of the Metro elims sends eight to post. Local province-bred hero, Southwind General, will get a lot of play. He is, however, lightly raced and facing stiffer competition. Like Takter’s Blood Line, who will be popular for his trainer and driver. As well, Bettors Dream, though he leaves from post 8, comes off of a second here last week while heavily backed, failing due to a hot duel. A good trip may be the winning cause for Deadly Action to upset. From post 1, Colin Johnson’s colt could take advantage of some sizzling fractions that won’t be kind in the stretch and pull of the best win price of the elim trio.

LADIES SEEK GREATNESS

Two $35,000 elims for the She’s A Great Lady final on next week’s big program sends frosh-filly pacers to post. Casie Coleman’s Candlelight Dinner will be the pre-race star of division one, having won a quartet of races straight into her career. A promising gal who may not catch the eye of the crowd as a contender is That’s The Ticket. She is a Roll With Joe filly that stands a good chance to challenge Casie’s gal or be a strong part of an exotic mix.

In the second split, Idyllic Beach will be adorned with wagers, having gotten a great frosh-season start. Bid Writer, however, is the only Sportswriter filly in the field of eight and she gets a great spot leaving from post 5 and should be an overlooked contender—our kind of bet.

 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

Batavia
8/27/16, +Best Ears R3

Century
8/26/16, Dickies Motel R5; +Exclusive R8
8/27/16, +Bossy R8; Lone Rider R9; +Hale Street R9

Freehold
8/26/16, +Kitti Place R2; +Waffle Cone R3; Labatt Hanover R8; Cree R11

Harrington
8/29/16, +Sniper Hall R3

Hawthorne
8/25/16, +Kenny the Swinger R1; +Shackles N Chains R2; +Sand Shocker R8

Hoosier
8/27/16, +Bust The Lane R8

Mohawk
8/25/16, +Unicum B R9
8/26/16, +Artistic Madison R4; Classic Venture R5; Glorious Delight R6; +Dontbruisecarrie R11
8/27/16, Bid Writer R6; +Our Jerry Lee N R10

Monticello
8/25/16, More Better R8
8/29/16, +Pine Bush Joe R4; +Takeyourbreathaway R10

Northfield
8/27/16, +Rosescape R6

Northville
8/27/16, Spartan Pride R1; Black Water Road R4

Ocean
8/28/16, +Kounty Blues R12

Philadelphia
8/26/16, +Yanks Ball Girl ae R9

Plainridge
8/25/16, Extreme Justice R3; +Pembroke Delux R4; Transit Hanover R7
 
Pocono
8/28/16, +Spicedbourbongirl R1; Brooklyn Hill R6; Dominion Beach R9

Red Mile
8/25/16, Gs High Shooter R5
8/27/16, GW Watt Power R1

Rideau-Carleton
8/25/16, Breaking Bad R2; Finale Seelster R2; Mach Miss R4; Majestic Diva R8

Running Aces
8/27/16, Fancy Lil Mama R2; Lori Dorian Blues R5; Explosive Muscles R7

Saratoga
8/27/16, Jack Attack R5

Scioto
8/27/16, +Hustling Charley R2

Tioga
8/26/16, +Waldorf Hall R3; _Gray N Cloudy R9

Vernon
8/26/16, +Joe Joe Joe R5; +Joes Bid R6; +Fleetwood Hal R12
8/27/16, +JDs Brent N Sheree R8

Yonkers
8/26/16, Jack Attack ae R1, R2
8/27/16, +Meladys Monet R8
8/29/16, +Cobra Joe R8; +JJ Flynn R11


Ray Cotolo contributes to this blog