Mohawk, Hoosier Shine With Stakes, National, Local Stars On Fire

All of last week’s elim winners from the Mohawk series of stakes return on Sept. 19 for another cavalcade of stars. There is also stakes wagering action at Hoosier (check out  20X points five days a week when you win $20 or more at Hoosier) and Philadelphia. The entire weekend is an overture to next week’s all-American Little Brown Jug festival on one of the speediest half-mile tracks in the world in Delaware, Ohio. Watch this blog for reports on wagering Monday through “Jug” Thursday.

This week, the Breeders Crown Countdown (BCC) coordinates with this, our main harness blog at TwinSpires.com and the Hambletonian Society. This week the BCC covers the Nadia Lobell, a mid-week stakes at the Meadows, the rich Canadian Trotting Classic and the Peaceful Way at Mohawk Saturday.

Along with all of this, of course, is our exclusive horses-to-watch list (H2W), offering across-the-board and exotic wagering contenders that may help you pump money into your TwinSpires account. These horses come from our personal files that scan overnight races all over North America for horses with potential the public may not see and most of which are not available on any other public website.

All Is Wellwood
 
The $373,000 William Wellwood Memorial Final is, this year, a theater for Southwind Frank. Ron Burkes’s fiery frosh, unbeaten into mid-September, faces nine pacers that are bit players. Even though there are good pacers in this field, the division has developed into a roll call that goes, “Southwind Frank … and the rest of them.”

As for “the rest of them,” we supported the two seconds in last week’s elims, Marion Marauder and Brooklyn Hill. The former was closest to “Frank” in his winning elim and may be the second choice in the final. Brooklyn Hill may wind up the third choice but as exotics with them using Frank as the key won’t enjoy a large price.

Last week’s performance by Tony Soprano was very good and supported at the windows well at 6-1. The Bob McIntosh youngster got away slowly and ate away at the 11 lengths he gave the winner (Deep Impact) and was still rolling well when he finished third by 1 ¾ lengths. It’s hard to imagine “Tony” improving to the point of toppling Frank but as an exacta partner he should pick up the price a bit as the fourth or worse choice.

Maple Leaf Trotters

This group is always rife for upsets, as proven last week when Natural Herbie nipped Bee A Magician after “Bee” put away JL Cruze. Veritably unnoticed was the third-place finisher, Lindys Tru Grit, who followed “Herbie” and gain ground at 20-1. That was elim two, In the first contest, Resolve was overbearing for Ave Svanstedt and he will be winging in the final, worth $680,000.

What we are counting upon is Resolve versus Bee and JL Cruze and even Intimidate and Obrigado from the far outside to produce a blazing three-quarters that allows the backfield to gun by them. Of course, Flanagan Memory will be one of the late stampeders but he has so many Canadian fans he may not be the kind of price offered by Lindys Tru Grit. Julie Miller’s tough trotter, who is a good earner in this division, has a shot to get his best payday and we have a chance to share by backing him.

Elegant Mission

The $404,000 Elegantimage Final may belong to Mission Brief if she glides without incident. But we know that she can be beaten without beating herself, so this could be a good race to go against her, since a few gals in here are doing very well right now.

Last week we went with Danielle Hall at 15-1 against Mission Brief because she has gotten a late start and has been racing better than her odds. She didn’t beat “Brief” but she may have it in her for the big money and pay big money. Wild Honey and Muscle Baby Doll could put the pressure on Brief and cook an important portion of the mile. The Jamiesons’ “Danielle” could be right there to topple them all.

Hoosier Heroes

Hoosier hosts Indiana Sires Stakes (INSS) finals on Thursday, Sept. 17 and Saturday, Sept. 19. We offer our suggestions for both days, reminding you of TwinSpires’ perk for winning $20 or more five days a week at any Hoosier program—you get 20X points.

On Thursday, Sept. 17, Nora Rockwell will be the big choice in the soph-filly pacer event. But check out Rock The Look; she has been breathing down the favorite’s neck in earnings and is in a good spot to cash the biggest check (all finals are $75,000).

Next, the soph-colt pace offers super-pacer Freaky Feet Pete another chance to laugh at his rivals. As an exacta key we have done well with him this season. We’ll try it again, taking American Virgin with him and even eye a possible upset with that one to win.

Saturday, Sept. 19, the INSS finals begin with the frosh-filly trot. Here, we endorse Nothing But Nice, a fast little trotter that has been very competitive and whose sire, ABC Garland, is coming around with strong progeny.

Soph-filly trotters are up next, with unbeaten Churita in the 1 hole and the other nine chasing. Burke’s Hannelore Hanover will be a distant second choice but how to make money on this is a mystic’s dream.

The frosh-colt trot win betting will be dominated by Bridge To Jesses but Burke’s Victors Hall is worth a stab, having four for nine in his frosh campaign and every reason to improve.

Frosh-filly pacers line up next in an open contest for entries. Seventimesavirgin is the obvious favorite but doesn’t stand so tall against these. Dangerous to her victory is I Request, who is gaining momentum as a late bloomer in the division.

The soph-colt trot finds unbeaten Homicide Hunter leaving from post 9 but that may not be a burden on his way to win 13. If any colt on the inside has a shot at beating him it’s Bluebird Reverend.

The frosh-colt pace ends the program with Matrix Of Luck ready to storm for the chalk crowd. For a valuable aim at his chances, look to the far outside where the 10 horse, Hoosier Image, could be a threat few will support. He is not a proven loser having won only his maiden but the possibilities he is far better than he has shown compared to this field of mostly tired freshmen, is good enough to support.

Harrington On Monday

Harrington Raceway holds its annual Bobby Quillen Memorial Invitational on Monday, Sept.21. Eight older pacers hit the half-mile to go for the best check. Foiled Again is back for another event, along with a few other recognizable older pacers, including Dancin Yankee and Great Vintage. But we are going to support Mach It So, who failed in the Canadian Pacing Derby but came back in his next race, out of stakes company, to win at 7-1. 

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
9/19/15, +Lifes Lessons R5

Century
9/18/15, Blue Arctic R2
9/19/15, Lizard King R1

Charlottetown
9/17/15, +Honeymoonisover R8; +Gramercy Hanover R12
9/19/15, Neal R4; JK Cowboy R6

Freehold
9/17/15, +Real Mystical R4; Pair A Dice R6
9/19/15, Rise Above It R4; Red Rock R11

Harrington
9/17/15, Seboomook Dreamer R2; Zepplin Blue Chip R8; Amber Fella R10; Bells Are Ringing ae R12

Hoosier
9/17/15, +Photo Time R2
9/18/15, +Steviescooter R5; DP Angel R12

Maywood
9/17/15, Fox Valley Wave R1; Western Dame R9; Ready R10

Meadows
9/18/15, +So Dreaming R3

Miami
9/17/15, Action-broad R1; Follow A Dream R7; +Il Sogno Drean R10
9/19/15,

Northfield
9/18/15, +Power And Purpose R3; +Wildatthebeach R3

Northville
9/18/15, +Mad Cow Lisa R5; +Ballyhoo R9; Quick Little Miss R11

Plainridge
9/17/15, +Native Speed R7

Pocono
9/19/15, +JK Endofanera R10; Daylon Magician R12

Red Mile
9/17/15, +Taco Tuesday R6

Rosecroft
9/19/15, +Niyama ae R7; +Perchance To Dream R7

Saratoga
9/17/15, +Joes Fire R3; +Skip Jive R5

Vernon
9/19/15, +Henni R2

Yonkers
9/17/15, Highland Rockstar R2
9/19/15, Somewhere In LA R6; +Duel In The Sun R9; +Lucan Hanover R12
 

Ray Cotolo contributes to each edition