Monday harness preview
While the Major League Baseball playoffs are in full swing and the National Football League is approaching the midway point of its 2014 schedule, the standardbred meets at Harrington Raceway in Delaware and Yonkers Raceway in New York are also at varying stages.
This evening at Harrington, the Delaware half-mile oval will present its usual strong card consisting primarily of overnight races but also including the second leg of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund eliminations for two-year-old pacing fillies. Both the overnights and the stakes offer several good plays.
In the fourth race on the card, a non-winners of five races or $80,000 lifetime class, look for Drunken Terror (Ross Wolfenden) to edge Elite Awards (George Dennis) in a rematch of their October 1 encounter. On that occasion, Elite Awards led throughout and held safe Drunken Terror to capture the finale of the card - also dubbed the Happy Birthday Jayana race - but look for Drunken Terror to turn the tables on that foe this evening.
One race later in the fifth, the first of three DSBF second round elimination events for freshmen pacing fillies, give Love Forbidden (Andrew McCarthy) a chance to atone for her third-place finish as the 1-2 favorite in the first elim. Love Forbidden raced first over into a solid back half last Monday, losing to Puddle Jumper (George Dennis) and Fancy Sound (Jim Morand) by two necks in 1:57.2.
Then three races later in the eighth, the second DSBF elimination for freshman filly pacers, look for Purrfect Bags (Victor Kirby) to maintain her winning ways for trainer Jim King, Jr. of local Just A Jolt fame. Purrfect Bags led throughout to capture the opening elim by five lengths in 1:57 as the 1-20 choice last week and she should have no trouble overcoming post seven to notch her second straight tally in this group.
Then two races later in the 10th, the third DSBF elim for pacing fillies, the two best ladies in the group will clash for the first time. Totally Rusty (Corey Callahan) clearly established herself as the leading candidate for local division honors with an emphatic, 16-length score in 1:54.1 in last week's opening round and the Doug Lewis trainee looms as the odds-on favorite again.
Looking to upend Totally Rusty is Gigi Deo (McCarthy) who also led throughout to easily prevail in an opening round elim as the 1-20 choice, doing so in 1:56.3. This Aaron Lambert trainee is currently viewed as the second best member of the bunch, but that could change quickly this evening if Gigi Deo can upset Totally Rusty in their first DSBF encounter.
Then toward the latter portion of the Monday card at Yonkers Raceway, a trio of races could offer plenty of value.
In the eighth, a non-winners of six races or $60,000 lifetime event for two-, three-, and four-year-old pacers, give railbound Scandalicious (Brian Sears) a good chance to score. Last week he was stuck second over behind dull cover while pacing into a solid back half and still managed to finish third, beaten less than a length. He should be able to work out a better trip this evening.
One race later in the ninth, one of the three-way split, non-winners of $12,000 last six condition for pacers, again give railbound Tobago Cays (Jordan Stratton) a serious look. In each of his three previous outings at Yonkers, Tobago Cays has had post seven twice and the eight-hole once, so his move well inside to the rail should prove most advantageous.
Then in the finale, the third non-winners of $12,000 last six split, look for Bettorsluckystar (Jason Bartlett) to benefit from a huge class drop and find the winner's circle. After three straight starts in the non-winners of $18,000 last six class won by Saturday night stalwarts Glass Prince, BJ's Guy and Life Up Front, Bettorsluckystar gets some serious class relief in this event and should emerge with the score.
This evening at Harrington, the Delaware half-mile oval will present its usual strong card consisting primarily of overnight races but also including the second leg of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund eliminations for two-year-old pacing fillies. Both the overnights and the stakes offer several good plays.
In the fourth race on the card, a non-winners of five races or $80,000 lifetime class, look for Drunken Terror (Ross Wolfenden) to edge Elite Awards (George Dennis) in a rematch of their October 1 encounter. On that occasion, Elite Awards led throughout and held safe Drunken Terror to capture the finale of the card - also dubbed the Happy Birthday Jayana race - but look for Drunken Terror to turn the tables on that foe this evening.
One race later in the fifth, the first of three DSBF second round elimination events for freshmen pacing fillies, give Love Forbidden (Andrew McCarthy) a chance to atone for her third-place finish as the 1-2 favorite in the first elim. Love Forbidden raced first over into a solid back half last Monday, losing to Puddle Jumper (George Dennis) and Fancy Sound (Jim Morand) by two necks in 1:57.2.
Then three races later in the eighth, the second DSBF elimination for freshman filly pacers, look for Purrfect Bags (Victor Kirby) to maintain her winning ways for trainer Jim King, Jr. of local Just A Jolt fame. Purrfect Bags led throughout to capture the opening elim by five lengths in 1:57 as the 1-20 choice last week and she should have no trouble overcoming post seven to notch her second straight tally in this group.
Then two races later in the 10th, the third DSBF elim for pacing fillies, the two best ladies in the group will clash for the first time. Totally Rusty (Corey Callahan) clearly established herself as the leading candidate for local division honors with an emphatic, 16-length score in 1:54.1 in last week's opening round and the Doug Lewis trainee looms as the odds-on favorite again.
Looking to upend Totally Rusty is Gigi Deo (McCarthy) who also led throughout to easily prevail in an opening round elim as the 1-20 choice, doing so in 1:56.3. This Aaron Lambert trainee is currently viewed as the second best member of the bunch, but that could change quickly this evening if Gigi Deo can upset Totally Rusty in their first DSBF encounter.
Then toward the latter portion of the Monday card at Yonkers Raceway, a trio of races could offer plenty of value.
In the eighth, a non-winners of six races or $60,000 lifetime event for two-, three-, and four-year-old pacers, give railbound Scandalicious (Brian Sears) a good chance to score. Last week he was stuck second over behind dull cover while pacing into a solid back half and still managed to finish third, beaten less than a length. He should be able to work out a better trip this evening.
One race later in the ninth, one of the three-way split, non-winners of $12,000 last six condition for pacers, again give railbound Tobago Cays (Jordan Stratton) a serious look. In each of his three previous outings at Yonkers, Tobago Cays has had post seven twice and the eight-hole once, so his move well inside to the rail should prove most advantageous.
Then in the finale, the third non-winners of $12,000 last six split, look for Bettorsluckystar (Jason Bartlett) to benefit from a huge class drop and find the winner's circle. After three straight starts in the non-winners of $18,000 last six class won by Saturday night stalwarts Glass Prince, BJ's Guy and Life Up Front, Bettorsluckystar gets some serious class relief in this event and should emerge with the score.
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