Monday Harness Preview for 4/21/2014
by Ted Black
While many harness tracks were idle on Easter Sunday, a pair of half-mile tracks on the East Coast will start the week with solid programs this evening. For one of those two tracks, the Monday card will actually kick off its spring meet.
Harrington Raceway in Delaware was once noted for $700 purses, but for the past two decades the slots-enriched oval has often hosted six-figure stakes and now presents a solid overnight program. In the fall the $200,000 Robert Quillen Memorial for aged pacers will highlight the meet and could mark the next appearance of Foiled Again, currently competing in the George Morton Levy Memorial Series at Yonkers.
This evening at Harrington, the track will offer a full slate of 15 races with the usual blend of solid overnight events and mid-level claimers. Many of the participants have been idle since the Dover Downs meet ended 10 days ago, but the pacers that drew inside will still be tough to beat while those that drew the outside may need a race to get acclimated to the half-mile oval.
In the third race on the card, a non-winners of $10,501 last five starts class and optional $25,000 claiming race, look for Bad As Thunder to take advantage of his inside draw and lead throughout. He posted a 2-1-1 slate and $20,000 bankroll and took a mark of 1:51 in 10 starts at Dover and should be able to work out a favorable trip behind Sunshine Superman this evening.
In the next race on the card, a non-winners of $12,501 last five class, Just A Jolt has the rail and is in peak form after posting a 4-4-2 slate, $60,000 bankroll and 1:50.2 mark at Dover, but he could be overbet here. In that case, look for the speedy and durable Main A Dieu Too to control the tempo throughout and outlast Just A Jolt in a fast mile in which the winner will likely get elevated to the Open next week.
Two races later in the Open, look for Lollipop Kid to prevail as the modest choice. In 10 starts at Dover, Lollipop Kid posted a 3-2-3 and a stellar mark of 1:49.1 at Dover for trainer Dylan Davis. His main opposition here will come from Manhattan Rusty and Feel Like A Fool. 'Rusty' has won six of 12 starts and earned over $60,000 while taking a mark of 1:50.3, while Feel Like A Fool only won once in 14 tries at Dover but it was a 1:51 score in the Delaware Special.
Much later in the 13th race, the first half of the split non-winners of $50,000 lifetime class, give Twincreeks Jack a shot at the upset from the coveted rail. The Ron Dixon, Jr. trainee has only won once in 13 starts this year, but he should be able to work out an ideal trip behind favored Attack The Land who is seeking his fourth win in 10 outings this year and starts alongside him.
At Yonkers Raceway on Monday evening, a glimpse at the 12-race card presented only one solid play. In the eighth, a non-winners of six races lifetime class for filly-mare pacers, look for Seafood Annie to notch her first win in seven starts this year for trainer Ed Hart. Last week the distaffer raced first over into a 56-second back half and still lasted for second in a solid effort. She only moves in one spot to post six, but should work out a second over trip from there this evening.
While many harness tracks were idle on Easter Sunday, a pair of half-mile tracks on the East Coast will start the week with solid programs this evening. For one of those two tracks, the Monday card will actually kick off its spring meet.
Harrington Raceway in Delaware was once noted for $700 purses, but for the past two decades the slots-enriched oval has often hosted six-figure stakes and now presents a solid overnight program. In the fall the $200,000 Robert Quillen Memorial for aged pacers will highlight the meet and could mark the next appearance of Foiled Again, currently competing in the George Morton Levy Memorial Series at Yonkers.
This evening at Harrington, the track will offer a full slate of 15 races with the usual blend of solid overnight events and mid-level claimers. Many of the participants have been idle since the Dover Downs meet ended 10 days ago, but the pacers that drew inside will still be tough to beat while those that drew the outside may need a race to get acclimated to the half-mile oval.
In the third race on the card, a non-winners of $10,501 last five starts class and optional $25,000 claiming race, look for Bad As Thunder to take advantage of his inside draw and lead throughout. He posted a 2-1-1 slate and $20,000 bankroll and took a mark of 1:51 in 10 starts at Dover and should be able to work out a favorable trip behind Sunshine Superman this evening.
In the next race on the card, a non-winners of $12,501 last five class, Just A Jolt has the rail and is in peak form after posting a 4-4-2 slate, $60,000 bankroll and 1:50.2 mark at Dover, but he could be overbet here. In that case, look for the speedy and durable Main A Dieu Too to control the tempo throughout and outlast Just A Jolt in a fast mile in which the winner will likely get elevated to the Open next week.
Two races later in the Open, look for Lollipop Kid to prevail as the modest choice. In 10 starts at Dover, Lollipop Kid posted a 3-2-3 and a stellar mark of 1:49.1 at Dover for trainer Dylan Davis. His main opposition here will come from Manhattan Rusty and Feel Like A Fool. 'Rusty' has won six of 12 starts and earned over $60,000 while taking a mark of 1:50.3, while Feel Like A Fool only won once in 14 tries at Dover but it was a 1:51 score in the Delaware Special.
Much later in the 13th race, the first half of the split non-winners of $50,000 lifetime class, give Twincreeks Jack a shot at the upset from the coveted rail. The Ron Dixon, Jr. trainee has only won once in 13 starts this year, but he should be able to work out an ideal trip behind favored Attack The Land who is seeking his fourth win in 10 outings this year and starts alongside him.
At Yonkers Raceway on Monday evening, a glimpse at the 12-race card presented only one solid play. In the eighth, a non-winners of six races lifetime class for filly-mare pacers, look for Seafood Annie to notch her first win in seven starts this year for trainer Ed Hart. Last week the distaffer raced first over into a 56-second back half and still lasted for second in a solid effort. She only moves in one spot to post six, but should work out a second over trip from there this evening.
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