Monday Harness Preview for 8/4/2014
by Ted Black
Those harness racing fans who were unable to get their fill of talented trotters on Saturday when the Meadowlands hosted the Hambletonian, Hambo Oaks, the John Cashman Memorial, the Peter Haughton and the Merrie Annabelle finals, can perhaps enhance their appetite further this evening at Yonkers Raceway.
Granted, while Yonkers typically highlights the trotters on Friday evenings, the Monday card offers a quartet of trotting events that look fairly playable. Of course, while there may not be a trotter with the talents of Trixton, Nuncio, Mission Brief or Centurion ATM on the card, there are several that could eventually venture outside New York Sire Stakes company and perform well.
In the second race on the card, the first $110,000 NYSS split for three-year-old filly trotters, the best horse in the group and the most intriguing drew the rail. Avalicious (Jim Morrill, Jr.), a Maryland-bred son of Rc Royalty trained by Ron Burke, has been favored in five of her last six starts but has gone off stride in three of her last four outings. But she owns a 3-2-0 slate and $106,000 bankroll from nine starts this year and has the rail for this event.
While three of her five rivals are still winless on the year, Glowngold (Brian Sears) sports a solid 2-4-3 slate and $113,500 bankroll from 13 outings this season for trainer Julie Miller. The Conway Hall filly has won NYSS splits at Vernon Downs and Buffalo, but scratched sick out of her previous outing at Saratoga but merits respect in this spot from post four.
One race later in an Excelsior B series event for three-year-old filly trotters, the eight starters have combined to win only four of 55 starts this year and the race looks unplayable. But the second split one race later offers a standout.
Driving Me Lindy (Jeff Gregory) owns a 6-3-3 slate and $23,000 bankroll from 17 starts for trainer Andy Gardiner, while her seven rivals have won only three of 62 outings this season combined. Driving Me Lindy has won her last two starts against similar foes and owns prior wins at Tioga Downs and Buffalo and should add to her totals this evening while starting from post six.
Three races later in the second, $110,000 NYSS split for sophomore filly trotters, Market Rally (Morrill) looms as the prohibitive favorite for Burke. This Maryland-bred daughter of Conway Hall has won her last four starts against similar at four different venues and should garner her fifth straight score while leaving from post four.
Several spots to her inside is Driving Miss Crazy (Gates Brunet) who has won five of 11 starts and earned nearly $90,000 for her trainer-driver. This daughter of Crazed notched her first NYSS tally last out at Saratoga and owns a mark of 1:55.4 and leaves from post two. She has ample gate speed, but will likely yield the advantage to Market Rally at some point and complete a short exacta.
Those harness racing fans who were unable to get their fill of talented trotters on Saturday when the Meadowlands hosted the Hambletonian, Hambo Oaks, the John Cashman Memorial, the Peter Haughton and the Merrie Annabelle finals, can perhaps enhance their appetite further this evening at Yonkers Raceway.
Granted, while Yonkers typically highlights the trotters on Friday evenings, the Monday card offers a quartet of trotting events that look fairly playable. Of course, while there may not be a trotter with the talents of Trixton, Nuncio, Mission Brief or Centurion ATM on the card, there are several that could eventually venture outside New York Sire Stakes company and perform well.
In the second race on the card, the first $110,000 NYSS split for three-year-old filly trotters, the best horse in the group and the most intriguing drew the rail. Avalicious (Jim Morrill, Jr.), a Maryland-bred son of Rc Royalty trained by Ron Burke, has been favored in five of her last six starts but has gone off stride in three of her last four outings. But she owns a 3-2-0 slate and $106,000 bankroll from nine starts this year and has the rail for this event.
While three of her five rivals are still winless on the year, Glowngold (Brian Sears) sports a solid 2-4-3 slate and $113,500 bankroll from 13 outings this season for trainer Julie Miller. The Conway Hall filly has won NYSS splits at Vernon Downs and Buffalo, but scratched sick out of her previous outing at Saratoga but merits respect in this spot from post four.
One race later in an Excelsior B series event for three-year-old filly trotters, the eight starters have combined to win only four of 55 starts this year and the race looks unplayable. But the second split one race later offers a standout.
Driving Me Lindy (Jeff Gregory) owns a 6-3-3 slate and $23,000 bankroll from 17 starts for trainer Andy Gardiner, while her seven rivals have won only three of 62 outings this season combined. Driving Me Lindy has won her last two starts against similar foes and owns prior wins at Tioga Downs and Buffalo and should add to her totals this evening while starting from post six.
Three races later in the second, $110,000 NYSS split for sophomore filly trotters, Market Rally (Morrill) looms as the prohibitive favorite for Burke. This Maryland-bred daughter of Conway Hall has won her last four starts against similar at four different venues and should garner her fifth straight score while leaving from post four.
Several spots to her inside is Driving Miss Crazy (Gates Brunet) who has won five of 11 starts and earned nearly $90,000 for her trainer-driver. This daughter of Crazed notched her first NYSS tally last out at Saratoga and owns a mark of 1:55.4 and leaves from post two. She has ample gate speed, but will likely yield the advantage to Market Rally at some point and complete a short exacta.
ADVERTISEMENT
