Northlands’ Soph-Stakes’ Curtain Calls; Features For Action All Around

We head into the deep cold, into the far northwest, to Alberta, Canada, for the province-bred classics for soph pacers at Northlands Park. Two $70,000 miles—the Western Pacing Derby for the boys and the Northlands Filly Pace for the gals—are the features come Saturday, Dec. 3.

Those features will be complemented with our own personal features—specifically chosen races at various harness meets running on the TwinSpires track menu. Our special brands of outside contenders are featured. Through the end of the year and into 2016’s stakes season, we will offer horses from overnights that players may not see as valuable, so consider them for win, place, show and additions for exotics.

Our TwinSpires’ exclusive, productive horses-to-watch list (H2W) is locked and loaded with suggested wagering opportunities in all types of bets. Always consider H2W horses when constructing tickets.

F E A T U R E S ~ F E A T U R E S ~ F E A T U R E S

Freehold/ Race 2
Thursday, Dec. 1

This simple claiming event is a bit more competitive than the morning-line (ML) odds suggest. The 2-1 ML choice, on the outside, is Top Gear, who could be the beard for a 10-1 (ML) Lemon Drop Hall. The 12-year-old is at a good level and his recent race was a stressful overland route from post 8 that was impressive than Top Gear’s effort last week. Lemon Drop Hall went into that claimer after winning an optional claimer (for 5Gs) and has already faired well at higher conditioned levels than this race, which is the second half of the Daily Double.

F E A T U R E S ~ F E A T U R E S ~ F E A T U R E S

Saratoga/ Race 7
Friday, Dec. 2

Shipping in from a strong outside mile at Philadelphia, Analyze returns to the scene of her Oct. 21 win in similar company and just about the same post. Then, she went wire to wire as a top choice but here she should be a price since the ML favorites are more likely to attract the public’s money. Those are “class” choices and their drop downs could be signs of weakness more than the drops would benefit them.

On the inside of Analyze is a threat, though, in Bye Bye Michelle. She is stepping up but rises only a single level from two-straight local wins. These two could unite for an exacta but they should be involved in the exotics, which include the beginning of a Pick 4, a Superfecta and Triple as well.

F E A T U R E S ~ F E A T U R E S ~ F E A T U R E S

Yonkers/ Race 5
Friday, Dec. 2

In from Ohio, Caviart Caterina comes from a super race around this level and gets the coveted Yonkers rail to take on fresh foes. She raced wide and close to the lead at Dayton at 8-1 and picked up the fourth check. Trained here by Rene Allard, Caviart Caterina may offer a terrific price against these, debuting in New York with a bang-up win that does not defy reason but will go under the radar by local bettors. This race is the beginning of a Pick 4 and offers an Exacta and a Triple.

F E A T U R E S ~ F E A T U R E S ~ F E A T U R E S

Charlottetown/ Race x
Saturday, Dec. 3

Montana Ben is well placed in this cheap affair and even with post 8 could make a major impact. From post 9 two weeks back he shot out quickly but was hanged for two calls in a mile one level up in class. Here, he has to cope with beaten-favorite Wandasbettorchoice, who should have won off of a huge drop but was Ideal Lifestyle, who is the major all-around threat (though not the ML favorite). In this race’s Exacta, Superfecta and Triactor, Montana Ben and Ideal Lifestyle are the keys to juicy exotics.

ALBERTA ADIEU

Northland Park’s Western Canada Pacing Derby and its sister event, the Northlands Filly Pace have purses that are shrinking. Down to $70,000 (Canadian), the prizes reflect the tough time Alberta is having as a standardbred venue. Northlands presents, on Saturday, Dec. 3, what could be its last two offerings of these traditional stakes that feature the province-breds’ best for soph colts and pacers.

Eight pacing boys line up for the “Derby” and one constant adorns its program—the name Keith Clark. The steadfast native horseman has won the event many times, won Northlands and Stampede parks’ drivers-and-trainers championships, province sires stakes championships and more during a long career that has had some sad interruptions and mighty highs. This year, he campaigned Appellate to the pinnacle of province accomplishments, getting him at least one more major starring role. Appellate won his Derby elim. As the favorite and from post 5 in this edition, the Clark factor added, Appellate may be a huge public choice in the final.

The second elim’s favorite, Wrangler Cash, was second last week and gets post 8 for the final. Losing to the 14-1 Chalk Player, “Cash” could offer a very good price, perhaps exchanging support with Chalk Player, who gets post 1 compared to post 8 for Cash. These are the perfect conditions to get a great price for Cash. It is not time to be sentimental and accept a poor price for Clark’s colt; it’s time to support a price that is far worse than its chances.

Blue Star Jet and Duke It Out made the final with aplomb, gliding from behind in the same elim against Appellate. They should be considered for exotics and anyone courageous enough to toss Appellate off of the exotics stage will be greatly rewarded.

FILLY FACTOR

The Northlands Filly Pace is also historically “Clark territory” and he will try again in the Dec. 3 edition with Credit The Shark, who is in thicker than the Clark factor may be able to help. She just made the final, coming in fourth in her elim at 15-1.

Kelly Hoerdt—who handles Wrangler Cash in the colt event—has a pair of fillies in this mile and threatens to take both stakes due to it. He won with Lissoy (5-1) and made the final with a fourth from 18-1 Lucky Lucka.

Only one favorite, Somewhere A Place, took the filly elims. No Guarantees, the other public choice, was third in a tepid suck-along trip that lost to the second and third choices and was more than 2 lengths in front of Clark’s filly.

Lucky Lucka should be Hoerdt’s less popular contender and worth more than is fair. Her elim trip can be misinterpreted. She had a great start, was shuffled to lose an early lead, pulled out to charge and gained ground, not position. Her fourth position at the end was a sure-fire finish considering the trip.

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

Cal Expo
12/2/16, Game Of Dreamers R12
12/3/16, Gene Eugene R8; Windy City Diane R11; Free Girl R11; Becky B Skipalong R13

Charlottetown
12/3/16, +Souverain R3; CJ Bluefin R4

Dover
12/5/16, +Bobby The Greek R8

Fraser
12/2/16, +Clintons Memory R1
12/4/16, Now Playing R8

Freehold
12/1/16, Jazeel R1; Oakmont R4; Civic Duty R9
12/3/16, +Blazing Finale R1; Tap Dragon R11

Meadowlands
12/2/16, Twice Too Nice R4; Clear View Hanover R5; +Meadowbranch Wendy R8

Meadows
12/3/16, +Agood Time To Rock R5; +Lord Of Winterfell R13

Monticello
12/1/16, CJs Last Storm R6; Bangbangkisskiss R7

Northfield
12/3/16, +Maddie Doowop R2; +Real Nice Girl R15

Northlands
12/2/16, Total Rhythm R6
12/3/16, Run And Tell R2

Philadelphia
12/1/16, +Alexander Hanover R1

Pompano
12/4/16, Officernagentleman R6

Plainridge
12/2/16, +Mack Caviar R3

Rideau-Carleton
12/1/16, +Herestojessica R3

Rosecroft
12/1/16, Girlfriend Bash R9; Aint Got A Home R10

Saratoga
12/2/16, Avogado Hanover R12
12/3/16, +Western Captive R4

Yonkers
12/2/16, Bedroomconfessions R8; Do Your Job ae R9; Her Own Land R9
12/5/16, Skinny Dipper R4