PH Supercam Soars To ‘Levy’ Score at $12; Favorites Partner For $365 Triple And 10 Exactas

There were no mid-week Tweets this week but Twinspires Twitter members should keep alert for special Wednesday evening picks from @FrankCotolo –retweeted by @twinspires and @BuffaloRaceway. 

We warmed up for the weekend in a big way, Thursday, March 17, at Saratoga harness. Our two choices completed a triple with the winning favorite. We had the hard part of the trio, Extreme Yankee ($7.90, $3.60) and Volcanic Matter ($6.20) for the triad that paid $365.50. In our other Saratoga feature we were third with ABC Banker ($2.90).

Partnering with public choices this week, our horses-to-watch (H2W) results below produced the tough end of seven strongly priced exactas due, of course, to the H2W seconds, most unavailable as contenders anywhere else but at TwinSpires harness blog..

Friday the Grand Circuit began with the pacing mares’ first leg of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series at Yonkers. We were second in each of the divisions with mares that wound up being the race favorites (we did not forecast all of the choices being so well supported). The three seconds were Krispy Apple ($2.80, $2.60), Venus Delight—getting a tough first-over trip only to be nosed by a 39-1 shot—($6.20, n/s) and Gallie Bythe Beach ($3.10, $2.70). In that final division we also offered the winner, Lady Shadow ($7.00, $3.70, $4.30 ok) as a partner in exotics. Second choices in divisions one and two were Sandbetweenurtoes (5-1) and Request For Parole (32-1), both which finished seventh.

Saturday, March 19 we were back at Yonkers for six divisions in the first leg of the George Morton Levy Pacing Series. In order, we were second in division one with Texican N ($5.20, $2.60, Exacta $11.00); we won division two with Lucan Hanover ($4.50, $3.20, $2.40); a vicious speed battle through three-quarters included our choice and the public choice Santa Fe Beachboy (fifth) and as the early lick collapsed, it opened the backfield for a 49-1 shot to clear the win division three. In division four our choice, Roland N Rock (17-1) was very “steppy” but he held sway to finish on the purse grid, fourth.

In the penultimate division we were all gifted with 5-1 on PH Supercam ($12.60, $5.00. $2.70)—a huge price for the event’s best recent winner two years back and a horse for this course if ever one existed. We also won the last division with Bit Of A Legend N ($5.70, $2.30, $2.20).

Both series continue next weekend.

H2W LIST RESULTS

The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Also, exactas listed are included when a H2W horse finishes second with a race favorite or the first two finishers making up the exacta are H2W horses (an asterisk appears when both horses were listed to complete a cold exacta). The note “ok” determines that prices published are correct even when a show price exceeds a place price or any or all of the prices are the same. This week, there were 60 active horses (a 7-percent win hit rate and a 38-percent in-the-money hit rate).

Please note that some H2W results reflect win, place, show and exotic results occurring by press time but some horses race after the blog is posted (we list them the following week) It is up to you to follow horses that have not performed before this weekly review is posted.

Winners

Fast Fool, $20.00, $5.60, $3.50, Buffalo
Ken Doll J, $12.80, $6.60, $5.80, Miami
Ali De Vie, $8.30, $4.60, $3.50, Buffalo
Credit Risk, $2.90, $2.70, $2.10, Fraser

Seconds

Pureform Bella, $11.10, $7.20, Fraser
Mego Mess, $8.90, $4.50 (Exacta $28.60), Woodbine
Call Me Elizabeth, $7.40, $4.80 (Exacta $20.20), Northfield
Elzane, $6.20, $3.00, Northville
Mantaculator, $6.20, $5.60 (Exacta $13.40), Northville
Chip Chip Page, $5.80, $3.40 (Exacta $29.00), Pompano
Oaklea Wyatt, $5.60, $4.30 (Exacta $30.50), Woodbine
Palms Beach, $5.20, $3.60 (Exacta $27.80), Freehold
Tinder, $4.20, $3.00, Miami
Up Front Cruiser, $4.00, $2.70 (Exacta $15.10), Buffalo
Taxed To The Max, $3.60, $3.40 (Exacta $13.60), Freehold

Thirds

Dibando, $10.80, Pocono
Gabby Hayes, $8.10, Buffalo
Fast Lane Firebolt, $6.70, Fraser
Pureform Goodtog, $5.60, Fraser
That’s Witty, $4.30, Century
Read The Proposal, $3.90, Woodbine
All That Jazz De Vie, $3.60, Miami
My Fleet Three, $3.00, Northville

News & Notes

We’ve already reported that this year’s Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks return to the Meadowlands but now we have an official update from the Hambletonian Society (HS) that the current agreement keeping the events at the New Jersey oval has been extended to 2021. Originally, this year’s events were the beginning of a three-year stay at the Meadowlands. Moira Fanning, administrating public relations coordinator of the HS, confirms the new deal made with track President Jeff Gural. This year, the Hambletonian, the “Oaks” and many of the co-star stakes associated with the huge day of racing—exclusively covered live by the TwinSpires harness crew—will take place on Aug. 6.

Remember Freaky Feet Pete, the sophomore out of Indiana that beat Wiggleit Jiggle It? He is on target for a 2016 start, his first as an older pacer. Trainer Larry Rheinheimer said he is amazed at how much more the pacer “filled out” turning four than he had when he turned three. Larry said “Pete” is training well and the connections are raring to start his four-year-old career. That could happen in mid-April, where Pete will qualify at his home track, Hoosier Park, where he will make a start before shipping to Northfield Park for the Battle of Lake Erie on May 21.

Speaking of Northfield Park, its richest race of the season, the Carl Milstein Memorial for three-year-old pacers, will be raced as a “by-invitation-only” event in 2016.This year’s third “Milstein Memorial,” (named for the track’s former owner and chairman) will be race on Saturday night, Aug.13. Even though it is the newest added-money event on the sophomore-stakes calendar, the Milstein Memorial has attracted star-packed fields in the first two editions. The change from a paid-in stakes event to an Invitational. Say track officials, “adds more flexibility in showcasing harness racing’s elite sophomore pacers” in the area.

And as for Hoosier, the track held 15 qualifiers on March 16 as horses prep for the opening program of the 2016 live harness racing meet on Friday, April 1. The non-wagering events marked the first races of the season over the main track with the addition of the recently completed passing lane. “The track is in really good condition,” driver Tyler Smith said after driving in first qualifier. He liked the idea that “the surface will get a lot tighter and faster.” How the passing lane will factor into races during the track’s 23^rd season remains to be analyzed—and by more than just how many horses win using the lane. Hoosier Park will follow a Friday, Saturday schedule opening week, a Thursday, Friday, Saturday schedule the second week and then a Tuesday-through-Saturday schedule for the rest of the meet. The 160-day season goes through Nov.12, 2016.

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in many standardbred topics at my Hoof Beats blog titled Vast Performances.

Ray Cotolo contributed to this blog

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