Place-Price Profit Bonanza; H2W List Delivers 42-Percent Rate Across The Board

On Wednesday, May 11, we brought our Twitter spot plays back to Buffalo Raceway, aiming at four on the evening program. We almost nailed a huge winner in Race 7 but had to settle for second with Big Unit ($15.00, $8.60). The 21-1 shot needed a photo to be separated from the favorite, who won by a hair. The exacta with the public choice and Big Unit paid $121.00. In the other races, Dontch Remember (22-1) was sixth, MA Smash On (6-1) broke and finished seventh; and A Real Commitment (16-1) was also seventh.

On various Wednesday nights we tweet for TwinSpires Twitter members from @FrankCotolo –retweeted by @twinspires—and the raceway involved. Losers from each week will appear on the next week’s horses-to-watch (H2W) list unless they race before that blog is published, so watch for them returning to the races on days in between blogs. Watch for special tweets from raceways on various Wednesdays.

The main attraction this week was May 15’s Confederation Cup featuring Wiggle It Jiggleit. But Ron Burke’s Rockin Ron, who got post 4, contained the field and “Wiggle,” who had to grind it out from the second tier (post 9), could not catch the Burke. But it was not much of an upset as the crowd went for Rockin Ron big time (4-5), with Wiggle second (3-5). Our upset choice, National Seelster (50-1), finished fifth.

At Pocono Downs that same night, we featured three PA All Stars splits for soph-colt pacers and scored with the first episode’s winner The Catamount Kid ($4.20, $2.80, $2.10). We were involved in the second mile with public-choice JJ Flynn (1-1) but he tanked, finishing fourth, as well as our second choice, Beach Ogre (28-1), was dull, finishing eighth. We were fourth in the third mile with Senator Charlie (24-1) and sixth with Mr Right Hanover (5-1).

HAMBLETONIAN TRAIL

Saturday, May 14, soph-colt trotters took aim at August in four divisions of the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) at the Meadows. We won the fourth installment with the favorite Lagerfield ($4.60, $2.40, $2.20), while Alexander Hanover (6-1) finished fifth. In the first split we were third with Souther Cross ($5.00). In the second PASS we were second with Marion Gondolier ($8.20, $3.20) and out with the breaking Southern Cross (3-1). The third split was a disappointing loss with Granite State (34-1) finishing fifth (we are keeping an eye on this guy). The New York Sires Stakes events’ results for Monday, May 16 will appear in next week’s update blog.

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 78 active horses (a 16-percent win hit rate and a 42-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

Casimir Overdrive, $12.80, $4.10, $3.20, Mohawk
I’m Gracies Wigwam, $12.60, $5.40, $2.60, Century
BWT Taj, $10.80, $4.00, $2.60, Philadelphia
Queen Of Darkness, $7.60, $2.70, $2.30, Saratoga
Cheyenne Jeffrey, $7.40, $2.60, $2.40, Harrington
Astrid The Axe, $6.10, $3.3., $2.70, Century
Shallow Hal, $5.50, $4.50, $3.50, Vernon
Speakin Greek, $5.40, $4.40, $3.00, Northville
Leenah Pearl, $4.80, $3.00, $2.80, Hawthorne
Rodeo Joe, $4.80, $3.70, $3.80 ok, Century
Lemon Drop Hall, $4.20, $3.00, $2.20, Freehold
My Last Chance, $4.00, $2.60, $2.10, Scarborough

Seconds

Rubi’s Prescott, $31.80, $18.50, Mohawk
Elettrizzante, $15.80, $3.90 (Exacta $25.60), Vernon
Ms Neutralize, $8.20, $6.60 (Exacta $18.80), Bangor
Beluga Ridge, $7.80, $5.60, Plainridge
Justabit Mean, $7.40, $5.10, Mohawk
Lindyaholic, $5.80, $4.20, Plainridge
Ms Mac N Cheese, $5.50, $4.20, Mohawk
Nirvana Gear, $5.40, $3.20, Northfield
Crash My Party, $5.00, $6.60 ok (Exacta $25.00), Century
Birdie, $4.60, $3.70, Western Fair
Tidquist, $4.30, $3.20, Tioga
Joyful Sound, $2.90, $2.20, Century
Skinny Dipper, $2.40, $2.20, Pocono
Extreme Yankee, $2.20, $2.10, Monticello

Thirds

Twin B Sweetheart, $9.60, Mohawk
Fox Valley Truth, $9.20, Saratoga
Naughty Lady, $3.50, Mohawk
Daughtry Hanover, $3.40, Scarborough
Hoodwinked, $2.60, Hawthorne
Dull Roar, $2.40, Pocono
Azucar, $2.10, Philadelphia

News & Notes

Miami Valley Raceway experienced significant growth in every measurable category as its 2016 race meet concluded on May 8. Overall handle rose 40 percent in 2016 with a record handle of $22,408,722 wagered throughout the short season. “We couldn’t be happier with the response received locally and throughout North America," said Racing Operations Manager Helen Carlo. Overall purses paid grew to a record level of $10.2 million, up from approximately $7.9 million in 2015. The racing program “elevated to a higher level for the third straight season,” said Race Secretary Gregg Keidel. “While we enjoyed thirty-percent higher average nightly purses in 2016, purses at Miami Valley will very likely be on the rise again next season.”

Running Aces’ 2016 meet begins Tuesday, May 17 at 7 p.m. (CDT). The new season is expected to be successful. The nine-year-old track has an earlier start to its season, larger purses and new wagers, hopefully translating into healthy wagering pools for players. In additio, there will be more chances for large jackpot-sized pools to build, as new rules will allow the 50-cent Pick 3 wagers to be rolled over if not hit; plus the 50-cent Pick-6 will be a jackpot pool with its entirety paid out to a single winner, while multiple winners would share in 25 percent of the pool. As well, the track introduces the Hi-5, offered on the last two races each night, with a 50-cent base bet and 100 percent carryover if not hit. Watch for coverage for wagering events at the Minnesota track on these TwinSpires harness blogs.

The Molson Pace Invitational at Western Fair on Friday, May 27 promises to be a stellar field. The three-time defending champion State Treasurer, is the headliner, in search of a fourth-straight Molson title. The seven-year-old, voted Canada’s Horse of the Year in 2015, will be making his fourth start of the season in the Molson. PH Supercam makes his third-straight Molson appearance. The talented nine-year-old has 48 wins and a bankroll of more than $1.3 million. Evenin Of Pleasure, third last year, returns as well. More confirmed starters will be announced next week. The Molson program will include an Ontario Sires Stakes for three-year-old colt pacers, a quartet of City of London Series finals, a pair of Alliance Claiming Series finals and an added-purse Junior Invitational Pace. Total purses for the night will be more than $550,000.

After a long winter and the launching of this year’s Grand Circuit features with the “Levy” series, Yonkers Raceway’s harness schedule will be taking a mid-season intermission. After the track’s matinee program on Tuesday, May 31 (which has a post time of 1 p.m.), Yonkers will be dark for nearly two weeks. Its next program will be on Monday, June 13 (post time 7:10 p.m.). At that time, the five-program-per-week schedule (Monday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday at 7:10 p.m., Tuesday at 1 p.m.) returns.

Grand Circuit races continue next weekend at the Meadowlands with the Graduate Series first legs for four-year-old pacers and trotters; at the Meadows (Currier & Ives splits for three-year-old trotters—a Hambletonian Trail feature); at Northfield (Battle of Lake Erie for older pacers); and at Yonkers (Art Rooney and Lismore eliminations for three-year-old pacers). The season is beginning to sizzle.

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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