Selected Features, Power Plays Seasons Begin Overnight Battles

Now—with a special look at Thanksgiving harness races at Woodbine/Mohawk (WoMo)—we begin our selected-features content. The 2020 season, one we once thought might never continue, has completed its stakes menu or what was left after cancellations of more than a few mainstay events. What races remain are the bread-and-butter events of the sport—overnights. Great wagering opportunities are strewn across the programs of the winter raceways in North America. We will choose certain races as weekly features and focus upon certain races also involved in singe- and multi-race exotics, with no interruption of our never-ending TwinSpires’ horses-to-watch (H2W) list.

Soon, we will be opening the TwinSpires harness-blog books to our followers, announcing our TwinSpires Harness Players’ Horse Of The Year (there is still time for a horse we support to pay $100 or more to win and catch our 2020 leader). As well, we will share our list of blog winners (from features and the H2W list) that offered prices of 4-1 and up all season.

THANKFULLY WOMO

Happy Thanksgiving, where even in a socially distanced atmosphere, the U.S. harness racing world is dark on Nov. 26.

Care to digest your big dinner with some harness wagers? There’s always Canada, where Woodbine/Mohawk Park (WoMo) offers a full program of action beginning at 7 p.m. eastern time. Here are some of the horses in some of the races we are hoping to play across the board and/or in exotics offered.

Race 3
Dagger Watch squeezes into the conditions coming off a close third at the wire at this level. His two efforts before that can be tossed for trip reasons; he won at Flamboro before that as a co-favorite. His strong late brush might be the move winning this race. Exotic candidates include Fear The Shadow and Magnus Seelster.

Race 5
Black Smile made sense winning two back at 24-1 and his follow-up bomb was a trip problem while in for a higher tag. He should go a good mile here against majors-threat Emptythetill.
 
Race 8
Mohegan Blue Chip might be best of the worse of this field yet still able to deliver a win with a decent price. If Monty Mono draws in to the field, include him in all exotics.

Race 9
There are enough entries to make a race of this for win and a trifecta. In post-position order, then, consider Pink Pistol (no reason to be short in this field); Gloire Dream (beaten favorite from hot barn); and Wings Up (liked Canada in first trip and raced with better in N.Y. and N.J.).

POWER PLAYS

Meadows / Races 2, 3, 4
Friday / Nov. 27

The first edition of our Power Plays (PP) features arrives at the Meadows on Nov. 27 (afternoon program) at the Meadows. A 50-cent Pick 3 leads the usual exotics—Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta. All of our suggested contenders are available for your win, place, show and exotic wagers in any combination you prefer.

Race 2
Claimed two back by Jason Robinson, Bye Bye John’s Nov. 18 race is a toss out. He was well-supported when claimed and should pay off here from his success in this company in October.

Neat’s recent races are very popular with trainers, recording five-straight claims at this level in as many races. He has to work from post 8 but should be in the mix at the finish and at a good price for his latest trainer.

Race 3
Allgonowhoa is 20-1 on the morning line (ML), which behooves me, unless the crowd sees he has been on his game in three-straight races and ignored by the public. We hope he is ignored again.

Kevin Johnson’s win percentage is very good now and his horses are paying well for how they are racing, so Brackley Beach fits very well here, deserving the step-up in class.

Race 4
Believeinthespirit was claimed at this level and then lost two straight at this level while getting bet well. It’s his back class that keeps the support coming, but he may not be so popular here, which is the best time he can show his class—at a stronger price.

Imideal Hanover comes off of two wins, the latter a claim by Brandon Presto in a string of claims attracting trainers because the gelding makes money.

FEATURES~ FEATURES~ FEATURES~

Northfield / R 6
Saturday / Nov. 28

Party Belle is in a great spot to “ride the speed” in a pocket and come out to challenge late, using stored pace to take this one at pleasant odds for win bettors. Who she catches might be the race’s ML favorite, Baddabingbaddabang.

That would be a delightful paying exacta with the best price atop the two elements, but things could improve adding a third element and going for a trifecta with the use of Star Of The West. From post 8, the mare races for the first time under the supervision of Chris Allen, who claimed her as she won at this level on Nov. 21. She would also be worthy of the top spot in a trifecta, with the others mentioned criss-crossed for second and third. If you like boxes, the three offer strong-priced trifectas in any combo. 
 
H2W Legend

Review our choices and confirm the wagers available at the prescribed track. H2W offers possible contenders researched from reviewing races. Horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track with the date of their race and the race number (R6 ) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name, it appears on the list for the second time (horses are listed twice only if, at first, they failed to win. An “ae” signals also-eligible. Types of wagers to make are based on your judgment.

H2W LIST

Batavia
11/28/20, Acefourtyfourdon R1

Cal Expo
11/27/20, +Waitin On A River R5
11/28/20, +Outlaw Blue By You R2; +Sarah Toga Again R3; Fly Away R9; Winonefordoug R9

Dayton
11/28/20, American Music R12

Flamboro
11/26/20, OK Jasmine R3; Major Comfort R11
11/28/20, Maidens Cove R5; Hit By A Bus R6

Freehold
11/27/20, Little Honeybadger R6
11/28/20, +Ideal One A R12

Meadowlands
11/27/20, +Torrid Bromac R13

Meadows
11/27/20, Touch Of The West R9
11/30/20, Dublin R2; What Ya Thinkin R3

Northfield
11/28/20, TC Scandal R4; +Full Deck R14
11/29/20, +Luminosity R14; +Lancaster Park R15

Philly
11/27/20, +Meadowbranch Ricky R5
11/28/20, Alyvia Deo R11

Plainridge
11/27/20, Scotlynn Seelster R1; Hilaria R3; Flight Of The Kiwi R4; Shady Secret A R8

Yonkers
11/28/20, Gentlemanjim Ii Ie R3; Tookadiveoffdipper R8
11/30/20, Perfectly Close R10

Woodbine
11/26/20, Rowlen R6