Sizing Up Speed On The Freshman Fronts

Welcome back to the 2019 Breeders Crown Countdown (BCC), the exclusive blog that coordinates with our weekly preview harness blog at TwinSpires.com and the Hambletonian Society to find great wagering opportunities for "Crown"-eligible horses and their foes. All 12 divisions will rotate and share space in the BCC as they race to the finals, this year at Woodbine/Mohawk on Oct. 25 and Oct. 26. The biggest divisions of BCC eligible horses come from the four freshman divisions. Those eligible that are covered in BCC features are designated with a (e) at first mention. Thursday, Sept. 5, the Grand Circuit ensues at Woodbine/Mohawk (WoMo) with two $30k eliminations for the Peaceful Way Stakes, featuring two-year-old filly trotters. In the first Peaceful Way elim, we return to support one of our choices in last week’s Champlain for this division—Whose Blues (e). The lone product of Cantab Hall, Whose Blues displays the momentum it takes to get through the high-profile races that could inspire trainer Luc Blais and connections to send her into the elims. Last week she was supported as the race favorite; she settled for second to Spoiled Pricess (e), who is in the second division. Whose Blues also defeated She Must Be Magic (e) in that Champlain, and is expected to be better than her again in her elim. The second Peaceful Way elim also offers seven fillies. Panem (e), by Father Patrick, won a Champlain split last week and probably returns in this event as a favorite for trainer Nancy Johansson. Spoiled Princess (e) pulled off a mild upset last week; she is the filly that beat Whose Blues, getting a good trip of live cover from that one. Sheer Energy (e) finished third with no excuse. Panem could wire this group, barring any mistakes, but supporting an upset is the only way to make money. Per Englom’s Hello Tomorrow (e) is the perfect candidate. She was rolling along with a good chance to win in the stretch at 5-1 in a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) at Pocono when she galloped. If she stays flat she may be an easy winner at an overlay’s price. Saturday, Sept. 9 could be a good night to focus on Scioto harness racing, since the Ohio track is not known for pumping up Crown participants. On the program that night come four $75,000 Ohio Sires Stakes (OHSS) Consolations for two-year-old pacers and trotters, three of which demand attention due to some contestants. In the first OHHS consolation, which is Race 3, a most-likely longshot that leaves from post 9 in a field of that many, is one of three daughters in the race sired by Triumphant Caviar. Yet, it is distinguished among them and the six others by being eligible to the Crown. Electric Ridge (e) has not won a race in eight starts, but four seconds and two thirds have been enough to earn enough to be in this class. Though Electric Ridge did not make the OHHS final, the Christopher Beaver trainee has the class edge we like (and the post) to win this and do so at a terrific price. The Crown edge is the key to the bets in all three of the consolations. In the OHSS for colt trotters—Race 4—there are two trotters with the edge. Breakout The Gold (e), by Break The Bank K, and Upfront Stone (e) by Wishing Stone, are a pair from nine that should be worth backing in one form of wager or another (using them both, of course, in exotics, could produce a strong score). Then, in Race 6 (no eligible fillies are included in Race 5’s OHHS), a single colt pacer, Cody Hanover (e), by Dragon Again, has all to gain by enforcing his bloodline for trainer Lionel Watiker and connections. The Crown edge is the best argument for playing these races at all and one that is bound to elude most bettors by the very nature of its angle. Still, even flat bets on all of them could produce a profit with the minimal investments to win alone. TOP FIVES 9/5/19 2yo colt pacer Capt Midnight Adriano Hanover Freedom Warrior Cattlewash VS Mathis 2yo filly pacer Looksgoodinaromper Alicorn Karma Seelster Lyons Sentinel Merga Hanover 2yo colt trotter Real Cool Sam Rome Pays Off Port Perry Synergy Horse Trader 2yo filly trotter Hypnotic AM Globetrotting Love A Good Story Sister Sledge Sherry Lyns Lady *************************************** Follow major 2019 BC hopefuls on their journey to the Breeders Crown at Woodbine/Mohawk at this Breeders Crown Countdown blog and the TwinSpires harness blog weekly, along with further information on the Hambletonian Society web site and @Hambletonian_ and @BreedersCrown .