Soph-Matron Matches; Ontario-Owned Soph-Filly Finals Featured

The 2020 Breeders Crown finals are history, but it is not the end of stakes for the season. The traditional Matrons began at Dover and other high-priced events are going at Woodbine/Mohawk. The complement is our never-ending TwinSpires’ horses-to-watch (H2W) list, where we reflect opportunities in harness satellite events around North America.


MORE MATRON MILES

Dover Downs continues with the Matron Stakes, the last national stakes series of every season. The sophomore trotters and pacers roll on Nov. 12, including some very familiar faces by now. Our analysis is presented in the order of races on the program.

Soph-filly trot
The return of Ramona Hill is not punished by the morning line (ML), where she is a 2-1 favorite, even with post 8. The interruption in her campaign, though, has to be a concern, and for that reason, bettors should look beyond the great filly. As well, look beyond Hypnotic AM, 5-2 in the ML (post 7). We shall also bypass 9-2 Sorella in search of the upset.

That possibility falls into the hands of Love A Good Story. Julie Miller’s Kentucky Filly Futurity winner has excuses for her recent failures and is the genuine third-highest earner in this group. Her ML is a generous 8-1, though it could be higher.

Soph-colt trot
Amigo Hall will once again take the most of the win bets and, after Play Trix On Me’s rebound at 3-1 (we had him finishing second to Amigo Hall at 27-1 in the “Crown” final), is the race even worthy of an upset call? Yes, because Back Of The Neck has chances of beating the top two. He is pure class and this time could offer a better price than the 7-2 ML.

Soph-filly pace
I think this is a fine race to pass. Even though Party Girl Hill lost the Crown, she will still be a huge favorite and she should come back at this softer-than-Crown field with a big, fast, dominating mile.

Soph-colt pace
The glamour boys of the division are nowhere near as glamorous as they were when beginning 2020. Our high hopes for Capt Midnight this year was far off its mark. Our praise for two-year-old Cattlewash was a season too early. We were right about Catch The Fire being a second-class member of the division. We liked Elver Hanover but he never truly grew up. Others like Allywag Hanover, Tattoo Artist and Papi Rob Hanover were disappointing, at best. Here, then, is the remains of the season, and it looks as if No Lou Zing may be the bet.

Nancy Takter’s colt was in the near-field-long photo finish of the Crown final, won by a 200-1 shot, and will surely be in the mix in the stretch here. He has finished off the board only once in 13 starts. He may also go off far more than his 9-2 ML.

ONTARIO FINALS

The SBOA finals for soph fillies are at Woodbine/Mohawk on Nov. 14. The filly trot is worth $141k and the filly pace goes for $138k.

Trot
Two winners from last week’s pair of SBOA legs are here: Susies Lady, winning as a favorite and PL Notsonice, one of the top three choices at 7-2, will top the win pools.

The former, arguably the best of the two winners, won over 10-1 Chelseas Magic, who handled the public’s other choices with aplomb. Second to PL Notsonice was Princesspartypants, who was sent off at 3-1.

Clearly, Chelseas Magic was best of the rest against the strongest of the two race winners, and even though she leaves outside of them in the final, she should be the main presence at the finish line at the best price of her main competitors.

Pace
At 12-1, Beach Sports finished second to 5-2 Rose Run Victory, the latter coming from far behind to beat the public’s first choice, Alicorn (9-5). Greg McNair’s Beach Sports could take the final’s field wire to wire, sans intimidation from either of the closers and any serious challenge for the lead.

That is our best-case scenario for the pacers, with a decent price included in a mile that may be close at the wire but exceptional for Beach Sports.

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
11/14/20, Bugatti R7; Andys Ideal R10; Jimmy CR R11; Terror O R12

Dayton
11/12/20, +Woos Princess R14
11/13/20, TC Scandal R3; A List R4; Crowntime Pet R5
11/14/20, American Music R14

Dover
11/12/20, +Late Mail N R8; +Proper One R11

Freehold
11/13/20, +Sprout R10

Meadowlands
11/13/20, +When Dovescry R10; +French Moni R13
11/14/20, +Always A Miki R2; +Exploit R2

Meadows
11/12/20, +Carolina Beach R8
11/13/20, Panimal Kingdom R5; +Explosive Leggs R6

Monticello
11/12/20, Better Bangbang R2; Six Roses R7; +Skyway Leda R8

Northfield
11/14/20, Endeavors Star R15
11/15/20, Lancaster Park R13

Northville
11/13/20, Naturalle Muscle R1; Sherwood Keepit R3
11/14/20, Gitterdonefortyone R2

Philly
11/12/20, Mizy Breda K R2; Lion Safari AS R8

Plainridge
11/12/20, +Lincolnjames R7; +Simply Susational n R9

Yonkers
11/13/20, Walkinshaw R8
11/14/20, Flaming Flutter N R9